“Valor is stability, not of legs and arms, but of courage and the soul.” Michel de Montaigne
“Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.” Billy Graham
Introduction: For most of us in the USA, Memorial Day Weekend marks the start of our summer. Many will gather with friends and family, head to the lakes and beaches, relax, cook out, enjoy the weather, and celebrate the end of spring and the start of summer. And by all means, it is totally ok to do, absolutely, enjoy this break, savor it.
There is another group of people in the USA who will likely not be celebrating outwardly this weekend. They are the family members, friends, and colleagues of those brave men and women who died serving our country while in Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, and probably, even Vietnam. Their thoughts are not of summer coming, but of someone not being here. And it is very important for these people to remember what they lost, and we can never forget it as well.
“It doesn’t take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle.” Norman Schwarzkopf
Making it a Special Time: I am almost 73. Yes, I have Parkinson’s, and yes, some other ‘health issues’ that get covered in this blog. I have also reached an age where friends, colleagues, and others that I have known from a distance (scientists/physicians) have recently passed away. It happens, and this will not stop.
For me, for many years, Memorial Day was a time to remember my father, his younger brother, and his sister’s husband. They were all involved in World War II (WWII), and they all came back from the war.
My father (Frank C. Church, Sr.) was a pilot in the Army Air Corps and spent many months flying missions in the South Pacific, especially in the Philippines, New Guinea, and Australia. I wrote in great detail about my father’s life and his participation in WWII, “Journey with Parkinson’s: Tribute to the Greatest Generation” (click here). Additionally, I previously wrote about the core values of the U.S. Air Force and growing up as an Air Force brat, “Air Force Core Values And A Life Lived” (click here).
My Uncle, Curtis French Yarbrough, Sr., was married to my dad’s sister, Elizabeth Church Yarbrough. Uncle French was a tank crew member, and he served in North Africa and Europe. And yes, he served under General George S. Patton.
Emory Nicholas “Bubba” Church was my dad’s younger brother, and he spent time in India during the war. If the story is correct, Uncle Bubba signed up for service and was not yet 18 years of age.
My dad, in the early phase of his Air Force career, was learning to fly, etc.
Uncle Bubba (left and right pictures), clearly, after the war, when he joined the Philadelphia Phillies. I could only find the one picture of Uncle French (he is standing up in the middle picture, along with my dad, Uncle Bubba, their wives, and my grandmother Church), one of my all-time favorite family pictures.
“In peace there’s nothing so becomes a man as modest stillness and humility.” William Shakespeare
Memorial Day: I know it is dedicated to honoring and mourning U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the Armed Forces. And I know we use Veterans Day, which celebrates all who have served. I have always combined the two days to think about and honor both the living and the dead. My reasoning is that so many soldiers came back from these wars in very rough shape, both physically and mentally. And while still alive, their sacrifices were very large indeed once they returned from combat. Yes, it was not the ‘ultimate sacrifice’ of having lost their lives; however, I have always felt that all these men and women sacrificed so much for us that we owe them much more than 2 Monday holidays.
“The willingness of America’s veterans to sacrifice for our country has earned them our lasting gratitude.” Jeff Miller
Two short stories: #1. We were down in Pensacola Beach, FL, a few years ago. As usual, I was able to play golf at Pensacola NAS (thanks to my sister’s husband, Ed, who was in the Marine Corps). I was paired up with a guy who had just retired from the Marine Corps and had gone into real estate with his wife. Turns out his specialty was defusing bombs in Afghanistan. As we finished the round, he invited me to lunch upstairs in the cafeteria above the golf pro shop. As we came out of the cafeteria line, every soldier around us stood up and saluted him as he sat down. One of the base commanders came by to thank him for his service. Turns out he was good at his job and saved lives.
#2) From 1971 to 1982, I wore a Vietnam-era bracelet for someone lost, missing, or captured during the war. I would take a picture of it, but now it’s hidden somewhere in my office. The name on the bracelet was Lt. Col. James Metz, MIA 4-15-68. Col. Metz was a pilot, and his jet was shot down over North Vietnam. Although it was assumed for several years that he was a POW in Hanoi, it turned out he did not survive the enemy anti-aircraft fire. For his family’s sake, his remains were returned to the U.S. after the war. Wearing this bracelet constantly reminded me of his sacrifice, and every time I have visited the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C., I go to his name and touch the granite slab. I will never forget your sacrifice and service, Col. Metz. Thank you.
Yes, this Memorial Day, we rightly praise and thank those who have given their lives to protect our freedom, and we thank their families as well. But it never hurts to thank anyone else who has returned from such wars, and it is always kind to say thanks for your service and sacrifice.
“Heroism is latent in every human soul – However humble or unknown, they (the veterans) have renounced what are accounted pleasures and cheerfully undertaken all the self-denials – privations, toils, dangers, sufferings, sicknesses, mutilations, life-long hurts and losses, death itself – for some great good, dimly seen but dearly held.” Joshua Chamberlain
Journey with Parkinson's 