This Memorial Day is different.
We have to experience it without my dad being physically present.
Memorial Day was his day.
He was a proud veteran but an even prouder steward of preserving the honor of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedom which affords us so many opportunities.
For years he was the chairperson of Covington’s Memorial Day festivities.
Our kids and my brother’s kids always looked forward to helping their Grandpa proudly place flags on the graves of veterans in our village’s cemetery during the week prior to Memorial Day.
Ironically working in that cemetery was my dad’s first job and one of the greatest stories he shared from his time there was when the cemetery superintendent excitedly came running toward him shouting, “The war is over.” “The war,” was World War II.
Dad was sixteen when World War II ended.
Two years later he enlisted in the Army.
He proudly served as a member of “The Big Red One” which is also known as “The Fighting First Infantry.”
A serious blood infection prevented him from being deployed to Korea.
He often viewed that as both a blessing and a defeat as he truly wanted to serve his country in war. He loved watching “Mash” reruns and I often wondered if that was his way of “being there” when the Good Lord saw fit to keep him away.
We will never know.
What I do know is my dad raised my brother and me to always be grateful for the sacrifices of people we never knew.
Somehow I believe I got to know them all.
Thanks Dad.
P.E.A.C.E.
Jay@EagleLaunch.com
