Garage News: Thoughts on Veterans Day and Capital trip

Lee

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I hope what I write here is received in the spirit intended and I can articulate what I felt on the trip. Tough assignment for an Idaho farmboy with less education than many of the readers.

Last weekend my wife, oldest daughter, and I flew to Virginia to participate in the blessing of my middle daughter's first child. A beautiful little girl. While there we visited a number of the memorials and sites in D.C. as well as a personal tour by my daughter of the capital. She works for a congressman and is a wonderful tour guide.

Three times I was deeply touched. The baby blessing, holocaust museum, and the plaque on the wall of the capital where we exited.

Holocaust museum-
I am incapable of understanding how a group of people can become so evil and past feeling that they would allow, scheme, and execute the methodical dehumanization and extermination of other fellow human beings. The group responsible for the brainwashing of many good people and especially the youth is an ugly dark spot in history. I have some dear friends in Germany.Austria, and Switzerland, wonderful kind people. They are who I think of when I think about these countries and believe they are representative of the people of their countries. One of the displays is shoes that were taken from the prisoners some large some small. I could picture my children in those shoes. With all the tragedy and misery therein displayed I was equally touched by the rescuers wall. Many names from many countries who risked their lives and some lost their lives hiding, helping, and saving the various groups targeted for cleansing including but not limited to Jews, mentally ill, Jehovah's Witnesses, Asians, and Blacks. As I finished the tour it occurred to me that under the Nazi policy four of my children and possibly my wife would have been among the numbered. I couldn't speak for 15 minutes.

Capital tour- Beautiful art work, stories, and history abound within those walls and my daughter was a terrific guide. At the exit is a memorial plaque to those on the plane that was intended for the Capital or White House on 9-11. I started to read the names and when I got to Todd Beamer's name I choked up as I remembered his phone call to his wife and his final recorded words-let's roll. Those names represent true heroes. Another 15 minute lump in the throat.

Baby Blessing- What a contrast to ponder the miracle of birth and a new spirit entering the world full of promise and potential. I wish for her a long, happy, and peaceful life.

This is a little unusual for me. I believe those that know me will confirm that I tend to be a bit quiet, laid back, light hearted and even keel.

My gratitude to those who went before including my father -WWII, those currently in service including my son-in-law- Syria, and those in the future. Also to those who love and support them and all others in the service of their fellowman-law enforcement, public servants, firemen, ..............
 

monk

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sounds to me to be a trip of a lifetime. not soon to be forgotten. congratulations on the little one !
 

SamW

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Lee, thanks for a wonderful post. It makes one stop and ponder what a blessing we have been gifted with the dedicated people who serve our county, and us, to keep freedom alive.

You got away with it but when I mention how shy I am, people just laugh.
 

Marrinan

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Beautifully written and felt. Some day soon, sadly there will be need for memorials to those in the same situation all over the world-We in America are truly blessed. But we have a certain amount to be ashamed of as well.-Fred
 

DevilDog

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Lee,

As a son of a WW II veteran, I really enjoyed your thoughts and perspective on your trip to the Capitol. Several years back I read a book titled "Duty: A Father, His Son, and the Man Who Won the War". It was written by Bob Greene, about his veteran father and Paul Tibbets, the pilot of the "Enola Gay". In it he mentions that in his home there was never any memorabilia, photos, or décor that would tell you that his father was a WW II veteran. The same can be said about the home I grew up in. Not a single item or display of his time spent in the war. But, if as a kid you sneaked into his lower dresser drawer and opened up the shoe box that was located there. You would find his dog tags, service ribbons, patches, and some graphic photos depicting war. After serving in the Philippines, he came back to the farm and bride that he left in Arizona. I am the 12th child of the 13 children he fathered and raised. He is my Hero.
 

Mike Fennell

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Great post, Lee. Congratulations on your daughter and grand daughter.

Many who lived through WWII are still with us today. My father joined the Navy immediately after the Pearl Harbor attack and spent the war chasing enemy submarines. He served in both the Atlantic and the Pacific theaters. One of his younger brothers was a bomber pilot and another a Marine.

Dad and Mom recently celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary and, this month, their 100th birthdays. We are humbled to be so blessed.
 
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