Thoughts and experiences about WWII
I always watch the Memorial Day tribute to our military that is on PBS every year. As I listened and watched the tribute to our service men and women, I realized that in a few more years, there will be no living memory of these World War II veterans. I was six years old when the war began. To me, it will always be THE war. In my neighborhood, one family had four sons that served. Four served; two paid the ultimate price. Niles Majure was a paratrooper. Our neighborhood at that time was full of children and young people. We all knew each other, so one day at noon when my family was having lunch, we were not surprised to see Niles at the door. It was fascinating to see him in his uniform. He just wanted to say goodbye before shipping overseas. Sadly, he never came home, and I have never forgotten him. Our town also had two survivors of the Bataan Death March. We got our news from the radio, newspaper and reels shown at the Strand Theater. My first cousin, Joe Wheeler Cagle, was an airman. Shot down by the Germans, he was rescued by the French Resistance and escaped by being guided over the Pyrenees Mountains and then to England. One of my cousin’s proudest moments was when, after the War, the area where he was rescued sent invitations to the airmen they had saved. They wanted to honor them. They were so grateful. It meant so much to Joe. I don’t know if our country will ever be as patriotic and together again as it was then. When I see any politician denigrate our military, it really disturbs me. To put down our men and women who are members of the best military in the world is inexcusable. When I lived in Hartford, Florida, I went to Fort Rucker, the largest helicopter base in the USA. At that time, they had some WWII planes on exhibit. One was the Bataan that McArthur flew on when he fulfilled his promise (of) “I shall return.” I climbed aboard and sat in one of the very uncomfortable seats. Maybe he sat there! I could not help tears running down my cheeks when I read the names of the young men who had trained at Ft. Rucker and lost their lives. I am not forgetting those who served in the South Pacific. There is a book in our library that tells the story of some Marines and a football game they played on an island before a battle. There are a lot of good books that should be read. History is fascinating. Our population is 332,273 more or less. Our active duty military is 1.4 million. Our reserves 1.2 million. Less than one half of one percent of our population are protecting the rest of us. I remember the joy we all felt when the war was over. We must not forget the women of WWII. The nurses, the Wacs, Waves, Wasps. The women who “kept the home fires burning.” Please do not forget these people. Ordinary citizens became heroes. They deserve our respect.
Rebecca Carson
It’s simple, vote
When you vote you win. When you don’t vote, you lose. Many fought and died for the right to vote. Voting is one of the most fundamental rights and the best. Are you frustrated by the lack of action from lawmakers on the issues facing Mississippi and believe that the hard-working voters of Mississippi deserve much better? Then it’s simple, utilize your voting right to vote for someone who has experienced first-hand the same frustrations and is determined to do something about it, Attorney Ty Pinkins. The son of a tractor driver, Ty doesn’t come from a wealthy family. He was born and raised in the small delta town of Rolling Fork, MS. He is a product of the Mississippi public school system. Ty graduated from the Georgetown University Law Center. He believes every student should have access to a meaningful, high-quality education. A dedicated veteran of the U.S. Army, he served on active duty for 21 years. His military career culminated in the White House where he served both Democratic and Republican Presidents. United States Senate candidate Ty Pinkins is embarking on a significant journey across Mississippi to demonstrate his steadfast dedication to addressing crucial issues affecting our state and country. Pinkins champions women's reproductive freedom, quality affordable healthcare for all, and economic prosperity for hardworking Mississippians. Ty uses his story and experience as an example of what exposure to social, cultural and economic capital can lead to. The opportunity for Ty Pinkins to become a United States Senator from Mississippi is possible with your vote. It’s simple, VOTE.
Brenda Johnson Chair Winston County Democratic Party
