Sgt. Ike

Memorial Day is a time to remember and respect those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.  Fortunately, my dear dad emerged from World War II unscathed, living a long and happy life until leaving 20 years ago in March.  But he considered his time in the service as the best thing he ever did in his life.  See him here in Rome, May 10, 1945, 2 days after V-E day. 

He’d come to Rome in 1943, an eager draftee who had his hernia fixed so he could serve.  His Fisher Body plant had geared up for defense production, and he was the sole remaining of 3 sons at home, the 2 others already off to war.  That’s 3 excuses he ignored to join the effort.  The Army thought this athletic sparkplug would make a good paratrooper, till someone noticed his glasses.  So they leaned on his other talents, Haney’s Business School honed already in a couple years at GM.  He flew a desk, running the Military Mission to the Italian Army, seeing that that outfit was well supplied.  He says no one ever shot at him, and he came home with a new taste for Italian food if not for opera. 

Here he is 53 years later, standing in front of a mural at the American cemetery in Naples, pointing out the movements of the Allies’ campaign to retake Italy, which preceded his arrival there by several months.

Per his request, he had a military funeral – complete with a flag draped casket, 3 rifle volleys over his grave as he was lowered down, and taps from a real bugle – and his highest rank – T-Sgt (Technical Sergeant: 3 up, 2 down) – is inscribed on his tombstone, by which a flag placed by the local VFW is flying now.  Thanks, Sergeant Ike.  Thanks Dad.