In addition it is a great way to remember the sacrifices of a forgotten and rapidly passing section of our population that deserves much more praise, appreciation, tribute and respect than they have received by those of us who reap the rewards of their personal sacrifices.
It is now impossible to understand just how servere that sacrifice was unless we hear these stories over and over and over again and pass them on to our posterity.
Immediately after reading the first story in this fabulous book, I found myself mentally drifting back to that excellent book entitled “Flag of Our Fathers” by James Bradley. His in-depth and inspirational stories about that diverse group of Americans who helped raise the American Flag at Iwo Jima (to include his own father) kept me spellbound and filled my eyes with tears of joy and sadness and pride and respect.
The same is true here and these short stories (just the right length) are in keeping with the better literary works of Reader’s Digest.
This book will take a place of honor, displayed for all my students to see when school starts again this year and I will no doubt incorporate it into the Words of Wisdom Program we conduct each and every mourning for the patriotic benefit of our staff and students.
I must also add at this point, that the story on page 48 about “No Medals for Joe,” touched me deeply and reminded me of the many WWII service members I have helped to get medals they never received during various conflicts while I was in the military. And then present them with an appropriate presentation that was shared with family and friends.
There are so many who never get that special moment like Joe did and that is a true American tragedy as their ranks continue to shrink every day. I hope that Reader’s Digest will continue to put out these small hero booklets out to the public and I would love to contribute other stories to their collection in the future. Such as an enlisted Marine named, Charles Christly in one of the devistating Okinawa campaigns, or Mya Newman who was an actual survivor of the Japaneese internment of women depicted in the movie about the same a few years back.
To the digest on A job well done, congratulations.
