MEMORIAL DAY

During the televising of the opening ceremonies for the Indianapolis 500 today ABC seemingly focused more on the military aspect of the ceremonies than past years. The producer responsible should be applauded as it is, after all, an observance of Memorial Day. The ceremony was concluded with the playing of “TAPS” by a solo trumpet player. The stillness of thousands of race fans was deafening as the notes carried to the far reaches of the Brickyard. I am sure this somber moment stirred emotions of all kinds in those present as well as the millions watching around the world, each one with their own thoughts. These are mine.
Unlike the military conflicts that followed, World War II sparked an across-the-board patriotism that united everyone in the war effort. Each wanted to do their part. This included my cousin Art Jr. He followed the newspaper and radio reports of the progress on the battlefront and was well aware the war was winding down. At this time in history he was desperate to serve his country. He had one big stumbling block. He was under the minimum age required to enlist in the Army. Worse yet, to him, he would not reach the required age until past the projected end to the war. He had a solution.
He would talk his mother into signing a document testifying to a false birth date that would allow him to meet the minimum age requirement. For weeks he begged her to sign. She was steadfast in not doing so. With the fighting near its end, she relented. It was the proudest day of his life as he left the recruitment office as a member of the United States Army.
He participated in an accelerated boot camp and boarded a ship bound for the European theater. Somewhere in Germany, while protecting a tank crossing a clearing, he was shot and killed. A few short weeks later the war ended.
As one can imagine, life for his mother Francis and his father Art, would never be the same. A post war military ceremony presenting them with their son’s medal for bravery in combat, while a proud moment, did little to stem their unimaginable grief.
We must never forget.