Tanks, Planes, Boats, Military Stuff

[Rey]

Hey NWo, it’s been a while, eh? Nice to hear from you. I remember you bringing up the soldier that was buried there, and wondering what his story was. I’m glad you were able to look into it, and it looks like quite a story you found, and a sad one at that.

What struck me the most was the date that he died, in March 1945, and that is such a shame. A little over a month later and the war in Europe would have been over. Unfortunately he didn’t quite make it. Of course there were many, many others who didn’t make it also. In the end it’s really a shame the whole thing had to happen at all. I guess that is why I am so interested in World War II history. I’ve always wanted to know why it happened, and more importantly, how it happened. It just seems to me to be the most incredible thing that has ever happened. There are lots of crazy fellows around who might have an insane agenda for the world, but very few of them ever actually...succeed.

So I was thinking about things like that recently on Veterans Day, and also previously on Memorial Day. About people like William Donald Allies, and others like him, who fought and gave everything to have a better world. You hear about the baby boom that happened when the war was over and all the service men came home. And that’s all they really wanted, to stamp out the evil and get it over with, so they could get on with life and start new families in the new world they helped to make.

So it is important that we remember people like William Donald Allies. He was one of many who never got his chance to live this post war dream. But he died so that others could, so that the world would be a better place for everyone. We should never forget what these people did, and the sacrifices that they made. The world really was coming apart at the seams, like it never has since.

Of course there continues to be wars and conflicts. There is still unrest in the world, it seems like it will never stop. But it almost seems like an obligation to me, to remember those who fought and died, and to try and keep their vision of the world a reality. And really, how have we been doing? If William Donald Allies could come back today and have a look around, at the world he died for, what would he think? Would it have been worth it to him? Do we need to be doing a better job?

(A lot of what I talked about here was inspired by NWo’s post, and also the song “The Gunner’s Dream” by Roger Waters and Pink Floyd. This song is definitely worth a listen.)