...And That's My Opinion©
By Sandy Goldman
The Rogers Park
Community Curmudgeon
The Greatest
Generation
It was early, literally by dawn’s early light,
that our cruise ship entered the harbor of New York. Almost everyone aboard had assembled topside to witness the
panorama, including much of the crew. The captain had arranged for a narrator
to describe the surroundings and to provide some factual historical
information.
This was very different than the first time Carol
and I entered that harbor. Then it was
1957 and we were returning from a year and a half of army service in
Germany. We were perhaps a bit too
blasé, and much too anxious to get off the Henry J Kaiser oil tanker, which had
been converted to serve as a troop ship, to take notice of the passing
scene. We wanted to get discharged, get
home and get started on our lives. And
so we did.
Now it was different. Forty-seven years later and certainly in a different phase of
life, we stood aboard the Holland American’s MS Prinsendam II and soaked up
every single image we could find to look at and/or photograph. Standing on the deck with the wind in our
hair, we saw the Empire State Building without the gorilla; the Flatiron
Building; the relatively new Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, connecting Brooklyn to
Staten Island; the silhouette of the Brooklyn Bridge without the Bee Gees in
the background; the empty space that once was the site of the twin towers of
the World Trade Center; the Intrepid, a WW II aircraft carrier moored alongside
the Queen Mary 2, looking for all the world like a sardine next to a
whale. But most important of all -
there stood the Statue Of Liberty, now partially open to the public, and Ellis
Island where so many immigrants entered the USA. It is now a museum. Perhaps my
grandparents and yours entered this country at this very place.
Many of us felt an unashamed and unexpected surge
of pride and patriotism as a recording played “America The Beautiful” as we
sailed slowly past Lady Liberty.
I thought of all this as I watched the World War
II Memorial Dedication Ceremony. Once
again I felt an overwhelming sense of country and more than just a little bit
of gratitude to this “Greatest Generation” who made it possible for our
peaceful transatlantic journey to Europe and then an independent trip to
Amsterdam.
Tears welled in my eyes as I looked at the wizened
faces, and often trembling hands of those who fought the Greatest War ever and
for those who did not return. They gave
the greatest sacrifice. I was and am a
grateful recipient.
Too young for the war, I had uncles and cousins
who served. Some are still alive; some
have died. I saw them along with along
with hundreds of other faces on my TV screen.
I felt that same uncontrollable feeling of patriotism and pride.
How many, I wondered, of today’s generation have
any knowledge of what Memorial Day means?
How many understand the significance of the new World War II Memorial on
the prestigious National Mall fittingly situated between the Washington
Monument and the Lincoln Memorial? It
is seven and half acres of tribute to 16 million men and women who served in
uniform during World War II. More than
400,000 Americans perished on battlefields around the world to preserve and
guarantee our many freedoms.
May God bless them and God bless America.
...And that's my opinion.
And I'm Sandy Goldman
Send me your e-mail address or
those of others who would be interested and I'll add them to my rapidly growing
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