Memorial Day puts things in perspective, tunes out political noise
Veterans Day in November is a joyous occasion to celebrate those who served in the nation’s armed forces But Memorial Day “hits different,” as the saying goes. Even just pausing for a short ceremony or a few moments in reflection or prayer, the sacrifices of families are revealed and a deep appreciation for all that we have and enjoy.
That can be easy to overlook with the constant drone of politics pitting neighbor against neighbor, Texan against Texan and American against American as we let divisive commentators infiltrate our way of thinking.
But those moments of reflection hit home again on Monday at the Memorial Day services held here in Gillespie County, the first, a somber reading of the 72 names who gave all at the Gillespie County Courthouse.
Those names, most still as familiar as those of Fredericksburg’s founders, really hit home and give us pause. These were neighbors, friends and acquaintances. And they were defending the given rights — often wholly taken for granted — that we enjoy as Americans.
Even as we go about our busy lives and enjoy an extra day off work, Memorial Day means so much more. It was created as a day of mourning.
Let’s also recognize that “war is hell,” and the losses are personal, no matter which side. “Decoration Day” began as those tending the graves of Confederate soldiers. They were on the wrong side of history, but still were young men who came from families just like any other.
Friends in Germany honor those 18-year-old young men who fought under the Hitler regime, caught up in the fervor and control of a madman.
And our American men and women who gave all leave their families to mourn. Imagine being an 18-year-old and your first trip away from home is to war. Imagine the door dropping on the ship and you are under orders to “storm the beaches” at Normandy in the line of fire. Americans did it, and many paid the ultimate price.
Our soldiers who gave all were not supermen with superpowers. These were ordinary men and women called to do extraordinary things — to face life and death situations as we slept comfortably.
Jim Bisson at the Courthouse War Memorial Monument’s ceremony on Monday said he still carries the memories of the young men who all had dreams after their service ended. From farm boys to Ivy League Law School enrollees, they came from every segment of society. We owe them all a huge debt of gratitude that can never be repaid.
— The Gillespie County Veterans Service Office supplied a list of names of locals who gave all. We express our gratitude, our astonishment and reflect on the freedoms left after their sacrifices. We must protect these freedoms at all costs so these neighbors will not have died in vain.
The names of the 72 Gillespie County veterans listed on the monument outside the county courthouse include: World War I
Max Ahrens, Emil G.A. Beyer, Edmund Brinkhoff, Sherman Buckley, William H. Enderlin, Albert H. Geistweidt, William L. Hime, Louis J. Jordan, Eddie Kaiser, Edward H. Klaerner, Henry Koch, Hugh Leslie, Pagett McBeth, Alfred J. Schault, Edwin A. Schmidt, Henry Schneider Jr., Edwin Tatsch and Nolan W. Tobin.
World War II
Harold W. Ahrens, Rubin M. Althaus, Alberto Arhelger, Elgin E. Becker, Will G. Bird, Wilburn H. Dechert, William Dietel Jr., Wilburn E. Durst, Chester E. Evens, Burman Farris, Clemens Fiedler, Andrew R. Frantzen, Frank C. French Jr., Curtis L.C. Griffin, Victor Haag, Clifford Hahn, Joseph A. Jenschke, Willie Johansen, Karl Kappus, Lorenz Kirchoff, Eugene L. Klein, Harry T. Klein, Ernest F. Knoll, Gladys R. Lee, Edgar Leonard, Elgin J. Luckenbach, Thomas W. Miller, Alvin W. Moldenhaur, Ewald J. Novian, James M. Pyka, Allen W. Roeder, Aaron G. Roeder, Victor Rosenbach, Calvin O. Sageser, James E. Schandua, Elgin A. Scharnhorst, Emil Schlaudt Jr., Whitney B. Sellers, Luther B. Stockard, Fred O. Talley, Edgar H. Wittkohl and Bruno W. Wunderlich.
Korean War
Guenther Burrer, Edwin E. Grienke, Harvey E. Houy, Kermit K. Koch, Stanley E. Neffendorf and Allen F. Schlueter.
Vietnam War
Daniel M. Gunn, Raymond M. Ottmers Jr., Dennis W. Schonberg, Sammie J. Vollmar.
The wars in the Middle East
Phillip I. Neel (Iraq), Christopher N. Staats (Afghanistan).
