Veterans Day brings an assortment of memories to many.
There is a sense of pride for those who have served in the armed forces, especially during times of war. There are painful memories for those who lost loved ones, and then there are those memories the veterans have themselves of the sights and sounds they experienced – too horrible to mention, but unable to forget after years of time have passed.
I was born while Word War II was still raging, and it has stayed in my mind that people were fighting and dying for
my freedom even before I was born. I suppose what made it mean so much to me was the fact that a young relative of mine, Marshall Andrew Hyde – for whom I was named – gave his life at the young age of 19.
Like so many other young people, World War II changed plans, lives and ended the lives of thousands of Americans. Marshall had planned to attend college after graduating from Robbinsville High School and pursue a career in agriculture, perhaps as a farm agent.
Marshall had written a letter home on April 15 1944, his 19th birthday. His last letter was dated May 4.
In this letter, he mentioned that he did not regret being overseas in the war; that if he survived, he would have quite an experience for a young man, but that if he didn’t survive, that was okay: you had to die sometime.
That “sometime” came on May 30, 1944, near Velletri, Italy during the Allies’ effort to drive the Germans from Rome. Soon after the family had received his last letter, the family was notified that he had been killed in action.
Like so many others, Marshall never got the chance to reach adulthood, never got to experience the joy of having a wife and children, never got to see home and friends again.
On this Veterans Day, let us pause at least long enough to remember those who lost their lives for our freedom.
If you have an American flag, fly it.
If you don’t have a flag, get one.
Marshall McClung is the historical columnist for The Graham Star. He can be reached via email, mcclungs@email.com.