A Veterans Day Letter of Thanks to the WW II Heroes of the Greatest Generation

There is an old saying that goes… “They don’t make ‘em like that anymore.” 

Just such a statement could be made about the men and women of whom Tom Brokaw described in his book as “The Greatest Generation.” You’ll find no argument from me… unless… you don’t agree with that assessment.

Because… It’s a fact… they don’t make ‘em like that anymore! 

The qualities of courage, honor, commitment and self-restraint were a part of the basic core of values of the Greatest Generation… qualities that we find to be much less abundant in today’s society.

The men born between a 15-year period bookended by the years of 1914 and 1929, were special. They left a legacy in our lives for the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren of these patriotic, level-headed fellas that showed us by their conviction, not by their rhetoric what a real American looks like. And those who are still with us, remain very special today, as we honor them on Veterans Day.

They weren’t comic book heroes. They were the average Joe, coming from cities and villages of this great land to protect the rights of freedom for all. They were the hope upon which a nation openly prayed, in a time when prayer was encouraged and allowed to be a part of everyone’s lives.

On a quiet Sunday morning in December… the Day of Infamy… Dec 7, 1941, the lives of all Americans came to an abrupt halt. Pearl Harbor had been attacked. The newscast came blaring across the old Philco Radio as everyone asked… where, or what is Pearl Harbor? Even a veteran network newscaster didn’t know… mispronouncing the name of the Hawaiian Island of Oahu… calling it O-ha-u.

Pearl Harbor was the call to arms. Where it was became insignificant. The battle alarm had been sounded, and the greatest generation responded en masse. They did what their parents had taught them to do… they took responsibility for their own lives, as well as the lives of their families and neighbors. The Armed Forces Recruiting Stations stayed open around the clock from that fateful Sunday on. The lines were long, but the passion was intense. The fire was burning in the hearts of these young men, and it did not wane. 

These men put aside their dreams of a little home with the white picket fence, and met their challenge with the type of courage that must never be allowed to go unappreciated, for as long as the Stars and Stripes of these United States of America continue to fly in freedom, the very same freedom that these men fought and died for to preserve not just for themselves, but for all generations to follow.

They marched off to an unknown future, leaving behind the gal next door, hoping that she wouldn’t “sit under the apple tree” with anyone else but them. They did what was asked of them and they did it in such a way that they did not seek recognition or applause. They did their jobs and then, they rarely talked about it when the War mercifully concluded in 1945.

What they saw and what they experienced, was far more than any young man of any age should have had to witness.

Across the globe, men faced the unthinkable horrors of War in such places as Midway Island, the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, Corregidor, the deserts of North Africa, the Battle of the Bulge, Iwo Jima and Bataan, and so many others that the magnitude of the challenge that had been placed before them is unconscionable, even today.

Throughout Europe, our troops fought the evils ideologies of Hitler and Mussolini. They fought for the principles that the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave stood for. In other words, they fought with their lives to protect something worth believing in. They felt so strongly, that they were willing to give the ultimate sacrifice of their own lives, so that the homeland that they loved so dearly might continue to grow and prosper according to the blueprints of our founding fathers.

In the Pacific campaign… they witnessed another kind of hell. Unlike the often, freezing conditions in Europe, these heroes suffered through the intense heat and jungle conditions that were nothing like their own towns and cities back home that were ever-present in their minds as they met the enemy of the Empire of Japan head-on.

And, we cannot ever forget the brave and dedicated women in uniform either. These strong and courageous women nursed our wounded warriors and cared for them, keeping them alive. We can never underestimate their heroic War efforts as well.

On the home front, families placed the star flags in the window to openly display their own sense of pride, not only for the service of their loved ones, but all-too-often, to show their loss.

Each December 7th, on the anniversary of the attack at Pearl Harbor… we solemnly recall the period of the War years, often, by romanticizing the era, remembering the music of Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey and the rest, but we can never mask the reality of this dark period of the world’s history by hiding behind the sentimental music of the period. We must always be reminded that those whom forget history are doomed to repeat it.  

Despite the passing of the decades, we can never fail to acknowledge what the greatest generation did for all of us. I say, “step back and let these heroic men and women have their day. Let us celebrate the lives that were lost and the lives that remained from that proud and dedicated group of Americans.”

God help us all… if we ever forget. 

As part of the so-called Baby Boomer generation, I often cringe, knowing how hard our parents struggled and fought to preserve our Constitutional rights only to have a generation come along who often abused that privilege by burning a draft card or burning the flag. Yes, freedom comes with a price, and that price is the tolerance and patience that we often need to exhibit when individuals exercise the privilege of that freedom with unpopular statements or actions. The right to express one’s self is the essence of the gift of freedom. It is precisely what these men and women died for. 

I hold one of the most precious gifts of my life,  as the fact that I am the son of a father who honorably served in WW II. I would never disrespect that honor, nor would I be willing to stand by and watch someone else show anything less than total respect. I find great pride that I was born and raised in the City of Chicago where Soldier Field… a monument “dedicated to the men and women of the Armed services” stands on our glorious shore of Lake Michigan. 

I think a lot about my Dad, whom we lost in 1999. I can just imagine how much he would have enjoyed seeing the WW II Memorial in Washington, D.C., an experience that is made possible through the Honor Flights for our veterans. My Dad, like most men of his age, never bragged about what he did in the War, he just acknowledged a quiet recognition of service, whenever it was brought up by someone else.

And, It is because of my Dad, that I find such great satisfaction and pride over the past several years, on literally, thousands of occasions, to have sung our National Anthem… “the way, it’s  be sung.” 

 When WW II broke out… the poster said: Uncle Sam wants YOU! It didn’t say he wanted the guy behind you… although, he certainly wanted and needed him too. He wanted YOU… and the call was answered.

The WW II Memorial in our Nation’s Capitol and the subsequent Honor Flights for the vets were embarrassingly overdue. They represent but a small token of the overwhelming gratitude that we, as free Americans have for the unconquerable spirit of those who were brave enough to take up arms for their fellow citizens.

I saw a statement that was written on the internet from a young soldier who had returned home from a tour in Afghanistan, who wrote the following:

“The most humbling moment of my life was returning from my first tour of duty in Afghanistan when I was only 19. As we got off the plane there was a string of Vietnam, Korean War and WW II Veterans standing in a line saluting. You have never seen so many professional tough guys with tears in their eyes. The pride we felt that these men felt it fitting to salute us was palpable. Never have I been so proud yet so humble. The WW II vets were mostly smaller and frail now and yet I knew that each of them were twice the man that I would ever be.” Well said, Soldier!

 The world is a better place because of what our brave veteran men and women did. Our lives are better because of their sacrifices. Our hearts are filled with gratitude that no period of time can ever erode.

And our prayers are unceasing for those who are called to your final reward each day.

It is with the highest respect that I personally say, Thank you Veterans and welcome home. 

May you always remain in the hearts and minds of the millions of your countrymen and the millions of other free people around the world who celebrate your courageous and magnificent legacy.

May God bless each of you… and may the freedoms that you preserved, live on in America.