Remembering Our Veterans

I’ve never worn the uniform of military service. Honesty compels me to say that this often troubles me from time to time. When I contemplate how blessed we are to live in this great nation, I realize that there have been those who have done far more than I to make that possible.

In as much as I haven’t served in the armed forces the one thing that I can do is show my thanks and appreciation to those who have. I have been blessed over the years to have known many who have served our nation. My father was a veteran of World War II. He served in the Navy and was a flight mechanic while stationed on an air craft carrier in the South Pacific.

He once took me to the Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola. He showed me the type of plane on which he was a mechanic. I don’t remember the name of the plane; it was some combination of numbers and letters.

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What I do remember is that he showed me his station on the plane while it was in flight. There was actually a notch in the plane where my father had to lay on his belly while the plane flew and the Japanese were shooting at them. I always respected my father because he was my father. After seeing what he did during the war I respected him all the more.

Growing up as a young man in Macon I knew a man by the name of Marshall Griffin. Mr. Griffin was also a veteran of World War II. He lived in my neighborhood and attended the same church as my family. Mr. Griffin would often drive a group of neighborhood kids down to the YWCA in Macon for swimming lessons.

I noticed Mr. Griffin never turned his head but had to rotate his shoulders to look to the right or left while driving. My dad told me that during World War II Mr. Griffin had been captured and taken prisoner by the Germans. I assumed he had been beaten and this caused his injury.

At his funeral I heard the rest of the story. He was a paratrooper. His plane was shot down and he injured himself not from a beating at the hands of the Germans but rather by saving the life of a fellow paratrooper. Mr. Griffin never bragged of his exploits and was one of the most unpretentious men I’ve ever known.

During my time in Sparta I was honored to have a gentleman in my congregation by the name of Mr. Ossie Cook. Mr. Cook was a veteran of World War I. In fact, at the time of his death Mr. Cook was the last surviving veteran of World War I in the state of Georgia. Mr. Cook didn’t talk much about what was known at the time as “The War to End All Wars.”

What I remember most about Mr. Cook was that he was a man who lived with grim determination and with intense character. I am grateful to have crossed his path.

During my tenure in Henry County I had the high privilege of having a gentleman by the name of Mr. Brad Newell in my congregation. Brad was awarded a purple heart after being wounded in Vietnam.

He never complained of his wounds and he often spoke of the pride and love he had for our nation. Brad remains a man of great faith and someone I am honored to have known.

Today in my congregation are many veterans. Each of them has his or her own story of service to our nation. One of those is Mr. Billy Connelly. As many in our community know, Mr. Connelly became the Sergeant Major of the United States Army meaning that he was the single highest ranked enlisted man in the entire United States Army. Needless, to say he has received countless accommodations and awards.

I also know that I have never had a conversation with Mr. Connelly that didn’t include the phrase, “When I was in the Army.” Mr. Connelly has given outstanding service to our nation and is an asset to our community.

I must also share the name of my colleague and great friend Dr. Jim Higgins. Jim and I shared some classes as we pursued our doctoral degrees at Columbia Theological Seminary. Today, Jim is pastor of the Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Augusta. Jim also served as Chaplain in the Army Reserves.

When the war in Iraq began Jim was called into active duty and served in the theatre of combat. He served as an ambassador of Christ during the hostilities of war. He was called away from home, family and congregation but he was put where God needed him most.

There are others that I have known who have served and though the constraints of this column do not allow me to name them, all are worthy of our thanks and admiration. I am indeed a grateful American and on this Veterans Day I offer my thanks to those who have served our nation well. May we as a nation be worthy of their service.