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Memorial Day: A thank you for those who gave their lives
A Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS
I thought about writing, for Memorial Day, for those gallant soldiers who gave their lives for the rest of us. I’d like to begin with the Second World War, which I spent as a baby in the Netherlands. There Nazi Germans invaded our town (Nijmegen) at the start of that war, on May 10, 1940. I was born in August that year, so the shooting had already begun. My parents shielded me from all this but before the end of the war: May 1945, I was slowly beginning to understand what had happened. One thing I have learned (years later) was Americans of the 82nd Airborne Div., in September 1944, were instrumental in the liberation of Nijmegen, in Operation Market Garden. There were also soldiers of Great Britain and Canadians. To all, I owe my thanks. Since Mother was of Jewish extraction, this was a very tough time for our family and for me. Both parents lived for a long time after WWII but they are now deceased. I lost many aunts and uncles to deaths in Concentration Camps.
Soldiers, male and female, Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines (and others) have been involved in so many wars since then: Korea, Viet Nam, actions in the Middle East, etc. They all deserve our thanks. “This nation will remain the land of the free only as long as it is home of the brave.” As you celebrate this Memorial Day, take some time to recognize, reflect, and remember how fortunate we are to live in freedom. Pray for those who made it so. And for those who lost their lives in the process.
I served in the U.S. Army 1961-1964. It was in a time of peace, the majority of my service time was in Germany doing Signal Corps work. Since I speak Dutch, German, and English, I also served for a time as interpreter. It was difficult learning to get along with all sorts of people. There were, in those days, a lot of rough characters in the services, who had no respect for the feelings of others. I do not recall those three years with great feelings of nostalgia.
Thank You.
Fred Schaeffer, OFS
May 26, 2024