As we are in another Memorial Day weekend, my thoughts go immediately home to Hunter, Utah. I was too young to remember World War II, but old enough to remember when my Uncle Ben was declared dead a year and a half after the War ended, having been missing in action for 4 years. Back then my parents called it "Decoration Day" and they spent Saturday and Monday, cutting and preparing vases and jugs full of flowers, that had been cut from our garden, or my Grandmother Rolfe's yard. We "decorated" every relative's grave - but my Uncle Ben's grave always had a flag inserted in the vase of flowers, and the cemetary had also placed a big flag by his headstone.
My Grandfather had already died very young, and so Uncle Ben being the only boy in the family, had been declared the "sole provider" for his family and was not drafted. However patriotism was so high, that Uncle Ben could not be discouraged from joining. He wanted to be a pilot, but his eyesight wasn't good enough. My mom still testifies today, that he ate carrots till his skin started turning orange from the carotene, but he improved his eyesight enough to pass the pilot eye exam.
He trained to be a pilot, came home before going to War, and married my Aunt Fern. They had a two day honeymoon, and he shipped out to England.
He was the pilot of a B-17 named the Ugly Duckling. His first flight into Germany was a mission to take out a railroad viaduct, the plane was over the Usel Lake (formerly known as the Zeider Zee) in Nazi occupied Holland, near the village of Apeldoorn. His plane was shot down, and all 5 men on board were able to parachute out - but they all landed in the Zeider Zee. Unfortunately it was November 26th, and the sea was freezing, and they all perished from hypothermia. The year was 1943, and Uncle Ben was delared "missing in action". It wasn't until July of 1946 that a fisherman fished his body out of the sea, with his dogtags. I barely remember going to his memorial. I remember my Grandmother had a " gold -star decal" placed in her window. Which meant she was a Gold-Star Mother, and had lost a son in the War.
Five years ago, a man in Germany e-mailed my Mom and Dad, and my brother Michael, who fortunately served a mission in Germany, and told them an amazing story. He was a little 8 year old boy standing in his backyard, and saw the plane and the parachuting men go into the sea. He has since researched the plane and it's occupants and is writing a book of his memories. Through his research he has found several earlier pictures of Ben and his squadron, standing by his plane, a picture of the plane flying, a log of the men on board the plane etc., which he shared with us. If I were more "technical" I could attach the pictures - but alas....
I love memories. Dates, tastes and smells, always bring these memories flooding back into our lives. I love "Decoration Day" now our Memorial Day Weekend. I love America, and I am grateful for all those men and women who gave their lives to keep it free. I just got back from Restland, and it is ablaze with flags. They line the streets going into the cemetary, and are on every Veteran's grave - it is important to remember.
