Here we go. 2007. Would you believe that this begins my eighth year of retirement. This is also the fifth year at our present address. Time is relentless.
As I write this, the ceremonies for Gerald Ford are dominating the TV airways. He is a “throwback” to World War II having enlisted in the Navy. For some reason the World War II experiences of my childhood remain poignant. I have a deep respect for anybody who served in “the big one”
The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. did a testimony recently to Steven Spielberg who filmed “Saving Private Ryan”. About 8-10 survivors of Normany Beach in 1944 were brought onto the stage to salute Spielberg’s epic. I have to admit I got choked up a little bit. These guys are in their eighties and are a dying breed.
Then I watched the Rose Bowl game on New Years Day. Part of the pre-game ceremony was the Star Spangled Banner followed by exploding rockets. To cap it off, four air force jets came flying in low formation over the stadium that just shook the stands. For some reason low flying military aircraft paying tribute at public events chokes me up a little also. I can’t explain it. Maybe I was a pilot in a previous life. Each year there is a game at Camp Randall where low flying aircraft do a salute. I get goose bumps. The aircraft have unbelievable power. Maybe it is a reminder of the role aircraft played during World War II.
The next World War II president to “rest in State” will by George Bush, Sr. I believe he was a pilot during World War II. Then the Presidential ties to World War II will be in the past.
It is a shame that World War II memories are slowly slipping away. The War shaped the very world we lived in.
For 2007, world peace would be nice. It ain’t going to happen but it is a good goal.
Love,
Dad