A star-spangled feast for those who served

WASILLA — Hair cut? Check. Shower and shave? Double check. Boots shined? Check. Best jeans and flannel shirt? Double check. Flight jacket with camera and note pad? Triple check. U.S. Army Retired ball cap? Final check. What the heck was all the fuss about? Well sit back, relax and I’ll tell you all about it.

I was getting decked out for a Veteran’s dinner at the American Legion’s Post 35 on Sunday, an annual event to pay homage to the attack on Pearl Harbor, which was 74 years ago on Monday. It was also an event to honor our veterans of WWII and the Korean War. Members of both groups are dwindling away at an increasing pace daily. Ron Travis of Last Frontier Honor Flight and a member of Post 35 sent me an invite. This was going to be my second time taking part to honor my fellow veterans.

The uniforms and equipment may have changed over the years, but the dedication to the nation never wavered and it showed in the faces of the men and women as they entered the Legion hall one by one. I felt a tug on my sleeve as I walked in. It was Fred Sampson, a veteran of WWII, Korea and Vietnam. He was also one my first subjects to interview on veterans and veteran’s issues for the Frontiersman and KVRF FM radio. He was the rock star of Last Honor flight too according to Ron. People were piling in and so with reluctance I had to move on from talking to my friend Fred.

I spent some time taking pictures before finding a seat at a table in the rear as the color guard from Wasilla High School’s JROTC marched into the room to begin the ceremony. The hall was filled with the aged veterans, some in ball caps of their branch of service. Others had jackets on proclaiming their time served; more than a few were accompanied by wheel chairs, walkers, canes and even personal assistants. These people are proud of their service. Old as they are now, back during WWII and Korea they were young and fit to fight. Without their willingness to take on the enemies of everything we hold dear such as freedom we would not here today as a free people.

After the color guard salute the national anthem was played. A table setting was symbolically set for the POWs and the missing in action at a table set aside for all to see. The gravest of attention and honor was reserved for those who are still lost to us all from our nation’s wars and conflicts. The room was silent as we stood watching it being set a piece at a time.

The highlight of the dinner came when the children’s choir of Our Lady of the Valley Catholic School of Wasilla came in led by Joyce Lund. They were a sweet little bunch of children ranging in age from 5 to about 14 by all appearances. They started out with the “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” a song made famous during the Civil War. Then the children launched into each branch of service’s distinctive theme song. It was heart warming, as when a veteran’s song came up some would stand up from their places and salute these young choir singers. And they went through them all. Mine of course was the U.S. Army’s “The Army Goes Rolling Along” which I sang along in my best off key strain of singing, keeping my voice low as to prevent glass from breaking.

When the choir went into “God Bless America” things changed, as everyone who was able to struggled to stand up and sing along with those pint-sized troupers of song. It was a moment filled with emotion. I was not immune from that spell and nearly choked up. After they finished with a flourish and a bow these young people went down the aisles and shook every veteran’s hand in gratitude with wide-eyed wonder. I stood and said thank you to many of them smiling warmly.

Soon Ron Travis took to the podium and gave a short speech about the importance of remembering not only Dec. 7, 1941 but Sept.11, 2001. Both dates will continue to live in infamy, as thousands died in the wake of the surprise attacks that would launch America into war. One would be the call to action of the greatest generation of Americans to fight against the very worst tyranny the world could produce. Those were under the control of the Axis powers like the Nazis and the Empire of Japan. We joined allies already deeply entrenched in bitter war since late 1939 fighting for their freedom and their very lives against them.

Sept. 11, 2001 would spark a war against the evils of terrorism that would end up becoming two of the longest and strangest wars in American history (Iraq and Afghanistan). He ended with the message we must never forget either one of these days and keep the hardest of lessons learned to pass on to the generations to come. We then stood and sang Lee Greenwood’s 1984’s hit “God Bless the USA,” considered by some to be America’s second national anthem. It was sung loudly by everyone standing there with great pride, some were even holding hands and held them up in the air as it was being sung, bringing the dinner to an upbeat end with a tasteful touch of patriotism.

Both groups of veterans from WWII and Korea began to file out to their buses and cars. Almost every one of them was beaming with pride. It was a good thing to see these combat veterans like that. Sadly for the veterans of WWII and Korea, many are coming to the end of their lives so rapidly, so finally — only to live on in history books, never to grace us with their presence ever again. This veteran of the Iraq War is very grateful and humble to get to know some of them.

Daniel D. Grota is a retired U.S. Army veteran with over 21 years in service. He is also a Tuesday morning co-host on KVRF 89.5 FM, Radio Free Palmer. Write to him at news@frontiersman.com.