Some Heroes I've Never Met...

 I only know them by their last names...Rilmer (or Riemer...), Mischler, Frurin, Schinick, Johny (possibly a first name...), Kircher, Hal Junior, and my dad...

I met him.

The others, never, and considering the time that's passed between when these pictures were taken and now, I'm betting they're all gone. I missed my chance. 

This is a photo of my father's B-17 crew. I've tried researching their plane, Hell From Heaven, but it eludes me. I found it once, searching the internet many years ago, but every time I search now, I can't find it. Which means, I can't find out who these brave men were. My mother knew of them--one, I don't know which, was from Montana or Wyoming...some place close. She might have met him, I'm not sure. But, my mother's gone, too, so, once again, I've reached an impasse.

Today, we honor veterans. They deserve the day--they deserve more than a day, a month, a year. The life I've lived would be vastly different had the millions of families not sacrificed their greatest gifts--their sons, daughters, fathers, mothers--to defeating evil.

Because I've never met (save one...) of the men in these photos, I don't know their stories, their histories, their experiences. I'm sure there are living descendants who have heard the stories. I'd love to spend time with their children and find out what happened, answer many of the questions I've had since I was old enough to understand the war and those who fought in it.

I've heard that many of those who served and sacrificed didn't like to talk about what happened...a reasonable response. Had I the opportunity to ask them what happened those decades ago on foreign lands and they refused to answer, I would have nothing but respect for them and move on.

But, if they chose to share, I'd soak up every fact, every detail. If that happened, maybe I'd regret knowing what they did. I hope not, because it's knowledge, knowledge I could pass to my children so those sacrifices wouldn't be forgotten.

To me, they're heroes, and always will be.

Veterans Day, 2018...It's All About Time

I've been alive for a few big anniversaries. I remember watching TV on July 4th, 1976, and, of course, the whole world watched as the calendar changed from 1999 to the year 2000. Today we celebrated the one-hundred year anniversary of the first great war ending.

I think this one means more to me than the other two.

One could argue which has more meaning, but to me, the Bicentennial was neat, but I was a ten-year old kid. I didn't understand the significance of the United States in the history of the world. And the Year 2000 event was amazing, but it's just a number. If you're a non-Christian, I don't know why you'd celebrate it, and if you are a Christian, many experts agree that it wasn't exactly two-thousand years since Christ was born.

But today means more, because it involves family, and by extension, all of us.

I love watches and I've been fortunate enough to have inherited several from both my father and father-in-law. Since my dad passed away two and a half years before the Bicentennial, his watches are old. My father-in-law had both old and new. At precisely 11am this morning, I pulled out my father-in-law's newest (and most favorite...) watch and filmed it hit 11am exactly. I also took pictures of the two older Bulovas owned by each of them and photographed them, too.

Both men, Dad and Blaine, served their country, my father in WWII, and father-in-law in the Korean War. Both sacrificed. Both survived. I never heard stories about either of their experiences--one because he passed away decades ago, and the other because he didn't like to talk about it. He, too, has left us.

A hundred years ago today a chapter of humanity's darkest history closed, only to be re-opened again and again since. We celebrate the day, express our thanks, then do it all over again a few years later. In the end, it's about time. It's about how we use that time, how we think and treat others. I have watches that are reminders of two great men who gave their time so me and my family could live the life we live now. Thank you Harry and Blaine, and thank you everyone and their families that continue to give of their time for us.

Veterans Day, 2011

 

Veterans Day, 2011

The time was 11 a.m., very fitting considering the day, month and year. Several hundred people gathered at the corner of our city cemetery at 11 a.m. this morning to dedicate a memorial, a memorial to all of those who served and are buried on the gentle slope of the hill.

There were flag bearers, speeches, and even a trumpeter. The cold breeze moved the fabric emblems of our country as they held suspended above our heads and we heard from a former congressman, the state's current Lt. Governor, and our mayor. A few of the city's finest were recognized for their part in the construction of the memorial. They did good work.

 

After the dedicatory prayer was given and handshakes were exchanged, I walked around the grounds where the bodies of my parents...wait. 

 

 

 

I saw a couple of headstones adorned by an American flag. A few others wandered about with perhaps the same idea.

  

No flag appeared above my father's marker. My mom told the city time and time again that her husband was a veteran and should be acknowledged as such. There was no flag and his name did not appear on the new memorial. That's something I need to fix. I had a suspicion that his name would be missing and at first it bothered me a bit. I did a little research and found some information on my dad and his service record. That can be found: HERE.

But as I walked away from my parent's headstone and drove away from the cemetery, the fact that my dad's name wasn't on the newly dedicated memorial didn't mean that much. I know it will be there and that this may be important to generations yet to come. I had a change of heart because though it's important he be recognized as a veteran, it's more important (for me...) that I remember his as my dad.

Here's to the veterans out there, the ones who, for a time in their life, offered the greatest gift a human can give for someone else.