Their one shining moment!
Imagine spending a couple of hours on a Saturday afternoon with 16 WWII veterans. I had the great privilege of doing just that last Saturday. I had went to the Allen County Public Library in support of a friend who was launching her latest book. Kayleen had just published her second in a series profiling veterans, mostly local, of the second world war. This latest effort “They did it for Honor” brings to life the military service of these extraordinary individuals.
I was taken back as I walked into a packed room filled with veterans, their family and others like myself looking forward to meeting each of them. Of the group, two were women and as you can imagine all in their nineties. Two of the 34 were represented by their family members bringing the total of those represented to 18. Moving around the room, shaking hands with each of them, it was an emotional experience to be able to thank them for their service. They are a humble group and the response I heard most often was, “it was my duty”. They were matter of fact and sincere in this response, but at the time of their service, they were also very young. Yet, at 17, 18 or 19 years of age, they did “their duty”.
On this day, some were more fragile than others. A few needed the assistance of family as they signed our books. But, each received the thanks offered them and seemed overwhelmed by the gratitude shown them. The room was warm and even loud at times . It had to feel overwhelming at times to these men and women, most just a few years shy of being 100 years old. But, true to who they are, they were troopers. Patient and committed as they signed each book and shook hands with all who had come to meet them. When you consider that there was over 16 million service members at the beginning of the war some 75 years ago and there are now just over 500,000 alive (According to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Statistics) having 16 assembled in one room was truly an amazing feat.
Their stories were captivating and I listened to them sharing their personal experiences throughout the afternoon. These individuals, who represented all branches of the military, served under all the great generals that I’ve only read about. Patton, MacArthur and Eisenhower were names I would hear as I made my way around the room. When I asked Calvin Schultz, a corporal who served in Patton’s Third Army if he ever met the well known General, his response made me laugh. ” No ma’am. But, I always knew when he was coming through. They’d make us shave and put on clean clothes”.
The history in this room could not be overstated. Max Whiteleather was at Omaha Beach and Jim Wiegman was on the USS New Mexico docked by the USS Missouri and witnessed the surrender ceremony that took place in September, 1945. I had a chance to be on the Missouri back in 2001 when I visited Pearl Harbor in Hawaii and stood where the signing took place. It’s one thing to read about something or to try to imagine what it was like, but quite another to have experienced it in real time. I have always loved history and thanks to Kayleen’s efforts and the opportunity to meet these men and women, I feel strangely more connected to the events that occurred.
On this Veteran’s Day as in previous years, I want to take time to thank all of those who have served in our military in the past and are serving now. I am blessed to have had friends and family alike answer this call to protect and defend our country. I admire their commitment and am grateful for the sacrifice they have made and still others continue to make. It is because of the combined efforts of all of them that we have the many freedoms that we have today.
I am especially grateful for my time with these WWII veterans. They truly are the “greatest generation” and are heroes, each and every one of them. I am so honored to have been a part of their day and their one shining moment when we could pour out our gratitude and love on them.
May each of you have the opportunity to show your gratitude and love to a veteran today. They are ALL deserving of that one shining moment. May we never forget their service and sacrifice.
Blessings,
Tammy