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A Tribute to The Greatest Generation
So spoke General MacArthur by radio broadcast to his America, whose long night had finally dawned with victory. The General had just accepted the unconditional surrender of the Japanese Empire aboard the battleship Missouri anchored in Tokyo Bay. The signing officially ended the war that changed the shape and future of the world — World War II! It was a world that had just seen 50 million of its people die in six years of war. Over 400,000 of them had been Americans killed in battle. And yet, the conqueror had spoken in words of peace to the conquered. As he did so, the clouds lifted and the sun glistened off ancient Mount Fuji in the distance. Even today the
General’s words of his hope for peace speak out for
all eternity as they are inscribed on the WW II The inspiring Memorial captures the many profound and remembered statements made during the war from FDR’s, “A day that will live in Infamy,” to President Harry Truman’s, “A debt to these heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid… .” The Memorial, with its soaring fountains and towering surrounding granite columns, covers 7.4 acres and completes a vista stretching from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial. It honors the 16 million men and women who served and the 400,000 who died to preserve our freedoms and liberties — a fitting tribute to remember forever the sacrifices of “the Greatest Generation.” The Memorial is symbolic of the defining event of the 20th century. It is a monument to the spirit, sacrifice and commitment of the American people to the common defense of the nation and to the broader causes of peace and freedom from tyranny throughout the world. Above all, the Memorial stands as a symbol of American National Unity, a timeless reminder of the moral strength and awesome power of a free people united and bonded together in a common and just cause. I visited “my Memorial” recently and it was an emotional experience. It is hard to describe this beautiful edifice as it is more a feeling of remembrance of those fateful days that shaped the future course of this country. Many of my fellow comrades from that “Greatest Generation” were visiting with me on the site and we greeted each other with a simple smile, a handshake and a “how are you doing?” Yes, the Monument is alive and is almost overpowering in its grandeur, and yet it has a simple, serene and peaceful aspect to it for those who served “in the big one.” Called “The Jewel of the Mall,” it is simply the best. As we honored Veterans Day, 2005, let us all remember not only our military personnel who made the supreme sacrifice in protecting our country in its time of peril, but also their families who have suffered with them. As we try to stay united and unafraid of those who would try to take away our precious freedoms and liberties, let us always remember and honor our military veterans. God Bless Them All, and God Bless America! Jim is Vice-Commander of American Legion Post #219. He served as a combat infantryman in WWII, fighting in France and Germany with the 70th Infantry Division. You can email him with questions or comments at: Cassperryst@aol.com *Send your questions
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Veterans Day Tribute... To The Greatest Generation Jim
Cassidy “And so my fellow
countrymen, today I report to you that your sons and
daughters have served you well and faithfully with a
calm, deliberate, determined fighting spirit of the
American soldier and sailor. Their spiritual
strength and power has brought us through to victory.
They are homeward bound, take care of them.”
Memorial
in Washington, D.C., entitled “The Wars End: Today
the guns are silent. A great tragedy has ended. A great
victory has been won. The skies no longer rain death --
the seas bear only commerce -- men everywhere walk
upright in the sunlight. The entire world is quietly at
peace.”
The
huge Memorial surrounds the refurbished and famous
rainbow reflecting pool. At the end of this pool,
an inspirational and overpowering wall of 4,000 golden
sculptured stars in blazing color — one star
commemorating 100 Americans who died in WW II —
representing over 400,000 young men and women who made
the ultimate sacrifice so that freedom in America could
be secured.