Memorial Day 2009 - Family Heroes
Here's a snapshot in history. The men in the picture at the left are on the ship my father once served on in World War II. Shown docked at the island of Cebu in April, 1945, he's standing on the dock in the far right. Unfortunately, the old pic is faded, but it is a profile in hard work, belief in freedom, and plenty of courage by all who served abroad and at home.
I can’t think of a better way to celebrate my first Memorial Day as an Automotive Technology Examiner. The nation will thank the many, but sometimes it's right to focus on the few who made it home, but suffered quietly in their own way.
Lest we forget that it was individual lives that made up the whole war effort, please allow me to pay tribute to a few people from my own family.
Frank Sherosky, Petty Officer, U.S. Navy (Deceased 1983)My father was the oldest among his shipmates; he was in his mid-thirties when he volunteered, while most sailors were in their early twenties and younger. Perhaps that's why they called him, "Pop." He was also the ship's barber. As a gunners mate, he operated and maintained the twin-fifties. Blown off the ship in the heat of battle, he swallowed a belly-full of saltwater and spent an entire night in the ocean until rescued. Later, he got hit with two bullets in his right leg which plagued him many years. He often recalled how scared he was, especially at the battle of Leyte Gulf in the Philipines; and if anyone said they weren't, he said they were a "damned liar." If he had any medals, I never saw them; nor did he ever boast of ever being a war hero.
Joseph Claude Gibbs, Staff Sargeant, U.S. Army Air Corp (Deceased 2007)
My father-in-law flew in B25 bombers in the Pacific campaign. Trained as a radio man and aerial gunner, he flew many missions over the islands including Luzon in the Philipines, New Gunea, Borneo and others. This was a real challenge for a man who grew up in a log cabin in Tennessee; he was afraid of water and often found himself looking at the horizon where no land could be seen. No wonder I couldn't get him on my sailboat. He was also a cryptographer and trained others in the skill. He lost his hearing in one ear from the gun shells exploding in the air and was awarded the 4 Bronze Service Stars and the Air Medal. He, too, never boasted of being a hero.
Wayne Mentier, Field Medic, U.S. Army and Surviving POW (Deceased 2008)
I couldn't find a military pic, so the last wedding anniversary will have to do. Before he became my brother-in-law by marrying my sister, Dorothy, Wayne served as a medic on the battle fields of Europe. It took great courage to fight every human instinct not to jump into a foxhole just as other men ran for cover when the shells were hitting; but that is precisely what Wayne did. He delivered drugs and bandages to fallen soldiers and witnessed many men die. It was the cold at the Battle of the Bulge and his capture that was the most difficult, though. Taken prisoner by the Germans, he was sent to a POW camp until the end of the war. He especially remembered eating cabbage soup on that first Christmas. He was also struck in side of the head by a German officer with a luger hand gun which made him deaf in that ear. He also went hungry many times. He was later freed when the Germans heard of the pressing Russian Army. He later told me fellow Russian POWs were sore afraid they would be killed by their own army just for being caught. Wayne returned home with many health issues right to the end of his life. He belonged to the "Battle of the Bulge" group and the VFW in Traverse City.
Final Thoughts
There were others in my family as well, including my uncle, Clyde Boyer who died in Europe; my uncle, Tony Tolitsky (Marine); my uncle, Joe Tolitsky (Navy.) Surely, you can recall others in your own family. And some of us may be fortunate to still have them alive, like my wife's (Judi) uncle, Bob Marzola (Marine) who stormed many beaches in the Pacific and ended up the only guy left on two occasions. All these men and women who served, living and deceased, are America's true heroes. Never forget them!
Truth is nobody appreciates peace and freedom like a soldier, as each learned the real costs involved. So, I can't help but recall the blessing that the leaders of ancient Israel were commanded by the Almighty, whenever they addressed His people. It reads as follows:
"May the Lord bless you and keep you. May He cause His face to shine upon you; and may He grant you peace."
Pictures: Sherosky, Gibbs and Mentier Family Archives
Author's Note: Technology changes faster than you or I can peruse the net. So, I intend to do more than just reheat what you can already learn on your own through a simple Google search. I’m an examiner; and that means I perform research and/or autopsies on technical ideas and gadgets pertinent to the automobile to gain insight on feasibility and practicality based on my 39 years in the auto industry. Hope you enjoy! You may contact me at my personal site,
AuthorFrank.com
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