Memorial Day 2007

One of my grandfathers was captured by the Germans in World War II. He wrote this poem about his experience.

I’m an Ex-POW/MIA

And in a land so very far away,
And tho’ by no fault of our own,
We were surrendered … then left alone.

The enemy had surrounded us with their guns.
They picked us off then, one by one.
After a time—many, many dead.
We surrendered. Then wondered why in hell we did.

After many months of agony and pain.
We were told we might get home again.
And oh-the happiness that brought me!
(Hope you’ll never have to experience it to see.)

And now we’re home and well—and, yet-
They say there are some over there yet.
Until they’re home then—yes, everyone;
Then our work as Ex-POWs and MIAs is never done.

In 2003, my wife and I visited the field in Normandy where grandpa was captured.



A small monument marks the field.



After he was captured he was marched out this gate.



His first night in captivity was spent in a building at this farm. Prior to the war it was a quiet family farm and today it is a quiet family farm. As we looked at the first two stops on my grandfathers forced journey to a prison camp in Germany it felt strange to me to see how peaceful these places are today. It was shocking to realize just how much life really does go on. Places that are full of fear and sadness for some are places of great joy for others.





His second night was spent in a monastery.



He was shipped via train to Germany. He and his fellow POWs were crammed into boxcars and the doors were shut and locked. Soldiers died in the boxcars. There was very little room to move and the air quickly grew stale and very hot. The only way to get a breath of fresh air was to stick your nose through cracks in the floor boards. Unfortunately there were also no bathrooms so sticking your nose through the cracks meant pressing your face up against some nasty boards. But the fresh air was worth it so the soldiers took turns breathing the outdoor air.

What's remarkable is that these men in the boxcar were ordinary guys pushed into extraordinary circumstances. I can't imagine how they managed other than to say simply that they were survivors.

The men and women we have in our military today are ordinary people that have been sent into extraordinary circumstances. I encourage you to take a moment this weekend to think about what we have asked them to do. I encourage you to think about the sacrifices we've asked them to make and the sacrifices we've asked their loved ones to make.