Memorial Day 2007
(May 7, 2009) | 
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| Like all other mornings, this old veteran of WWII, attached and raised the Stars
and Stripes in his backyard in the City of Albuquerque. It is prominently
displayed for all who drive the Ventana West Parkway between the streets of
Paseo Del Norte and Irving. A simple setting: just an old man in his eighties
and a new American Flag raised on a new flag pole. The old man has an affinity
for the flag of his country, for he is an American, remembering the patriotism
of past wars and past years, when so many Americans had the courage and joy of
flying Old Glory. What has happened in the country of our birth – for today so
few flags are seen flying in the breeze? It is almost as if we have forgotten
the love of country and the Freedom which we are enjoying and have enjoyed
through the decades. You will note that I spell Freedom with a capital "F",
always a capital "F" whenever I write that precious word, even in a simple note
to a friend.
Today we remember the men and women who fought for Freedom in World War Two who
never lived to return to the country of their birth, not only WWII but WWI,
Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf Wars, including the war against Iraq and Afghanistan.
If they had lived it is my earnest belief that each would be flying the Stars
and Stripes today. I am remembering my first friend to die in WWII. He is Emmit
Bagwell of the Army Air Corp; flight engineer and gunner on a B-24 bomber of the
8th AF, flying out of a crude field in England to bomb the Germans in France and
beyond. He and all his flying companions on his four-engine B-24 were blown to
pieces when the ship exploded with its full load of 500 pound bombs. There
wasn't enough left of them to send back home, and they cannot fly the American
Flag, but in their day they saluted the Flag and stood at attention whenever the
Flag passed by. Had they lived to return, you can bet they would be flying Old
Glory today.
When the USS Indianapolis made that record run from California to Tinian to
deliver the trigger mechanism for the two atomic bombs which the 509th Composite
Bomb Group dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, there were 1098 officers and men
aboard that great ship. Upon leaving Tinian, she set sail for Guam, but never
reached Guam for a Japanese submarine fired a torpedo into her hull, sinking her
in just fourteen minutes. During that ordeal the Navy never knew she had been
hit so those who were still alive of the crew were alone on the Wide Pacific
Ocean to fend for themselves. They were accompanied by many sharks, and the
final count of survivors days later showed 300 officers and men survived. For
the most part, the sharks ate 800 officers and men. I do not know their names,
but you can bet that they would be flying Old Glory today, had they lived to
enjoy the Freedom for which they fought.
The writer was an airman in the Old Army Air Corps, but my heroes are the
Marines who took that sulphur island, known as Iwo Jima in 1945. Seven thousand
Marines died there on those black sands which their blood turned red and 13,000
were wounded. The B-29's returning from bombing Japan had a place to land their
crippled planes on the air strip laid out on Iwo Jima, thanks to the brave
efforts of the Marines, many of whom never returned to loved one in the USA. Had
they returned, they would be flying Old Glory, for as long as they lived! You
can count of that! They knew all about Freedom, honor, and country. It is said
that soldiers know how to fight, but Marines know how to die! You will also note
that when this writer writes the word "Marines" it is always with a capital "M",
for that's how I feel toward Marines. When having an appointment at the VA
Facility here in Albuquerque, or in any other city, I always stop in the
hallways to salute Marines. Many of them are much younger than I; nevertheless,
they receive my salute. Then I tell them of Iwo Jima and how the Marines fought
and died there for that precious commodity called Freedom.
There is a Marine, S/Sgt. Mark Graunke, of Dallas, Texas, who lost an arm, a
leg, and an eye in Fallujah, Iraq fighting for their Freedom. I do not know
Mark; however I have his name and the fact of his great loss taped to my
computer so that I am constantly reminded of the cost of Freedom. Freedom has
never been free and never shall be. The cost is shared by few men and women so
that the many may enjoy the fruits of Freedom. I bet Mark Graunke is flying the
American Flag today. I feel that deep down in my heart. I feel something else
deep down in my heart today, and that is the love I have for my country, in
spite of her short comings, and her sins against Almighty God.
One of my good friends, Giff Ormes, who spent over twenty years in the USAF
during several wars, told me this week that in their new development on the Gulf
Coast of Mississippi that the covenants speaks of "no flags". He flies one
anyway, and so would I. It's my right as an American citizen.
So, today is Memorial Day in our land. I shall sit on the patio and view the
flag at half-mast, in memory of those who gave their lives for the Freedom which
I enjoy. Pull up a chair and join me! | |
By
C. Douglas Caffey
Copyright 2007
Author's Bio:
C. Douglas Caffey is a disabled veteran of WWII. He
served (1944-1946) in the 509th Composite Bomb Group,
58th Wing, Air Photo Unit, 20th Air Force, United States
Army Air Force. It was the 509th who dropped the atomic
bombs on Japan and did the atom bomb tests at Bikini in
the Pacific. A chronic sufferer of PTSD since WWII, Doug
is a former college dean. He started writing poetry
several years ago and though he doesn't claim to be a
poet, he does claim to write from the heart.
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