A Promise Made: 10 Years Later

Here in Normandy the rescue began. Here the Allies stood and fought against tyranny in a giant undertaking unparalleled in human history.

- Ronald Reagan at the 40th Anniversary of D-Day

The countdown to the 80th anniversary of D-Day has started. We are just a couple of weeks out. An estimated 2 million people will be in attendance to commemorate 80 years since the great amphibious invasion that ushered in the beginning of the end of World War II in Europe.

10 years ago this month, my sisters and I determined to get our family to Normandy to keep a promise to an old British D-Day veteran we had met some years before. We promised him that if he “stuck around” till the 70th, we would meet him in Saint Mere Eglise. 

June 06, 2011 - JUNO BEACH WITH BRITISH VETERANS WHO CAME ASHORE SO MANY YEARS BEFORE… i was about 14 here.

Blogs were still a thing in 2014, so we started OperationMeatball.com as a way of keeping track of that trip. Before the trip was over we realized it was so much bigger than just a blog and just a trip. That promise I had determined to keep for my British Vet turned into a much bigger promise – a commitment to hundreds of WWII veterans to keep their stories and their names alive. 

Throughout the process of cataloging their stories and memorializing their legacies, these veterans became the dearest of friends. The mission of Operation Meatball grew. We learned about more than just their war service…  We learned about what it was that separated their generation from others. How growing up in the Great Depression cultivated in them a special grit which served to carry them through the hardships of World War II and beyond.

Some years ago, I jokingly told an old friend, a Vietnam vet, that it would be hard to find a man because I had grown up with such spectacular examples of masculinity and patriotism. “Liberty,” he responded quite gravely. “The character and quality you see in their 90s didn’t happen overnight. This was a lifelong process of growth. It’s the whole encompassing story of their lives. That made them what you see today.” 

That sentence stuck with me when I considered everything I learned from the World War II vets… It’s why today I try and tell their WHOLE story. The good and the bad, the growth, the hardships, the gains, the losses. Because it’s the whole story.

101st airborne sweetheart, tom rice at the 75th of dday.


We’re here to mark that day in history when the Allied armies joined in battle to reclaim this continent to liberty. For 4 long years, much of Europe had been under a terrible shadow. Free nations had fallen, Jews cried out in the camps, millions cried out for liberation. Europe was enslaved, and the world prayed for its rescue.

- Ronald Reagan at the 40th Anniversary of D-Day

Next month I will be jumping into Normandy with the Round Canopy Parachute Team as we commemorate the 80th anniversary. 10 years ago, when I had just started Operation Meatball, I watched my first Parachute jump in Sainte-Marie-Du-Mont, Normandy, France. It was beautiful; it was inspiring; it was emotional.

It’s a full circle moment for me. A way of honoring and remembering the veterans who I have grown up with and who shaped my life and the future of our country. 

So many years I’ve sat at La Fiere Bridge chatting and holding the hands of veterans, paratroopers, who many moons before had made that night jump into Normandy. We watched the men fall from the sky, and they told me what it was like on that night of nights.

Now it’s my turn.


members of the oss/jedburgh team prepare to make a parachute jump into enemy occupied territory

Wanted: Volunteers for immediate overseas assignment. Knowledge of French or another European language preferred; Willingness and ability to qualify as a parachutist necessary; Likelihood of a dangerous mission guaranteed.

I will be representing a special group who jumped into France… Not on D-Day, but the days before and shortly after - the women of the OSS and SOE (Office of Strategic Services and Special Operations Executive), a select group of valiant and courageous women who volunteered to parachute under undercover of darkness into enemy occupied territory to help set up resistance movements, act as wireless operators and couriers, and over all cause as much confusion in the enemy camp as possible.

The attrition rate for these women was very high. The life expectancy for a wireless operator in France was six weeks. If caught, the women were tortured or sent to concentration camps where they were gassed and killed.

Some of these women left children at home or a husband in the service. But they knew they were highly qualified – speaking multiple languages and having a sharp acumen for learning… And it was their way of serving their country at a time when women were not allowed near the front lines, with the exception of the nurse Corps. 

The services they provided the Allies from 1942 to 1945 was invaluable. There were a few select women in particular on whom the Germans put a high bounty if caught. But nevertheless they continued tirelessly.

It’s a very special thing to be able to represent these women. They carried their jobs off with courage and femininity and they played their part in the shaping of the New World.


I have full confidence in your devotion to duty and skill in battle.
We will accept nothing less than full Victory!

General Dwight D. Eisenhower

The world today has so much going on. We have access to more information than we know how to handle. There is continual fighting with casualties around the world. We read about them and see images every day that would break the hardest of hearts. 

There is so much tragedy and loss and worry right now that perhaps one would ask why travel to France NOW? Why is the 80th important? Is this a holiday? Is this a joy trip?

Well, of course anytime one gets to travel overseas, it is a gift. But this is a critical time in our history. The world needs hope and the world needs to remember.

France remembers. England remembers. America has to remember too.

We have to remember the sacrifices of the thousands of men who lost their lives on D-Day. Of the soldiers who had the courage to continue across that beachhead, even after seeing their best friend’s body explode in front of them. Their willingness to put one foot in front of the other, day after day after day. 

“I lost my best friend during WWII. He was killed in action on or about July 10, 1944, in Normandy, France. I was in the hospital in England at the time and didn’t know he died until I rejoined my unit... He had a daughter, Sue... She was about 3 years old when her father, Raymond, was drafted in the army and she never saw him again. For 60 long years, Sue tried to find out what happened to him or if anyone knew him. I responded to a notice in an army (military) magazine that had her name... and called her right away. When she answered the phone, I told her who I was and that I was a good friend of her dad. I identified his physical features such as height, weight, color of hair, and a slight gap between his two front teeth. She let out a yell and told her granddaughter, who was nearby, that there is someone on the phone who knew him. After 60 long years she finally found someone who knew him. Liberty, I am telling you this because from the bottom of my heart it was (still is) one of the most compassionate things I ever did in my life.”

Lee Cason, 4th Infantry Division Utah Beach


Photo credit: best defense foundation / patrick mccue

13 years ago, a D-Day Vet told me how he survived without fear. “Every morning I woke up I would say, ‘Well Don, today is the day I die.’ And when I got to the end of the day and hadn’t been killed, I would say. ‘Well Don, you made it through another day. Get some sleep. You will probably die tomorrow.’” 

He did this through months of combat. He expected that death was the most likely outcome, and putting aside that fear of death, he was able to be a better soldier, he was able put one foot in front of the other, until it was time to go home.

67 years later, he returned to the beaches of Normandy. But this time he had children, grandchildren, a beautiful wife, decades of happiness, and gratitude and remembrance for each of his friends who didn’t make it to the end of that day.

Let us make a vow to our dead. Let us show them by our actions that we understand what they died for. Let our actions say to them the words for which Matthew Ridgway listened: “I will not fail thee nor forsake thee.”

- Ronald Reagan at the 40th Anniversary of D-Day

On the 75th anniversary, I was privileged to go with a group of D-Day veterans who were returning to Normandy with the Best Defense Foundation.

Many precious and special moments happened that trip that I hold and cherish. But one in particular, I’ll never forget. 

In our group we had a very special man named Russell Pickett. He had come ashore on Omaha Beach with the doomed A Company, 116th Infantry Regiment. We all know the story of how they were massacred on landing. How the small town of Bedford would lose 19 men on that day, becoming the highest per capita town in America for losses on D-Day.

Russell himself had been horribly wounded, and while this was his second trip back to Normandy, it was the first one where he would actually go back to the beach where his life changed forever.

Russell was a quiet, humble, Christian man. He hadn’t always been that way… He carried anger and bitterness and nightmares with him for years after the war, making his life miserable. But then one day he was saved and everything changed. He found hope and for the first time was able to handle the nightmares.

rUSSELL pICKETT

The first morning in France, Russell asked if I would come help him with something. I was happy to oblige… Quietly and almost a little embarrassed, he asked if I would help clean an open wound on his head. It needed daily attendance otherwise it would ooze a very distasteful substance.

This started our daily ritual. I would go to his room where he would be sitting on the edge of his bed, dressed neatly and very nicely. Some mornings he already had his hearing aids in and some mornings he struggled to replace the battery, so I would have to knock a little louder.

I would clean the wounds on top of his head, and we would chat. About life and about God. Pure Christian love poured from his heart, and in his gentle, southern voice, he would share wisdom gathered from a life that had been long, at times hard, but at the end of the day very fruitful.

Some mornings while I tended to him, I would just start crying, visualizing the scenes of the beach that day, and wondering how someone so gentle and kind could survive and carry so much love still.  

These few minutes were my favorite. Not the hullabaloo and the celebrations, the speeches, the music, and the fanfare… But those quiet moments with a beautiful soul, who had endured so much, and yet at the end of the day was able to say, “God is good. His grace is sufficient for me.”

I haven’t really thought about this moment in a couple of years. The last 10 years have been full and sometimes I worry about all the stories I have forgotten or didn’t manage to get written down. And honestly, the emotional taxation of almost 2 decades of spending time with these dear national treasures makes one want to pause or even run away.

But then I think about these passages of time with Russell… where I saw the face of God in a 94-year-old man. And it’s all worth it. These memories are a whisper saying, “This is still important. You have to tell people. They have to remember.”


Why? Why did you do it? What impelled you to put aside the instinct for self-preservation and risk your lives to take these cliffs? What inspired all the men of the armies that met here? We look at you, and somehow we know the answer. It was faith and belief; it was loyalty and love. The men of Normandy had faith that what they were doing was right, faith that they fought for all humanity, faith that a just God would grant them mercy on this beachhead or on the next. It was the deep knowledge — and pray God we have not lost it — that there is a profound, moral difference between the use of force for liberation and the use of force for conquest. You were here to liberate, not to conquer, and so you and those others did not doubt your cause. And you were right not to doubt.

- Ronald Reagan at the 40th Anniversary of D-Day

We live in a generation of fatigue and historical amnesia. People have fallen asleep and forgotten.

This is why it’s important on the 80th anniversary of D-Day for me to go over there and meet with the very last of the last. To make this jump to commemorate and honor them. It’s my responsibility to tell their story, the story witnessed through the eyes of someone who grew from up from childhood to adulthood with these national treasures.

Faith and I will jump into Normandy and we will celebrate the gallant boys we’ve known. "Boys?” you say. Yes. Magic happens when the vets return to Normandy. The clock is turned back and they become boys again. They tell silly jokes, vie for attention, act like they’ve never seen a wheelchair before, and show off for the pretty girls.

One year we were at a friend’s chateau, talking with a couple of D-Day vets. An older man in a t-shirt, khaki shorts, and sneakers kept trying to interject. No one way paying attention to him. He walked off in a huff exclaiming, “Fine! If no one will listen to me, I’ll go put my jump jacket on and see if that helps.” He came back a few minutes later so adorned and received the attention he was looking for. The girls and I laughed so hard about it, and later would tease him endlessly.

It was Guy Whidden, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division.

I hope you all will join us virtually as we go back to honor and commemorate. 10 years ago, ages 14, 16, and 17, my sisters and I went around the countryside endeavoring to meet every veteran possible. Faith had a “menu” of old WWII songs she sang acapella to the veterans. I had a recorder, pen, and paper. We thought it might be the last time for a gathering like this. It wasn’t the last. But you never know when it will be. And this time, I’m pretty sure the 80th will be the last.


I asked Russell Pickett if, knowing everything he knew now; if witnessing the horrors and the bloodshed that could never be erased from his memory, and if knowing he would carry those physical and emotional scars with him his entire life, would he do it again? Would he do it again knowing everything? 

And his answer was, “Of course, Liberty. Of course, I would do it again.” 


Operation Meatball

Honoring Veterans & Connecting Them With the Youth of Today

Paratrooper, Toccoa, Currahee

We just wrapped an incredible weekend in Toccoa, Georgia with the Bridge to History Ambassadors studying all things Paratroopers.

One of the key aspects of the B2H program is continued mentorship and investment into the community when they return from their trip to Normandy. This weekend kicked off our first official Bridge to History Stateside Program and it couldn’t have been better.

If you have ever watched the TV show Band of Brothers or read anything about Dick Winters and the 101st in Normandy, then I am pretty sure Toccoa has popped up on your radar at some point. Nestled in the beautiful back country of northeast Georgia, Toccoa during WWII was home to the 101st Airborne. This is where the soldiers trained to become Paratroopers. They hiked the infamous Currahee Mountain. And it was here they were forged into the fighting force that would become a helping hand to the liberation of Europe.

This past weekend, Bridge to History Ambassadors from 2022, 2023, and 2024 flew and drove in from all over the country to spend a couple of days learning about these brave men of WWII.

Sleeping in the rebuilt WWII barracks at the base of Mount Currahee (on the exact location of the original camp) the ambassadors and their parents had a packed couple of days. Here are a few highlights:


“3 Miles Up, 3 Miles Down”

After a great tour at the Camp Toccoa at Currahee Museum, the ambassadors embarked on the hike up the mountain. Historically, the paratroopers would run this mountain on almost daily basis regardless of weather conditions. In Band of Brothers it infamously depicts a spaghetti dinner followed by a rigorous run up the mountain. The outcome? Yes - what you are probably thinking is correct.

The B2H ambassadors were grateful to just be hiking the mountain minus the spaghetti dinner. And they performed it with gusto.

Honoring Our Veterans

Saturday afternoon WWII veteran Andy Negra joined the Bridge to History crew for lunch and a special “fireside chat” about his experiences with the 6th Armored Division in Europe during WWII.

Andy is two months shy of 100 years of age. His spirit is effervescent. His perspective on life beautiful. And the love he still carries for his late wife (of 72 years) is inspiring.

For well over an hour, he shared his stories of the war, starting off with his childhood during the Great Depression.

Andy had called me a few days before the trip and asked what the ages of the students in attendance would be.

“10-12” I told him.

“Good.” He said, “That’s the age I was during the depression. I’ll tell them a bit about that for starters. They can relate better being similar ages.”

Andy didn’t shy away from talking about Buchenwald Concentration Camp. With careful tact, he told the students what he saw and the impact it had on his 21-year-old self.

It’s important to teach kids about the realities of war in an age-appropriate way. Film makes war glamorous. It’s easy for a 12-year-old history buff to see the uniforms and the tanks and the firearms and get excited. This is natural.

But this is why we discuss all aspects of war. Good and bad. People forget the atrocities that happened in the concentration camps. And when you forget, you repeat. It’s never too early to start teaching the value of life and honor and integrity.

Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
— George Santayana, American philosopher (1863-1952)

Andy is a very special example of the character of the WWII generation. He is a national treasure. His life mission is to continue to educate the next generations about their legacy as Americans.

With his 100th birthday coming up, he told me that he just got his first passport last year. “I have 8 years left on it, so I plan on using it for the next 8 years.”

Our afternoon with Andy was a treat and a genuine honor. These boys will never forget it. I’d made my heart so happy to see the focus and attention they paid him (shout out to Winston who asked such superb questions it made Andy stop in his tracks with admiration).


Connecting Them With the Youth of Today

Connecting the Ambassadors to the communities and local veterans groups is a very important part of Bridge to History Program. It means that the students have to take what they learned and implement it in the real world.

Our last night in Toccoa, VFW Post 4346 welcomed us as their guests for the evening.

When I initially reached out to the VFW about having the kids come over and have dinner and meet some of the vets, Post Commander James Williams didn’t skip a beat. “Of course!”

Williams and VFW Auxiliary President, Li’el Cohen were our gracious hosts taking meal orders and chatting with the group. Several veterans of various wars also joined our students, mingling and sharing war stories. The collective life experience in the room was incredible and the couple of hours we shared with them was just the tip of the iceberg.

One veteran of Vietnam shared an incredibly moving story of his battle with PTSD and how he learned to overcome it rather than be overcome himself. Another Navy vet had us chuckling with laughter and admiration as he passed his Navy decorated prosthetic leg around for our viewing pleasure.

Eventually we had to go back to camp, but it was hard to say goodbye. Each of the little ambassadors expressed how much they had enjoyed the evening.


Everyone talks about Southern Hospitality, but I gotta say - there’s something just a little bit extra special about Georgia hospitality. When I first stepped foot in Toccoa 10 years ago - it felt like home to me. 10 years later, it still feels that way.

Throughout the entire weekend, the B2H ambassadors and their parents experienced the very best of Toccoa hospitality. They learned about the Paratroopers through the history they left behind, and the firsthand accounts of the Toccoa folks who grew up with those paratroopers when they returned for reunions. They hiked Mt. Currahee with gusto - “3 Miles Up, 3 Miles Down.” They honored the memory of Toccoa Paratroopers who had been killed in action. They met with veterans, heard their stories, took notes and listened with their whole hearts. The students even got to help out a little at Camp Toccoa at Curahee. And they went home with full and happy hearts.

My desire is that this weekend added to the flame of interest and excitement they carry for understanding our American history and legacy. I hope they will continue to read and study and come back to Toccoa. It’s a special town with a rich history. We have so much to learn from it.


I would like to thank Steve Latham, Brad Rettig, and Camp Toccoa at Currahee, Inc.. for hosting us in their World War II barracks at the base of Mount Currahee, the same location as the original camp! They have done a phenomenal job rebuilding the barracks and provided the ambassadors with a special tour and history lesson on the paratroopers that trained at Toccoa.

I’d also like to thank Dale Moseley, Brenda Carlan, Lyn Hack, Pat Turner and the Currahee Military Museum for making our afternoon visit to the museum with Andy absolutely perfect and always going above and beyond to give young people the opportunity to learn about the history of Toccoa.

And many many thanks to VFW Post 4346 for an absolutely delightful evening. We cannot wait to come back and share this experience with more Bridge to History ambassadors and their families.


Bridge to History is a program of OPERATION MEATBALL. To learn more, participate, or donate click here:


Operation Meatball

Honoring Veterans & Connecting Them With the Youth of Today

62 Seconds Worth of Distance Run

My phone sent me this reminder four years ago. That’s Gene, my third Marine division sweetie, in front of the second flag raised on Iwo Jima.

I miss Gene so much. He was one of the kindest men I ever knew. So masculine and so gentle.

A lot of the vets I grew up with felt like surrogate uncles or grandfathers. Gene felt like a second dad.

I spent my 25th birthday celebrating Gene’s life with his family and friends in the heart of Montana… toasting him with a smooth bourbon and stories for days. It was really one of the best gifts he could have given me. There was so much beauty and peace. The fulfillment of a life well lived.

A life well lived might be an understatement.

A life he thrived in, an unsatiable appetite for life, a life in Technicolor.

As long as I knew him, he was taking Edgar Guest’s line - “fill the unforgiving minute with 60 seconds worth of distance run” and filling it with 62 seconds.

The year before Gene died he suffered a heart attack while hunting with his son. "Don't worry about me," he said, "get your shot then we can go to the hospital." He didn't want to miss out on anything.

When he went on hospice and knew it was a short matter of time, he continued to make plans - just in case hospice didn’t work out. He had a date lined up for the Marine Corps Birthday in November and talked about going to our Iwo Jima reunion in February.

In the days leading up to his death, we texted constantly (he was an incredibly speedy texting machine). I sent photos of old times. Someone told me he was going through all the photos on his phone, trying to remember EVERYTHING.

Gene has been born prematurely. In the 1920s the survival rate for a preemie baby was incredibly low. He and his twin brother were kept in a shoebox by the fire to keep warm. They both made it.

He became a marine. Survived the battle of Guam and Iwo Jima. Went into law-enforcement on the Hollywood beat. Became a park ranger at Glacier National Park. He had an illustrious life. He had an epic life. But in my mind he represented masculinity, kindness, stability, and integrity.

Gene told me once that if there was ever anything I needed, he was just a phone call away. And he meant it. But he didn’t wait for me to make that call. He called me – to make sure I was OK, to make sure I had everything I needed, that I was happy, content. Just to check in.

I miss those check-in calls a lot. I’d like to tell them about my life, my love, my work. I know he would’ve been so invested.

I visited a friend on hospice this week. I work with a lady with severe dementia. I am constantly surrounded by vivid reminders of the mortality and shortness of life. And there have been several days of late where it all just felt like a lot.

Then a little memories like this pop-up. And I’m flooded with recollections of people like Gene– who shaped my perspective on kindness, how to be treated like a lady and a woman, what integrity looks like… unconditional love. These little moments make everything worthwhile.

They make my own life technicolor.

On the day that we actually have an extra 24 hours, February 29, I want to be like Gene: filling the most unforgiving minute with every second worth of distance run and saying, “You can take me to the hospital after you get that shot.”


Operation Meatball

Honoring Veterans & Connecting Them With the Youth of Today

ANNOUNCING: Bridge to History 2023

Bridge to History is AMAZING! It has changed my life forever. I thought I knew a lot about World War II and D-Day but there was so much more that I learned and so much more I want to learn. To me the best part was learning about people who served with the Allied forces and what they did and how they felt. I also learned how the people who were kids who lived there in the towns felt when they were liberated and what they had to go through. I wish students in America knew more and learned more about this history.
— Adam (10), Bridge to History Ambassador 2022

We are so happy to announce that planning for the next BRIDGE TO HISTORY program is underway! The next program will be this fall. Specific dates coming soon!

Last year’s pilot program was a phenomenal success. Our seven students from five different states spent 10 days in London and Normandy meeting veterans, visiting 5 cemeteries, 5 beaches, and numerous monuments, interacting with French locals who were children during the war, and an afternoon visiting with French children, sharing experiences and understanding the two cultures.

When our Bridge to History students returned home, they jumped right into their new title of Student Ambassadors, giving presentations and sharing their experience with local news media, civics clubs, and schools, as well as the lessons they learned as ambassadors of the legacy of World War II.

We even received feedback from the President of Normandy who told me with great enthusiasm that he looked forward to our bringing more groups of young Americans over to France to learn about the war and our special friendship with the people of Normandy.

How you can help:

This trip is at no cost to the students. You cannot put a price on education, and we firmly believe in investing in the future of America. That means the cost of the trip is covered by generous sponsors and community effort.

The cost for one student scholarship $5,000. This covers the student + parent/guardian’s: flights, 2 countries, lodging for 9 days, meals, and dozens one-of-a-kind experiences. We are looking for full or partial ($2500) sponsorships.

If you would like to sponsor a student or multiple students, please go to WWW.BRIDGE2HISTORY.COM or email us at LIBERTY@BRIDGE2HISTORY.COM or DONATE online:

Stay tuned for more updates and please pass the word along!

I also gained incredible friendships along the way with my newly discovered friends Dyche, Adam, and Winston. We met each other in London, and we all were able to really understand each other due to our shared passion of history and warfare. It further deepens my opinion that this trip has brought us together as friends; reliable to each other in times of need.
— Ethan (10) Bridge to History Ambassador 2022

Hearing Aids and Pearl Harbor Day Remembrances

USS Arizona survivor, Lauren Bruner

Today is Pearl Harbor Day and I've seen some pretty wonderful and moving stories to commemorate this historic day. A couple of my nonagenarian dearies are currently over in Hawaii with Beyond the Call and I highly recommend you go follow their page. Tracie Hunter does simply wonderful things. 

This morning on my way to work I was going through my mental rolodex of all the spunky and tenacious Pearl Harbor vets I've known over the years. I specifically choose those two adjectives as a descriptor because I've always felt like there was a certain extra quality and mettle to the veterans who survived the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

Many of them had signed up in the late 30s as a way to care for family, earn extra money, and have a bit of fun. My great-great Uncle, stationed at Clarke Field, Philippines, saw it as a way to escape a difficult home life and perhaps find some purpose.

Then tragedy struck, a "sneak attack."

They witnessed and experienced horrific things, (I remember my friend Lauren Bruner who suffered 70% burns on the USS Arizona), shaping the rest of their lives. But they were no quitters, responding with vigor and alacrity, the attack at Pearl Harbor gave them a drive unlike any other. In it to win it, they were the original fighting men of WWII.

uss arizona memorial. 81 years after the bombing of pearl harbor - the arizona is still leaking oil

Four years later, after fighting in fierce battles all over the Pacific - Guadalcanal, Bougainville, Tarawa, Peleliu, New Guinea, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and more, what do they identify as? "Pearl Harbor Survivors." It's a striking thought. 

Now they are in their hundreds, and still returning to Pearl Harbor.

What menschen.

Some of the stories I've collected the last 15+ (really closer to 20) years would send the tears down your cheeks with LAUGHTER. The Pearl Harbor Veterans were among the first to teach me that that age has nothing to do with the maturity level. Which makes sense considering I've been called "Mom" many a time by a nonagenarian. 

 

 

Donald Long

Pearl Harbor Survivor, Donald Long

"Stu, I think they should hook up a swing to float across the lobby and you should swing back and forth on it singing 'Remember Pearl Harbor' in your white uniform for all the hotel guests to hear." This was a suggestion made by 98 year old PBY Radioman, Don Long.

Full of as much charm, elegance, and humor as he had as a young 20-something in the war. Stu, the PH Survivor in question, responded only if Don would join him. 

 

 

Ira “Ike” Schab

One of my favorite memories ever was a few years (and a different haircut) ago when I was privileged to go with the Best Defense Foundation as they took Survivors back to Hawaii for the anniversary of that Day of Infamy. One of the veterans I became closely attached to was Saxaphone player and member of the USS Dobbin Navy Band, Ira 'Ike" Schab. At the time I believe Ike was about 99 years old. His eyesight was very poor and unless you were very close, he could only make out colors and shapes generally. But he was determined to return to the island where his life changed forever.

To help him distinguish me from the rest of the blurry crowd, I made sure to wear a bright yellow watch every day so that he would know it was me. From there we struck up a great friendship. One afternoon in particular we were sitting together in the van en route to the next event. Because of his background in music I was eager to know his favorites.

"I know he's a little overrated at times, but I do love Artie Shaw." I told him. I took my phone out to play "Begin the Beguine" (my favorite), but 99 year old Ike beat me to the punch. Taking his hearing aid out of his ear and sticking it in my own ear, he proceeded to pull up Pandora and play the Artie Shaw channel.

I was dumbfounded.

The dichotomy of the moment, the anniversary, and "modern technology" in the hands of an almost centenarian musician. It was phenomenal.

 

K. P. Platt

 

Last Halloween at one of my monthly breakfasts, 101 year old K.P Platt (Schofield Barracks), presented a plastic spider ring to me and said, "With this ring I thee WEBB." 

"K.P., I'm flattered, but what would Lorena say? You've only been married 76 years."

"True." He said. And gave Lorena a pinch.

 

 

Anyways, I run long and wax elephants at this point. But these are some of the memories I have for Pearl Harbor Day. Not just the tragedy and loss of the day, but also the character, optimism, and humor that was formed - BIRTHED that day, on December 7, 1941.

And for that, and their sacrifice, we are eternally grateful.


B2H

Bridge to History‘s inaugural Children’s World War II Boot Camp is complete! If you followed along on Instagram or Facebook and saw any of the photos and videos, you will have a glimpse of just how fantastic it was. These kids – my students - were enthusiastic and engaged and articulate and so much fun! I’m so proud of how hard they worked and what great energy they gave to everything they saw, and everyone they met.

If you have been encouraged or inspired by what you have seen, and if you would like to see this program continue, would you donate to Operation Meatball today? This is a volunteer run nonprofit organization. No one takes a salary. Everything goes to cover our expenses. Whether it’s $20, $200, or $2000, every penny will help us get the next program rolling!

Bridge to History Ambassador: Adam

My Trip to Normandy with Bridge to History 2022

Adam B., age 9

My name is Adam Boyd and I am 9 years old. I am a 2022 Ambassador with the Bridge to History program, and I have to say IT. IS. AWESOME!!!

First of all, I want to thank everyone with Operation Meatball. Everyone that I got to be with has been the best and I miss them all. I know there’s more people that help with Operation Meatball that I don’t know but who really helped me and the other kids go on the trip and I want to especially say thank you so very much.

Bridge to History has changed my life.

I only thought I knew a lot about World War II and the D-Day landings, but I really didn’t. I thought that standing on Omaha Beach would be the best part but it was only one of a whole lot of best parts. My Mom and everyone keep asking me what was my favorite part of the trip, but I don’t have one, I have at least 4 and those are the ones I want to write about.

Adam stands at the 29th Division Monument just off Omaha Beach

One thing I will always remember is getting off the boat in Normandy and meeting Willem and Zander and driving to Sword beach. I always thought Omaha beach would be my favorite beach, but it is Sword. We got out of the car and there was Zander with soft chocolate croissants. They were so good!

Adam, Dyche, and Winston on Sword Beach.

We ate them and looked at the monument of the flame with the flags around it and the names of Free French Commandos came with the British to free their own land and who died there on June 6, 1944. Willem talked to us about the Sword beach landing while we ate and the sun was coming up. I remember walking down the path to the beach and seeing the big grains of sand and I just took off running. It was so beautiful but all those years ago it was a battlefield. I think about the morning of June 6th a lot now. I think about the men who never left that beach alive. I learned so much right there in the first part of the first morning in France. I had only thought about the British landing there and the battle, but right then I learned what it may have been like to BE from there and to come back with British soldiers and be like, “This is my country and I’m taking it back!”

Adam and Dyche stand on Omaha Beach. They take turns trying on the uniform our boys wore ashore on D-Day.

Whenever I used to think about D-Day I always thought about Omaha Beach. I watched Saving Private Ryan and would imagine being on that beach and pretend to run from the water fighting the Germans. I got to do that! I got to put on a real World War II Haversack and helmet and life belt and try to run up the Atlantic wall with my best friend, Dyche! It was crazy!

But after that I got to go to the American cemetery in Normandy and it changed everything.

The part of Saving Private Ryan when all the soldiers are being killed became real people who had real parents and family. A lot of them were the same age as my sister. Liberty told us about people she knew who told her stories about their soldier buried there and we found their grave and put a wreath with it. I can’t describe all I felt that day. I just cried. All I could think about was that they died for me. They died for freedom everywhere. They were from my state. They had my name. I cry now thinking about it. About them.

Before this visit talking and learning and acting out D-Day and World War II was all about me and what I knew and the people in my family that was in the war and what that meant to me and my family. After being at the cemetery, it’s about them and who they were and who loved them and who they loved too. I didn’t want to leave. I wanted to learn about everyone I could. Now I think about what Jason, Ethan’s Dad said to us that day, “They died for you.” I’ll always remember that.

Next thing I want to talk about was the reenactment night. It was so cool! We ate dinner that night and Jason helped us put on camouflage face paint. We got dressed in warm, dark clothes and hats and gloves and left at 8:30. It was a full moon and the sky had clouds just like on the night of June 5th/6th 1944.

Adam prepared for the reenactment with a full face of camo “war paint.”

We got to go in a van that was like a C-47 and we landed in a field. When we got out we were laughing and loud but then Willem had us go silent. He told us we would have to find our way in the dark and to be quiet and on the lookout.

Adam and Dyche preparing for the night reenactment.

We started down the road and “BAM” there was gunfire! The Germans fired on us! We hit the ditch. There was a smell of gun powder and the feeling of nettles in my fingers and in my knees. When a German took my helmet off, I got really scared. I cried because I didn’t know what he was going to do. Really, I don’t even know why I cried I just did. It was so real. Before that night I had just imagined what it would be like to fight Germans in my own little trench and bunker … but they had the real thing!

A visit to the D-Day Experience Museum

I thought about how earlier that day when were at the D-Day Experience Museum and we learned about Bull Wolverton and how brave he and the men who jumped that night onto almost the same ground where I was and then faced the Germans. After being home, me and my Mom looked up more information on Bull Wolverton. We have read the prayer he prayed a lot.

The C-47 simulator experience was a highlight for everyone.

He said, “We ask only this, that if die we must, that we die as men would die, without complaining, without pleading and safe in the feeling that we have done our best for what we believed was right.” He died just a few hours after that prayer and I know he was braver than his prayer and braver than I could ever be.

Taking notes from the days… making sure nothing is forgotten.

The last part I want to talk about is my most favorite and that’s the Chelsea Pensioners. I didn’t know who they were until right before the trip and we looked them up. I still wasn’t real sure about going to the hospital because I worried it was like the nursing home where my Meme is at and that made me really sad but on our first night in London we met Dave and Bryon and they were awesome!

Adam, Ethan, and Dyche with the darling Pensioner, Bryan Rolfe

Faith sang for us and she was amazing, but then Dave got up and sang The Gambler and I knew he was cool. The next day we got to go to the Chelsea Royal Hospital and Dave met us. He showed us around and we met a lot of the other Pensioners too. We saw them do their ceremony and inspections and that was neat. Dave showed us the dining hall and took us for Sunday service in the chapel.

A private tour of the Royal Chelsea Hospital for the B2H student Ambassadors

We visited the cemetery and saw Margaret Thatcher’s grave. Dave told us about when he worked for her and how much she cared for the Pensioners. I can see why. They are real veterans for Britain’s army and they have served their country and deserve our thanks and respect like all our veterans do. I didn’t want to leave. Dave is my favorite person I got to meet on this trip. I have his card and am emailing him.

Adam with the Chelsea Pensioners

My Mom now follows the Chelsea Pensioners on Facebook and we read their newsletters. Dave’s picture was with a group that raised money in a race for the hospital! Before this trip when I thought of redcoats I thought of the Revolutionary war and the War of 1812 but now I think of Dave and the Chelsea Pensioners and their nine buttons and 3 pointed hats and I wear the pin Dave gave me.


Next week is Veteran’s Day and I can’t wait! I’m calling a World War II Veteran named Arnold Price who lives about 20 minutes from me in Sylva, NC. He was in the Battle of the Bulge and was a commander, but sadly he was the only survivor from that awful battle.

I am now trying to study and learn more about battles on the western front and the fall of Germans to the Allied Forces. On Veteran’s Day, I am going to my brother’s school, Haywood Christian Academy and will volunteer to serve lunch to veterans. I’m going to give out more of the American flag pins that I took to Normandy. I have special gifts from Normandy of sand from all the beaches for my special Vietnam Veteran, Jerry McClure too.

My Mom is helping me write something for my online school, the North Carolina Cyber Academy for our school newsletter about the trip. I am also sending the school sand from the beaches for them to keep and display. My Mom is working with me to go through all our pictures and videos and we are making a PowerPoint presentation to help me when I talk to groups about Bridge to History and D-Day too.

We are going back and studying a lot of the stuff Willem, Liberty and all the guides taught us and putting it in writing so I can always, always remember every minute of the greatest adventure of my life. Thank you so much for picking me and letting me go on this trip. I don’t know what I will grow up to do or where I will be but I know that this history will go with me and I will always study and share it.

Adam Boyd, age 9. North Carolina


B2H

Bridge to History‘s inaugural Children’s World War II Boot Camp is complete! If you followed along on Instagram or Facebook and saw any of the photos and videos, you will have a glimpse of just how fantastic it was. These kids – my students - were enthusiastic and engaged and articulate and so much fun! I’m so proud of how hard they worked and what great energy they gave to everything they saw, and everyone they met.

If you have been encouraged or inspired by what you have seen, and if you would like to see this program continue, would you donate to Operation Meatball today? This is a volunteer run nonprofit organization. No one takes a salary. Everything goes to cover our expenses. Whether it’s $20, $200, or $2000, every penny will help us get the next program rolling!

The Children Take Normandy: Bridge to History Launches

When I was in the single digits, my dad took my siblings and me to Bunker Hill in Boston, Massachusetts. He lined us up and told us to, “Hold until you see the whites of their eyes,” then Charge! There were no Redcoats in front of us. Nothing but a grassy hill and an old monument, but, when we charged, we gave it all our 6, 7, and 8 year old hearts could give. We saw the Redcoats and the fate of the American Revolution rested on US at that moment. I never forgot it.

A little over a week ago, the inaugural Bridge to History Children’s Program wrapped up in Normandy, France. We spent 9 days adventuring through the Churchill War Rooms of London, England, retaking the beachhead at Bloody Omaha, laying wreaths to our fallen Allies at their last resting place, recalling the bravery of the Bedford Boys, learning about French culture through the local school children, and driving the backroads of Normandy in WWII Jeeps and trucks.

Without a doubt, this was a life-changing trip. Not just for the students, but for the parents and for me.

To experience Normandy and D-Day through the eyes of a 9 year old is something else. Untainted by the madness of world politics, there is a purity to their perspective.

“Grown-ups like numbers. When you tell them about a new friend, they never ask questions about what really matters. They never ask: “What does his voice sound like? What games does he like best…” They ask: “How old is he? How many brothers does he have?… How much money does his father make?” Only then do they think they know him. If you tell grown-ups, “I saw a beautiful red brick house, with geraniums at the windows and doves on the roof,” they won’t be able to imagine such a house. You have to tell them, “I saw a house worth a hundred thousand francs.” Then they exclaim, “What a pretty house!”

The Little Prince by Antoine De Sainte-Exupery

The tactile nature of climbing in old German bunkers, through trenches, or the gun emplacements of Longues-sur-Mer, brought to life what the children had been reading about their whole lives.

They visualized what adults can’t see. They played war, and they were fighting the Germans again. But when taps came over the speakers at Colleville American Cemetery and the flag was lowered, they held a salute. No one told them to. They just knew.

Over the next few weeks, I will be recapping Bridge to History and sharing writings from the children - my student ambassadors to history.

They came well prepared, ready to engage, and through the fire hydrant of learning they received, they left with new goals and dreams of how to preserve history.

Our legacy starts with the children. They are the future. After the 9 days I spent overseas with my students, watching them embrace history so fully, I feel re-inspired. To hear 9 year-old Dyche tell me he wanted to bring his children to Normandy, and 12 year old Charlotte declare she never wanted to wash her hands again after holding an original photo of the Bedford Boys on Omaha Beach… it makes me smile. They get it.


B2H

Bridge to History‘s inaugural Children’s World War II Boot Camp is complete! If you followed along on Instagram or Facebook and saw any of the photos and videos, you will have a glimpse of just how fantastic it was. These kids – my students - were enthusiastic and engaged and articulate and so much fun! I’m so proud of how hard they worked and what great energy they gave to everything they saw, and everyone they met.

If you have been encouraged or inspired by what you have seen, and if you would like to see this program continue, would you donate to Operation Meatball today? This is a volunteer run nonprofit organization. No one takes a salary. Everything goes to cover our expenses. Whether it’s $20, $200, or $2000, every penny will help us get the next program rolling!

What is Bridge to History

In 6 weeks, I will be taking my first group of students over to Normandy for the inaugural Bridge to History Children's Program. To say I'm beyond excited is an understatement. In fact, it’s a dream come true.

During the last decade of my work with WW2 veterans, I have been continually inspired by the Europeans’ integration of their youth into all of their remembrance programs. They take their young children to their cemeteries, to their battlefields, to their war memorials; not just as spectators, but as participants in an experience which stays with the children as they grow, perpetuating a grateful nation that honors and remembers. This is how I was raised, and I can personally speak to the impact it had on me as a child.

I started Bridge to History because I want to give this experience to American children - children who have already shown through personal study and community initiative a genuine desire to learn and remember.

For our October program, I have 7 students, ages 9-13, and they are absolutely amazing kids! They've been working their tails off studying and preparing for this trip... writing essays, drawing maps, and connecting with their local community.

I can't wait to share more about these kids in the upcoming days. Their passion and enthusiasm at such a young age is genuinely inspiring to me.

One of my students, Adam, went on local TV last week to talk about the trip and why history is so important. At 9 years old, his understanding and grasp on the importance of history far surpasses many twice or three times his age! Watch the video below:

Over the course of our 9-day overseas bootcamp, B2H children will walk the battlefields, feel the sands of Omaha Beach between their fingers, climb in old German bunkers, meet our allied veterans of WW2, learn facets of military life, meet their young French counterparts, pay respects to the war fallen in special ceremonies at the cemeteries, and see how a nation responds to oppression and liberation.

We call the children “Bridge to History Ambassadors” because when the trip ends, their mission is only beginning. When the children return stateside, they will have been commissioned to take what they have learned and apply it to their lives at home. Some of this entails:

  • Giving presentations to local schools and clubs about their experience in Europe. 

  • Getting connected with local veterans and recording their stories (from the viewpoint of a pre-teen… a completely different perspective than an adult).

  • Adopting the graves of local servicemen and recruiting 3 schoolmates to do the same. 

  • And generally starting a buzz and generating interest from their peers.

We understand this is a big-ask for pre-teens, and Bridge to History will come along side our ambassadors, training them and helping facilitate these operations and encouraging them along the way. 

Two of our October students, Ethan and Charlotte, at the grave of Audie Murphy

My goal is to ignite a sense of honor and remembrance in American children and set the tone for a life devoted to the perpetuation of our American heritage and honor the men and women who helped preserve it.

I cannot wait to take kids like Adam, to Normandy to experience first-hand the magic and mystery of walking in the footsteps of their heroes.

If you would like to support these amazing youngsters and their passion to save history for the next generation, go to:

All donations are tax deductible and go to bringing Adam and the (7) B2H students to Normandy.

 

 

SPONSORSHIP

If you are interested in sponsoring a Bridge to History Student Ambassador either in part or in full - you can go to www.Bridge2history.com or for more information, contact me at Liberty@Bridge2History.com.

1 student sponsorship (which is 1 student + parent/guardian) for the 9-day trip is $5,000. This includes airfare for student and parent, and an all-inclusive experience (transportation, guides, lodging, food, museums, and special activities) for 9 days in London, England and Normandy, France.


Operation Meatball

Honoring Veterans & Connecting Them With the Youth of Today

"A Touch of Texas"

Clyde and hs wife reunited after the war

As a Texan, one of the things we take pride in is stories of other Texans. The below anecdote is one of my favorites. Written by local Wichita Falls boy, Clyde Fillmore, who spent 46 months in a Japanese POW camp in the Pacific.

He wrote an excellent memoir in later years that included images he drew while a prisoner. The photo is Clyde and his wife, reunited for the first time in late 1945.

The official description of the photos from the UTA Library is: “After 46 months of waiting, Captain and Mrs. Clyde C. Fillmore were reunited at the Texas & Pacific Railway Station in Fort Worth, Texas. As a member of the Lost Battalion, Captain Fillmore's whereabouts were unknown to everyone, including his wife. The captain was recently liberated from a Japanese prison camp. He is dressed in a military uniform. Mrs. Fillmore is wearing a blouse, blazer, and a skirt. The couple are natives of Wichita Falls, Texas. They are standing in front of the train, kissing.”

Some time I’ll share more stories from his book. It’s worth the time. But here is a whimsical story that captures the impact of Texans in WWII. I say impact tongue and cheek. I’m pretty sure the fellow in the below story had more trauma to unpack from his time surrounded by Texans than the actual pow experience.


Excerpt from “Prisoner of War” by Clyde Fillmore

"You remember that when we left Singapore in January of 1943, we were forced to leave nine men who were too sick to travel. Well, of these nine, eight were from Texas; the other one hailed from Massachusetts. It isn't difficult to imagine this one fellow's plight nor imagine his misery as he was forced to listen to eight loyal Texans day after day.

In 1944, a B-29 was shot down over Singapore, and three of the survivors eventually found themselves with the nine Americans. The prisoner from Massachusetts was elated and approached them almost with prayerful expectancy. Alas! They were all from Texas.

When the war ended another B-29 came in to take them to Calcutta for hospitalization, where we met them once more. However, the prisoner from Massachusetts had not given up hope, so when the big plane landed, he rushed up to the pilot, a young first lieutenant, and asked him where he came from. In an unmistakable drawl, he answered, "I'm from Texas."

Hope had, by this time, almost died, but being a rather stubborn individual, he did not give up so easily. After about an hour in the air he noticed that the navigator was a full blood Chinaman. He sidled up to him and asked in a faltering voice, "And how long have you been away from China?"

Came the answer, "Why, I'm not from China; I was born in San Antonio, Texas!"


Operation Meatball

Honoring Veterans & Connecting Them With the Youth of Today

State of Maryland Honors WWII Veterans

The other day we had the very special honor of hand delivering a Citation from the Maryland General Assembly recognizing the military service of WWII Veterans: Melvin Hurwitz and Jack Meyers.

An excerpt of the citation says,


Resolution in Dedication and Memorial by Delegate Dan Cox, Candidate for Maryland Governor (submitted for drafting and vote December 7, 2021

“To recognize the 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor and the lasting bond between the State of Maryland and the World War II Veteran Community;

Whereas, three World War II veterans of the European Theatre representing Maryland have traveled to Pearl Harbor today for the 80th anniversary, and include Corporal Wilbur "Jack" Myers, age 98, from Hagerstown, Maryland; SSgt Melvin Hurwitz, Age 96, from Frederick, Maryland; and Lieutenant Adolph "Ade" Chwastyk, age 95, from Silver Spring, Maryland;

Now, therefore, be it remembered:

That the Maryland House of Representatives, on December 7, 2021, the 80th anniversary of the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii—

(1) Pays tribute to the members of the Armed Forces of the United States and civilians who died in the attack.

(2) Acknowledges the role of the USS Maryland and residents past and present of the state of Maryland who served in branches of the United States military, and defended our nation against the hostile forces during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

(3) Offers thanksgiving to God for the ultimate military victory of the United States against our enemies in the great conflict of the Second World War.

(4) Appreciates the role of the WWII veteran support community like Operation Meatball and The Best Defense Foundation and many others, responsible for the ongoing care and honor of these national treasures - those last surviving warriors of all military branches who defended our freedom in the European and Pacific theatres of the Second World War.

(5) Honors the thousands of men and women of the Armed Forces of the United States who paid the ultimate sacrifice and gave their lives in defense of freedom and liberty during World War II.

Official Citation

from the Maryland General Assembly


Many thanks to Dan Cox for drafting and putting this special resolution through!!! The vets were so honored and pleased.


Operation Meatball

Honoring Veterans & Connecting Them With the Youth of Today

The Marble Orchard

“Speak that name, read the accomplishments of that member, lay that wreath, and say thank you. And it will change your heart like nothing else that you have ever done.”

Judy Carlile

This last Saturday morning, I drove over to Fort Sam Houston Cemetery. A few days before, I had been reminded that Wreaths Across America was happening on the weekend. For years I’ve seen photos and heard from my friends what a magical experience this is, and I wanted to be a part of it. 

Each year, the Saturday or two before Christmas is allocated as Wreaths Across America Day. Thousands and thousands of Americans gather in the local and National Military Cemeteries across the United States to lay wreaths on the graves of our servicemen. Throughout the year, donations are raised and wreaths are sponsored to give each marble epitaph a token of our gratitude.

At Fort Sam alone, there are roughly 175,000 graves, this includes family members of deceased servicemen. This year, the local San Antonio chapter of WAA laid over 62,000 wreaths, an absolutely tremendous effort. 

When I arrived, it had already been pouring rain for hours. The highways were flooded at points, and I wasn’t sure what the turn out would be. Rain is a good excuse to stay home, but I underestimated the pluck of my fellow Texans. The cemetery was crowded. Packed to the gills. Men, women, children, babies, grandparents, military, civilians, every walk of life.

Before the crowds were released, a brief ceremony took place at the pavilion. Craig Russell of Seguin shared the real meaning behind why we were gathered that day.

“I am not a Chaplain, but I am a man of deep abiding Faith. And in Deuteronomy 32:7 it says, “Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will show you, your elders, and they will tell you.’… It is built into the fabric of humanity that we reflect God’s image when we remember. We bear the torch of God’s love as those to remember. We have come here today to Remember.

We are here to remember the sacrifices of those… that have gone before us. To remember that Freedom is not Free. And to inspire the next generation to be those that also remember. It is in remembering that we preserve the fragile democracy that we are a part of. It is in remembering that connects us to our past. It is in remembering that keeps the flame of Freedom alive in the present.”


As the rains beat a tattoo on our heads, the crowds moved to the massive trucks holding boxes and boxes of wreaths. Mutual misery causes conversation. As the long lines crawled forward, we discussed the obvious topic: the rain, and I recommended channeling the Marine Corps at Chosin.

The local Boy Scouts wrestled the rain and wind in their light ponchos, and I watched many an umbrella take flight. Every form of carrying device had been employed to transfer the wreaths from the trucks to the grave: walking canes, umbrellas, baby strollers, small wagons, long arms, even broom sticks. I love a bit of American ingenuity.

One of the mac trucks delivering the wreaths

“Do you think there'll be any wreaths left when we get to the truck?” was the question of the hour.

“Don’t worry! With 62,000 wreaths, I think there’s plenty to go around.”

My new friends didn’t enjoy the rain shower as much as I did. “Let’s just make one trip and call it a day,” they said.

I couldn’t resist, “Are you sure y’all aren’t Air Force??”

Immediately a couple in line ahead of us turned and declared, “Hey! The Air Force goes outside sometimes!”


Before going out, the crowd had been encouraged to, “Speak that name, read the accomplishments of that member, lay that wreath, and say thank you.”

Later I watched two little girls take this to heart. One laying a wreath on the grave, her sister said a quiet prayer. “Dear Soldier —- thank you for your service to our country. Thank you for protecting my family. We will always remember you. Amen.”

An older man walked down the line of graves with an arm of wreaths. Before laying a wreath, he recited the name, rank, and military branch. A salute. A “Thank you for your service,” and he moved on to the next one.

A father and his two little boys made their way up and down the rows. The three year old danced around the graves looking at the wreaths, trying to make out the letters inscribed on the stone. The father read the names aloud to his older son. When he came across a USMC he stopped and made note of it.

“Here’s a Marine, son,” he said. 

“Are you a Marine?” I called out from several graves down.

“Yes,” he says. “Oorah.”

“Semper Fi!” I respond.

I ask him to take a photo for me. “Do you know the person?” He asked.

No I don’t.

“My son is somewhere in this cemetery,” he tells me.


On any day, these sights would be touching, but in the pouring rain, there was an intangible beauty. No rush. No hurry. No fight against the inclement climate. Just time standing still, as each grave received it’s honor and remembrance. 

While the grave merely holds the frail and empty remains of our loved ones, their epitaphs etched in marble above represent a legacy.

Lucian Adams

SSGT, US Army World War Two. 

October 25, 1922 - March 31, 2003

Purple Heart

Bronze Star 

Medal of Honor

A full life summed up in a couple of words. The last of their accomplishments. How they are to be remembered.


Sometimes I jest that my fondest memories over the years have taken place in old battlefields or cemeteries while all heaven broke loose and threatened a second flood. But it’s also kind of true.

 “Those of you that are gathered here today, you came here to take care of each other; to be a part of a legacy; and to remember.” -Craig Russell

I left Fort Sam inspired. And invigorated. I watched my community come together and perform a simple but massive task in less than desirable conditions.  And it was done united, with a smile. 

This is America. This is our heart. 

I strongly encourage you to participate in Wreaths Across America next year. As the inestimable Judy Carlile said, “It will change your heart like nothing else that you have ever done.” 


Operation Meatball

Honoring Veterans & Connecting Them With the Youth of Today

A Short Reflection

Seven years ago this January I received a call that I consider one of those key moments in your life that changed everything.

“Hello Liberty… Your family was recommended to me by a WWII Veteran Bill Schott. Would you and your sisters be willing to come and sing for my veteran lunch group this month?”

Kevin (the man calling) organized a monthly WWII veteran luncheon he paid for out of pocket. Starting out he had just gathered a few WWII vets together, but within a year his roster boasted well over 80 WWII veterans. It was his way of giving back to the veterans that gave so much in WWII.

The girls and I jumped at the request. A few months before we’d been introduced to Iwo Jima Survivor Bill Schott. He’d captured our hearts almost immediately, and I’d been looking for an excuse to get back up to Fort Worth for a second visit.

Sometimes looking back in life you see moments that changed the course of your life. This was one of those pivotal moments. After the first luncheon we were completely in love.  Our “one-time” trip turned into 7 years of attending these luncheons.

And playing hostess to the vets turned into deep lifelong friendships.

How many hours did we spend in the car commuting from San Antonio to Forth Worth? I have no idea. Even when we moved to Colorado briefly, the 14 hour drive to Texas didn’t deter us from visiting our adopted family of veterans.

We grew up with the vets while they grew old. We watched the luncheons expand in size as the WWII guys began to dwindle in number.

How many times did we say goodbye each month, not knowing it was a final goodbye. One last squeeze of the hand, or a quick “hug for the road.”

Every meeting ended with “Sentimental Journey,” the entire room joining in. One month, the song was replaced with a different oldy from the war. In the uproar that followed, one would have assumed we’d been selling government secrets to the Russians.

One year we all took a boisterous trip to New Orleans to visit the National World War Two Museum. Perhaps Nola with a bunch of octogenarians doesn’t sound wild, but then you don’t know the energy of these guys and their taste for life.

I’m a little sentimental today because Friday was the last luncheon of the year. There will be another one in January, but I don’t take it for granted anymore.

In the moment it’s hard to know when you are making a decision that will change your life. It’s why one really has to be willing and available at all times. Open hands, open heart.

Looking back 7 years I can't imagine what my life would be like today if I hadn’t taken that call. Definitely missing some of the brightest color and the dearest of friendships one could ask for.


Operation Meatball

Honoring Veterans & Connecting Them With the Youth of Today

80 Years Since Pearl Harbor

I have so many reflections on a day like today. It’s a Tuesday, but no ordinary Tuesday. 

80 years ago today the world changed forever. We all know the story of how early in the morning of December 7, 1941, America was brutally attacked by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service in a less than honorable sneak strike. 

The consequences of this action resulted in the deaths of 2,403 American servicemen and 68 civilians, sparking America’s entry into the Second World War.

I don’t want to retell a history that has already been told many times, and by far more adequate writers. Instead, here are a few random thought threads I’ve had today.

I remember the first year my family and I went to Pearl Harbor. I had just turned 15. Still on a high from Normandy and the D-Day celebrations that summer, I had been a strong advocate for getting to Hawaii for the 70th. We all considered it to be the last big finale to remember this historic moment in American history. Little did I underestimate the tenacity of the Pearl Harbor Survivors to continue making the long pilgrimage each year. 

If Normandy was my adult baptism into the world of WWII, Pearl Harbor left the final touches. I came home from that trip inspired and amazed. 

In the days leading up to the 7th, our hotel was literally crawling with veterans. Looking back it’s hard to believe. If my memory recalls, there were over 100 Pearl Harbor Survivors in Hawaii for the 70th anniversary, not to mention the countless other veterans of World War Two that had shown up to pay tribute.

Today I read that somewhere between 20-30 Survivors were present for the 80th, and just about 100 total still alive. If you consider that it’s been 80 years - it’s still impressive.

In 2011, one veteran I met in the lobby of our hotel told a crazy story about a bomb that hit his ship. It landed not too far from his position, and to the shock and surprise of his fellow shipmates, the bomb didn’t explode. It was a dud. Putting caution to the wind, they rushed over to examine it. Indelibly engraved on top were the words USN 1915. Surplus we had sold the Japanese and they were now returning - with interest.

Another veteran left an indelible mark on my heart as he recalled listening in horror to the pounding on the walls of the USS Arizona by the sailors trapped below. For days. There would be 1,177 casualties from that ship. Homes that would never be the same,  and a memory that would never leave the ears of the witnesses to the sinking.

But my memories with the Pearl Harbor guys aren't all serious… 

A couple of years ago, I was privileged to return to Pearl Harbor with The Best Defense Foundation and their veterans. In the group were two vets new to me, Donald Long and Stu Hedley. They were a duo if ever I’ve met one. Don was tall, elegant, charming, and had a way with words that would capture anyone’s heart. Stu was known around the world for his empathy, quick wit and iconic greeting, “Alooooha.” Together, they were ready for vaudeville. 

I remember the afternoon we arrived at our hotel in Hawaii, Don looking up at the high ceilings and elaborate Christmas decorations remarked, “Stu, I think they should place a swing up there [pointing with his cane], and you should sit on it and swing back and forth across the lobby singing ‘Remember Pearl Harbor.”’

The visual image was just outrageous. Stu got a kick out of it. Thankfully, this idea never came to fruition.

Our morning elevator rides were something else. In the corner window above the floor numbers, a little hula girl would dance every time someone stepped into the elevator. The first ride up, Don remarked that the girl was shaking her hula skirt at Stu. Stu, a terribly good sport, went along with it. This routine continued every time we got on the elevator. My friend Cindy and I were in stitches watching these two (almost 100-year-olds) crack jokes about Stu’s romance with the hula dancer in the window like they were back in high school.

At the end of the trip, Don presented Stu with a hat that had a hula girl neatly embroidered on it, the perfect ending to a perfect trip.

The adventures of Stu and Don would make a great little book. They both died within a few weeks of each other. I loved my conversations with Don over text, and I still have a precious voicemail from Stu.

Don wasn’t very good at accepting compliments. When I told him goodbye in person the last time, I hugged him tightly and said how much I would miss our chats and intellectual discourses. “Now look, Liberty,” he said in his elegant tone of voice, “I know you tell that to all the boys.” But his eyes twinkled. And if he knew how much he was truly missed, I know he would be flattered. 

Thank you Don and Stu for the laughs and love.

And to my Pearl Harbor Survivors: We will always remember you. 

Our American Birthright: Veterans Day 2021

Roy Huereque and Donald Long, two veterans who left a lasting impact on me.

A few weeks ago, a conversation I had led me to contemplate the birthright that is given to us as Americans. Birthright is kind of an archaic word, but absolutely invaluable. It is our inheritance, our legacy, a rightful privilege we receive at birth. Our birthright as Americans gives us the gift of freedom. Freedom to self regulate and self govern. With that freedom comes responsibility. The responsibility to tend to, care for, and protect our birthright.

“To whom much is given, much is required.”


This birthright, our freedom, has to be guarded. We all share the responsibility, true, but it’s not equally divided. Our military carries the burden of protection in a different manner than the civilian. Our military holds the line for the rest of us. A few men and women volunteer to make particular sacrifices and develop distinct disciplines so that the rest of us do not have to.

And that’s why we have a Veterans’ Day. To honor their service, their sacrifice, their discipline, their burden, and to say ‘thank you.’ It’s not hero worship. It’s recognizing that they have taken our place in line and made themselves available to protect America on behalf of the rest of us. Some years patriotism is in vogue, and other years it’s blacklisted. But our veterans stick it out, carrying the standard with pride. And for this, I will always be grateful.


A few years back, I listened as a veteran told me the story of a day when time stopped for him. Beneath the skies of Belgium, he watched the snow fall slowly and melt into nothingness on the open and exposed brain of the young paratrooper he held in his arms. He had tried to save the boy, but the surrounding snow was already stained red with the life of the young man.

The veteran was old, but still strong. I held his hand as he reflected on this painful memory. He was gentle, kind, and sincere. He had carried a Medic’s bag in the war instead of a rifle because he wanted to save life, not take away.

The entirety of our friendship, I never once heard him complain. His presence was like a warm hug. His sense of humor was charming. I cried bitterly when he died. But I never forgot that conversation.

“Liberty,” he had said in a smooth Virginia accent, “I love this country so much. As horrible as it all was, I would do it all again. At 95 it would be my greatest honor to take up arms for my country. That’s how much I love her.

There was no pomp in what he said. No clichés. It was pure and simple.

He loved America.

For him to have that experience, just one in many nightmarish experiences he had suffered, it was worth it. Worth it if it meant I - ME - Liberty Phillips - did not have to. That was it.


There is so much chaos in the world. So much disillusionment, hurt, pain, and so on. But I am convinced a grateful heart is a happy one. Gratitude doesn’t mean ignorance. Gratitude is choosing to not allow suffering and hardship to define who you are, and who you will be.

I am grateful for my veterans. My military family. For all it entails. “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love…. And Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”


Happy Veterans Day.


Operation Meatball

Honoring Veterans & Connecting Them With the Youth of Today

They Went With Songs to the Battle, They Were Young: Heart Thoughts on Afghanistan

Images property of DVIDSHUB.NET

Images property of DVIDSHUB.NET

"They went with songs to the battle, they were young,

Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.

They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;

They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them."

I’ve tried to write this so many times, but I'm speechless. Everyone is speechless. In a world full of noise, there are so few words at a time like this.

Watching the catastrophe in Afghanistan the last few weeks has felt surreal. I've wanted to share my support, but I’ve struggled to find words - my heart is so broken over the situation. It feels so personal.

Over the last two weeks, I've thought about all the great guys I've known over the years who fought and lost friends in Afghanistan and are now left questioning everything. I've thought about the families who will forever have a gold star engraved on their hearts, and a beautiful little girl I met once, 4 - maybe 5 years old, who wore a Marine Blues dress in honor of the daddy who was never coming home. And I've wondered about the fate of those who are now left behind.

With a heart full and few words, I've prayed a lot. Checked in on my friends who served over there. And I’ve prayed a lot more.


Images property of DVIDSHUB.NET

Images property of DVIDSHUB.NET

Thursday, when the bombing report came in, we were celebrating my brother's 20th birthday. As the names started to trickle out and then the official list was released, I can't tell you how many tears I shed seeing their faces, names, and ages. I'm still crying.

Kids. Marines the SAME AGE as my brother. 20 years old. Infants at the start of this war.

Too young to drink. But old enough to die.

Now that they've been brought home, I'm afraid of the apathy that will follow. It always does. The news of tomorrow will overshadow the headlines of today. Soon people will forget about the debacle of the last few weeks, and if they don't forget, they will be uncomfortable remembering.

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Images property of DVIDSHUB.NET

But it's good to be uncomfortable. It's important. While our lives resume, the families of those 13 will never be the same. Let's not allow ourselves to become apathetic.

Image from Nicole Gee’s instagram

Image from Nicole Gee’s instagram

For me, while I look for other ways to help, I will continue to pray for the comfort of the grieving and the safety of those now left abandoned in Afghanistan. I will pray for the Soldiers and Marines coming home, and for the health and well being of those who served previously and are now dealing with feelings of betrayal and loss.

As nightmarish as the last few weeks have been, I do believe there is some hope in the rubble. Amidst the scenes of heartbreak and disaster, we have been inundated with reminders of the individual courage of the American serviceman and their willingness to unselfishly sacrifice ALL at a moment's notice.

"Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die."

6 days before she was killed in the line of duty with her fellow Marines, Nicole Gee posted a photo on her instagram holding an infant and captioned, "I love my job."

At the cost of their lives, we have been reminded that American patriotism still exists.

Thank you for your service to this country.

- - - - - - - -

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Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, 31, of Salt Lake City, Utah

Marine Corps Sgt. Johanny Rosariopichardo, 25, of Lawrence, Massachusetts

Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, 23, of Sacramento, California

Marine Corps Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio, California

Marine Corps Cpl. Daegan W. Page, 23, of Omaha, Nebraska

Marine Corps Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, 22, of Logansport, Indiana

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza, 20, of Rio Bravo, Texas

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz, 20, of St. Charles, Missouri

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, 20, of Jackson, Wyoming

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga, California

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, 20, of Norco, California

Navy Hospitalman Maxton W. Soviak, 22, of Berlin Heights, Ohio

Army Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss, 23, of Corryton, Tennessee.

What We Know About The 13 U.S. Service Members Killed In The Kabul Attack

They Showed Up: The 75th Anniversary Iwo Jima Reunion

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It was a whirlwind week in D.C. for the 75th Anniversary Iwo Jima Survivors Reunion, and even though it was a few weeks ago now, I can still hardly believe it's over.

The reunion had a record number of Iwo Jima veterans: with the final count being over 55.

The reunion had a record number of Iwo Jima veterans: with the final count being over 55.

It was a different type of reunion for me this year. Many of the friends whom I had become close with over the years passed away in the last 15 months. It was a weird feeling not having them present, and there were several moments when I half expected one of them to just come walking through or be wheeled in, laughing and declaring the attention of the room in a bellowing Marine Corps voice.

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But on the other hand, meeting so many new veterans who were making their VERY FIRST REUNION absolutely blew me away (and is literally bringing chills to my arms as I write). At one point, I was standing in the lobby of the hotel, and EVERYWHERE Iwo Jima hats were walking around - with some of the wearers looking too young to have even served in World War 2.

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But they had indeed.

Fighting in one of the most iconic battles in American history, 75 years later they showed up.

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A little older, a little hard of hearing, a little more wobbly on the knees, but with the same enthusiasm and Esprit de Corps; ready to share memories with one another, and remember the comrades they had loved dearly and left on that island of Volcanic Ash.

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To the veterans of Iwo Jima: Thank you for showing up. You showed up in 1945 when it mattered most, and you showed up in 2020 because - 75 years later - it still matters.


Iwo Jima Veteran Highlight

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Norman L. Baker

Iwo Jima Survivor

Submitted by Suzanne B. Baker

Beloved husband, father, friend, war hero, scientist, publisher and historian. Norman courageously volunteer to defend our country in World War II and bravely fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima, later on the front lines of the Korean War. Professionally, Norman was an accomplished aerospace engineer who worked on the Bomarc Missile Program and the Space Shuttle Program. Sought-after historian and guest lecturer, Norman author the number of books on the American Colonial Period. 

Updates for Operation Meatball Regarding the Covid-19

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Hello Friends,

As we have received some questions regarding Operation Meatball's activities over the next few months in connection to the Corona Virus, we just wanted to send you all a little update.

Though many of our spring plans have unfortunately been cancelled due to government travel and gathering restrictions, we still plan on carrying on as much as we can in a modified way.

This means we will be conducting check-up phone calls on veterans to make sure they have everything they need, we'll be publishing more regular articles and blog posts, and our veterans will continue to receive Mail Call - something especially important right now as most of our Seniors are restricted to their homes and retirement communities.

To our 2020 donors, keep an eye out in the mail the next couple of weeks as we are sending out little Thank you's for everything you helped us accomplish the first few months of this year.

To each and every one of you: Thanks for all of your awesome support and we will continue to keep you posted.

- The Meatball Girls

A Chosin Marine

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I’m always on the lookout for Chosin Reservoir vets. One of my very best friends was a Chosin Marine, so they hold a special place in my heart.

I met Ken yesterday at the Marine Corps Museum in Quantico. I had noticed his cap while going through the “Cold Room,” and was pretty sure he was “one of the few.”

If you aren’t familiar with the museum, the cold room (I don’t know if that’s it’s name, but that is what I know it by) is in the Korean War exhibit and is literally like walking into a refrigerator. There are wax figures depicting the Marines surrounded at Chosin, and audio to give you the experience of being there. The detail is incredible down to the tootsie roll wrappers under one of the GI’s shoes (that’s a story for another time). Did I mention it’s cold?

I asked Ken what he thought about it. He said going through there was emotional, but worth the whole trip up from Florida.

“I lost a lot of guys”

Ken told me that he’d joined the Marine Corps in 1948, fresh out of high school. He had hoped to be a Marine Aviator, since he had earned his pilots license at 16. But by the time the Marine Corps finished up with him at Paris Island, the Korean War had broken out and he was shipped overseas.

“I was a squad leader... and I lost a lot of guys. When they started sending replacements over, I would tell them to only give me their first name. I didn’t want to know their last name. I didn’t want to be friends with them. Because I knew they weren’t going to last long... And a lot of the replacements were killed a day or two after arriving.”

"Marines sit covered with ice and snow in this handout photograph taken at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in North Korea in December of 1950.” - Frank Kerr/US Marine Corps/AP

"Marines sit covered with ice and snow in this handout photograph taken at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in North Korea in December of 1950.” - Frank Kerr/US Marine Corps/AP

It’s been a long life since Chosin… Ken is now 90. But the memories are still really fresh for him, as with so many other veterans of the Korean War. I asked him what he thought about the fact that a lot of people skip over it. It’s something that he feels very personally.

“When they talk about wars, they say World War I, World War II, and the Vietnam war. They just forget there’s a Korean war.”

But thankfully Ken knows he’s not forgotten. Twice he’s been over to his old battlefields with the Korea Revisit Programs and the gratitude he felt and received from the people of South Korea brought tears to his eyes.

Exploded like a mortar

This last story I’ll leave you with is a humorous one. As said before, the temperatures at Chosin were unbelievably cold, down to -40° temperatures. This meant the food was in a constant state of being frozen.

Once in a while, Ken told me that he would procure a little lighter or kerosene tin to heat up his canned goods... he would cut the lid off his can, and then put the heat underneath it. When the heat came through, the food inside would explode from the can “like a mortar” - and he would have to go running after to catch it.

I’m so grateful for the short meeting with this sweet man. I really recommend y’all take a few minutes to look up the Chosin Reservoir and study the Korean War a little bit in case you ever run across one of these dear veterans. It’s 100% worth it.


Week of Iwo Jima 75: Museum of the Marine Corps

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This morning I made a quick trip down Quantico to the Marine Corps Museum. They had some special displays and programs out for the anniversary of Iwo Jima, including both flags that were raised on Mt. Suribachi, February 23, 1945 (75 years ago tomorrow).

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I am going to be back here next week with my vets… But I couldn’t resist an opportunity to visit the museum.

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If you are in the Northern Virginia area, I highly recommend you visit the museum this week if you’re able.

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It’s well worth your time (admission is free) and there’s so much to see, especially with the big anniversary.

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19 on the 18th

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Bill Madden

USMC

#WeekofIwoJima75 // Bill Madden (sweetness & gentleness personified) turned 19 on February 18, 1945.

The next day, February 19, his world changed forever.

“Liberty,” he said when I turned 19, “I had my 19th birthday sitting on a ship off the coast of Iwo Jima, not knowing if I would ever hit the age of 20."

Bill was severely wounded. But he lived to see his 20th birthday. And his 30th. And he continued to celebrate until his 90th year.

Bill Madden is one of the reasons I will always remember February 19 and Iwo Jima.


If you have a family member who served on Iwo Jima, we would love for you to send in a photograph and short paragraph telling their service story. You can send it to:

OMVeteranStories@gmail.com

We will be sharing stories and photographs highlighting our Iwo Jima Veterans over the anniversary month an would LOVE to include you family’s hero.