Post by Job on Apr 20, 2007 11:52:58 GMT -6
A couple of years go, the local paper ran a series of interviews with local men who had been involved in WWII. It was fascinating reading. It made me wish that someone had done the same in Streator. Perhaps reading such interviews would provide some lessons to the youth of today. As a kid growing up in Streator, I knew many men who had fought in the war. One of our neighbors, for example, was wounded on Okinawa. When I was older, I worked in the factory with many veterans. I never talked to any of these men about their experiences, however.
Two of my uncles were in the Army, and one of them was killed during the invasion of Saipan. Just before the surviving uncle died, he agreed to let him interview him and tape the interview. He was involved in several invasions of Pacific islands, including the invasion of the Philippines. I was surprised to read the commendations he had received, and stunned to learn that he had been awarded two Bronze Stars. To my knowledge, no one in family knew of these honors. At his funeral, I made sure that his medals were on display.
For many years, I was a partner in a firm where two of the senior partners were WW II veterans. I was curious about their experiences, but they never talked about the war. Eventually, over a few drinks, I got one of them to open up. He always appeared to somewhat bookish and mousey, but he received two battlefield commissions and a Bronze Star during his combat experiences in Italy.
I finally cornered the other partner, again over a few drinks. He was the guy who ran the firm, and we had some clashes over the years. I have always had an anti-authority streak, so the conflicts were inevitable. I always had tremendous respect for the guy, however, and had done some sleuthing on his background. I knew that he had grown up in a blue collar neighborhood in Chicago and that his dad had been a plumber. He went to school to become a stenographer, and ended up working at Knox College as the secretary to the college president.
After a time, the college president urged him to enroll in college. He graduated summa cum laude. He also was in the college’s ROTC. He graduated just in time to join the Army, and later fight in the Battle of the Bulge. In fact, he has served as a consultant on documentaries on the Battle of the Bulge. After the war, he attended Northwestern Law School where he graduated Coif and was an editor of the law review.
The last day I worked in the firm, he pulled me into his office and showed me his Silver Star, but he made me promise not to tell any of the other lawyers in the firm about the medal. He retired to Florida many years ago, but I found an interview with him.
www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060311/COMMUNITY/603110404
Two of my uncles were in the Army, and one of them was killed during the invasion of Saipan. Just before the surviving uncle died, he agreed to let him interview him and tape the interview. He was involved in several invasions of Pacific islands, including the invasion of the Philippines. I was surprised to read the commendations he had received, and stunned to learn that he had been awarded two Bronze Stars. To my knowledge, no one in family knew of these honors. At his funeral, I made sure that his medals were on display.
For many years, I was a partner in a firm where two of the senior partners were WW II veterans. I was curious about their experiences, but they never talked about the war. Eventually, over a few drinks, I got one of them to open up. He always appeared to somewhat bookish and mousey, but he received two battlefield commissions and a Bronze Star during his combat experiences in Italy.
I finally cornered the other partner, again over a few drinks. He was the guy who ran the firm, and we had some clashes over the years. I have always had an anti-authority streak, so the conflicts were inevitable. I always had tremendous respect for the guy, however, and had done some sleuthing on his background. I knew that he had grown up in a blue collar neighborhood in Chicago and that his dad had been a plumber. He went to school to become a stenographer, and ended up working at Knox College as the secretary to the college president.
After a time, the college president urged him to enroll in college. He graduated summa cum laude. He also was in the college’s ROTC. He graduated just in time to join the Army, and later fight in the Battle of the Bulge. In fact, he has served as a consultant on documentaries on the Battle of the Bulge. After the war, he attended Northwestern Law School where he graduated Coif and was an editor of the law review.
The last day I worked in the firm, he pulled me into his office and showed me his Silver Star, but he made me promise not to tell any of the other lawyers in the firm about the medal. He retired to Florida many years ago, but I found an interview with him.
www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060311/COMMUNITY/603110404
