THIS WEEKEND WE WILL OBSERVE MEMORIAL
DAY. IS IT GOING TO BE STRICTLY COOKOUTS
WITH ALL OF THE TRIMMINGS OR WILL WE
TAKE A MOMENT AND REFLECT ON WHAT
MEMORIAL DAY IS TRULY ABOUT. I READ
AN ARTICLE TODAY ON THE OPINION
PAGE OF THE WHITEHALL/COPLAY PRESS
BY A NEWLY HIRED REPORTER, MARK RECCEK,
AND HE HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD. HE
SPENT 4 YEARS IN THE MARINES CORPS
FROM 1996-2000. HE SPOKE OF THE
SACRIFICES MADE BY SO MANY FROM WHICH
ALL OF US NOW BENEFIT.
I HOPE ALL OF YOU WILL TAKE THE TIME TO
GET A COPY OF THE PAPER DTD 5/24/12 AND
READ HIS ARTICLE. THE TRUE MEANING OF
MEMORIAL DAY.
WE RECEIVED A LETTER THIS WEEK FROM
A DEAR FRIEND IN TAMAQUA WHO SENT A
CUTOUT FROM THEIR NEWSPAPER. IT WAS
IN THE SECTION THAT REFLECTED BACK
61 YEARS AGO TO MAY 22, 1951. IT WAS AN
ARTICLE LISTING THE NAMES OF
INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE REPORTING THAT
DAY AFTER BEING DRAFTED. THE LIST
INCLUDED "FRANCIS C. DICKMAN. (FUNNY
THING HAPPENED.FROM THAT DAY ON. THE
ARMY ADDRESSED ME AS "FRANK".) IT
BROUGHT BACK MANY MEMORIES. I PAUSED
AND WONDERED WHAT MIGHT HAVE
HAPPENED TO THOSE THAT I TOOK BASIC
WITH AT CAMP BRECKENRIDGE, KENTUCKY.
INCIDENTALLY, OF ALL THOSE DRAFTED
THAT DAY, THE FIRST 29 ALPHABETICALLY
ENDED UP IN KENTUCKY AND THE REST
REPORTED TO INDIANTOWN GAP. I DID
CHECK THE ARCHIVES FOR THE KOREAN
WAR AND FORTUNATELY I FOUND NOTHING
UNDER CASUALTIES. AT THE SAME TIME, I
REMEMBERED A COUPLE OF YOUNG GUYS
THAT I KNEW FOR MANY YEARS BECAUSE
THEY HUNG OUT AT MY DAD'S POOL
PARLOR IN SUMMIT HILL. I ALSO KNEW
THEIR FAMILIES OR FELLOW FAMILY
MEMBERS. KENNETH "KENNY" BRESLIN,
WHO GRADUATED 2 YEARS AFTER ME MADE
THE SUPREME SACRIFICE IN 1950, AND
ZINO "BABY" PAMPANIN WHO GAVE HIS ALL
IN JUNE 1953. AND THEN, THERE WAS GEORGE
MICHAEL BEVICH, WHO LOST HIS LIFE ON OUR
BEHALF ON 12/4/1966 IN SOUTH VIETNAM. I
STOP BY THEIR FINAL RESTING PLACES WHEN
SISTER AND GRANDMOTHER AT ST. JOSEPH'S
CEMETERY NEAR MAUCH CHUNK LAKE. I
KNEW THESE THREE HERO WARRIORS AND
I CAN SEE THEM AS IF THEY WERE STANDING
BESIDE ME RIGHT NOW. GOD BLESS THEM ALL.
I WILL CLOSE NOW, HOPING THAT YOU WILL
TAKE A BRIEF MOMENT AND SAY A PRAYER,
NOT ONLY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE MADE THE
SUPREME SACRIFICE, BUT FOR ALL OF THOSE
WHO SERVED, AND THOSE NOW SERVING IN
HARM'S WAY, SO THAT WE MIGHT ENJOY THE
FREEDOMS THEY ARE PRESERVING FOR ALL
MANKIND. GOD BLESS.
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