Today is September 2 and our nation is focused on the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav or the start of the Republican National Convention. Sixty-three years ago today, the focus was on very different things.
On the battleship USS MISSOURI World War II was finally ended when General MacArthur signed the surrender agreement with representatives from Japan. The world breathed a collective sigh as the war was finally over. It was a war that had resulted in over 50 million deaths worldwide - both military and civilian. We lost over 400,000 soldiers, sailors and airmen in service to their country. Hundreds of thousands of families grieved their loss while hundreds of thousands more families looked forward to seeing their sons, brothers and husbands again after years away.
On a more local note, in Memphis, Tennessee, Bill and Martha Wade were taking care of their third child, Elizabeth, who was almost 4 months old. She would become Betty and eventually my wife and mother to our two sons.
In Nashville, Tennessee, Clyde and Dorothy Cooksey were taking care of Clyde Daniel, Jr. who was just over two weeks old. He was the second of two children as my older sister, Jane, was born in January, 1941 before the US joined the war. Clyde Daniel, Jr. grew up to become Danny and eventually Dan - me.
Neither of our fathers served during the war because they were in what were deemed critical jobs. Betty's father worked for the telephone company and my father worked for a dairy.
As time passes we lose a little more of our collective memory of this time. Our parents were born between 1913 and 1920. They played as children through the 1920's, were teenagers during the depression, and young parents during World War II. I don't know if we can ever understand or appreciate what they went through.
I also think we're losing an understanding of how much we owe to that generation. I hope I never forget.
Happy September 2.
4 comments:
Thanks Dan. My dad (Tj here) served in Europe, right after the war ended. He has some amazing stories of how thankful the people there were for the Americans. Also, horrifying stories of the conditions of some of the people.
Another great post, Dan :)
And may I say thank you to:
Clyde and Dorothy Cooksey and Bill and Marth Wade for bringing two really special people into the world :)
I'm still reeling over the fact that telephone companies and dairies were critical jobs back then.
I think they'd now be computers and Starbucks.
:P
~Lisa
ah man, at least you know something about it. i feel terrible how little i know. thanks for giving me a brief history lesson. i am forever grateful for all those that serve. i should make it a priority to find out more about their sacrifices.
My dad was a medic on the front line in WWII. I used to try to pry information from him, stories or whatnot about the war. He finally told me one day that he really didn't care to remember and talk about seeing his friends blown up right beside him. I never asked him about it again.
We owe our entire lives and freedom today to that generation and those that served and died.
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