Heroes
On July 4th, my wife's grandfather, Paul, took part in a parade in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. He's a member of the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge, and "each year some of our group ride in a big Army truck and are displayed like we were someone important. We get lots of waves and hand clapping by the parade watchers."
As well they should.
This is one of the photos that Paul sent to me. He's not present in the photo (after all, someone needs to take the pictures, and he was lucky enough to be the one with the camera).
I have a lot of respect for Paul. I've only spent a little bit of time with him -- on a couple of occasions when he and Helen have come to visit the Left Coast, and when Amy and I spent our honeymoon in Pennsylvania (Ligonier, Harrisburg, and Gettysburg, specifically). In the brief time I've spent with him, I've learned a lot about his life. One year, he sent us a printed autobiography that he'd put together which illuminated his life experiences even more.
The photos he sent on the 4th, as well as the remarks he made, really made me think. What would the world be like now if not for men like Paul and the other Veterans who put their lives on the line? What would have happened had America not been drawn into the Second World War?
I'm not going to compare the current conflict in Iraq with WWII; the two wars don't compare, in my opinion. I have the utmost respect for anyone of any gender who wears a uniform and, as part and parcel to their occupation, goes into harm's way, and that includes the men and women of our modern military. Yet comparing the conflict in Iraq to the war that was fought across the globe between 1939 and 1945 isn't possible. At least not for me. I have my own political views to blame for this perception, and I don't plan to delve into them. This isn't the proper forum for that. *
Paul saw a lot in the time he spent in the service, and like many of the men who fought in Europe, he returned home, took up a career, and built a family. He's a humble man who obviously prefers to downplay his participation in the war, and I guess that's another reason that I have a boatload of respect for him.
Yet to guys like me, who have only seen these experiences on the film screen, between the covers of history books, or in the painstakingly-crafted miniatures used in wargames, Paul and the fellows in the picture above are giants. Their contribution to society should not go unrewarded, and they deserve every clap, wave, and cheer that they get. They deserve more, in my opinion.
My grandfather, too, fought in the Second World War. He was a sailor in the Pacific theater. I never heard many war stories from Grampa; I reckon he was just as humble as Paul is, and the memories were probably painful, too. He once told me that his ship shot down a Japanese Betty bomber, but that was probably the most detailed account he'd ever relayed to me about his experiences in the Navy. I wish I could ask him to tell me more, but he's gone now, and all of his experiences have gone with him.
The memories of WWII grow dim for much of the country today. There are lessons to be learned in wartime; lessons of sacrifice, tactical lessons, lessons of both human and economic costs. How much have we learned? How much have we forgotten? People around the world continue to suffer and die daily, and I am constantly amazed (horrified?) by the headlines I read.
I've never served in the military. I've been lucky, I suppose, to have been spared the experiences of the battlefield. I am thankful for the peace that I have known in my life. I am a father, too, and I look at my son and I pray that he is as fortunate as I am.
* Just to note, I've always tried to make a point of steering clear of politics in my posts on this weblog. I may one day venture into discussions of local politics, such as those concerning school board elections or homeowners meetings. As to national politics, it's enough for me to say that I'm fairly moderate in my views. Whether I agree with the current administration or not is irrelevant to the manner in which I raise my son.
As well they should.
This is one of the photos that Paul sent to me. He's not present in the photo (after all, someone needs to take the pictures, and he was lucky enough to be the one with the camera).
I have a lot of respect for Paul. I've only spent a little bit of time with him -- on a couple of occasions when he and Helen have come to visit the Left Coast, and when Amy and I spent our honeymoon in Pennsylvania (Ligonier, Harrisburg, and Gettysburg, specifically). In the brief time I've spent with him, I've learned a lot about his life. One year, he sent us a printed autobiography that he'd put together which illuminated his life experiences even more.
The photos he sent on the 4th, as well as the remarks he made, really made me think. What would the world be like now if not for men like Paul and the other Veterans who put their lives on the line? What would have happened had America not been drawn into the Second World War?
I'm not going to compare the current conflict in Iraq with WWII; the two wars don't compare, in my opinion. I have the utmost respect for anyone of any gender who wears a uniform and, as part and parcel to their occupation, goes into harm's way, and that includes the men and women of our modern military. Yet comparing the conflict in Iraq to the war that was fought across the globe between 1939 and 1945 isn't possible. At least not for me. I have my own political views to blame for this perception, and I don't plan to delve into them. This isn't the proper forum for that. *
Paul saw a lot in the time he spent in the service, and like many of the men who fought in Europe, he returned home, took up a career, and built a family. He's a humble man who obviously prefers to downplay his participation in the war, and I guess that's another reason that I have a boatload of respect for him.
Yet to guys like me, who have only seen these experiences on the film screen, between the covers of history books, or in the painstakingly-crafted miniatures used in wargames, Paul and the fellows in the picture above are giants. Their contribution to society should not go unrewarded, and they deserve every clap, wave, and cheer that they get. They deserve more, in my opinion.
My grandfather, too, fought in the Second World War. He was a sailor in the Pacific theater. I never heard many war stories from Grampa; I reckon he was just as humble as Paul is, and the memories were probably painful, too. He once told me that his ship shot down a Japanese Betty bomber, but that was probably the most detailed account he'd ever relayed to me about his experiences in the Navy. I wish I could ask him to tell me more, but he's gone now, and all of his experiences have gone with him.
The memories of WWII grow dim for much of the country today. There are lessons to be learned in wartime; lessons of sacrifice, tactical lessons, lessons of both human and economic costs. How much have we learned? How much have we forgotten? People around the world continue to suffer and die daily, and I am constantly amazed (horrified?) by the headlines I read.
I've never served in the military. I've been lucky, I suppose, to have been spared the experiences of the battlefield. I am thankful for the peace that I have known in my life. I am a father, too, and I look at my son and I pray that he is as fortunate as I am.
* Just to note, I've always tried to make a point of steering clear of politics in my posts on this weblog. I may one day venture into discussions of local politics, such as those concerning school board elections or homeowners meetings. As to national politics, it's enough for me to say that I'm fairly moderate in my views. Whether I agree with the current administration or not is irrelevant to the manner in which I raise my son.
posted by Gary at 4:42 PM
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