Mac-Coleman

8 May 2013 –

Sixty-eight years ago today, World War Two ended in Europe.  Representatives of the German high command unconditionally surrendered of all German forces on 7 May 1945 in Rheims, France.  The high command in Berlin ratified the surrender on 8 May.  The war raged on in the Pacific for another four months before it ended with formal surrender ceremonies on the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on 2 September.  With the congressional events today about the Benghazi scandal, we should be reminded of a time when our leaders sent our military to stop the enemy and to win. 

In May 1995, fifty years after the end of the war, my Uncle Walt and Aunt Rosemary came to visit us in Belgium.  We were stationed at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, in Mons.  I was the Military Assistant to the Supreme Allied Commander and thought that was pretty impressive.  But, Uncle Walt, like his three brothers, was a WWII veteran.  That was truly impressive.   He served on the USS Boise, a heavy cruiser, as the captain of the first gun turret.  He fought throughout the war: in the Battle of Cape Espérance in the South Pacific near Guadalcanal; in the landings in North Africa, Sicily, and Italy; and, back in the Pacific, in the Battle of Okinawa.  He was decorated and proud to be a sailor.  He, as the son of a Polish immigrant, was proud to be an American.  After the war, he returned to Montana and worked as a railroad electrician for forty-four years before retiring.  A solid American success story.

But, some things don’t fade quickly.  Uncle Walt told me when we were driving from Belgium into France, that for years after the war, as he was working in the railroad roundhouse, the smell of burnt electrical wiring would make him sick.  It brought back vividly the smells of burning wire and flesh when his turret was hit by a Japanese shell that killed four of his men.  But, on that day in 1995, in the spring sunshine of northern Europe, on the road to Normandy, things were good.

We spent a bit of time in northern France.  We visited Saint-Lô, walked the beaches of Normandy, and paid our respects to the fallen at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial.  While there, Uncle Walt told us stories and recounted events of certain battles.  He said that the USS Boise was there during the landings of Mark Clark’s Fifth Army at Anzio Beach in January 1944 and supported its fight up the peninsula toward the liberation of Rome.  Uncle Walt said that the USS Boise patrolled off the coast of Italy and provided naval gunfire support to the US forces ashore.  The USS Boise would shell German forces coming down the single coastal road.  This denied the forward German forces resupply and, thereby, enabled the Fifth Army to gain strength and eventually breakout of its coastal enclave.  It was great to listen to and remember stories that I had only read about in history books.

When leaving the cemetery at Normandy, we walked by an American couple going the other way.  The couple was of Uncle Walt and Aunt Rosemary’s age and paid little attention to Janet and me.  But, the two old men looked at each other and stopped.  Uncle Walt, as he was wont to do, extended his hand and said: "Hi.  I’m Walt Coleman, World War Two, USS Boise.”  The other man smiled and introduced himself as well.   Then, the man said something I shall never forget: “The USS Boise?  You were off the coast of Italy when I was with Mark Clark’s Fifth Army.  You guys picked off the Germans as they tried to go down the coastal road to reinforce their front lines.  You saved my life.  Thank you.”  It was as if these two retired war horses had rehearsed their exchange for that very moment.  The rest of the world simply faded away because it didn't matter. They spoke a bit more about family and their lives after the war before they shook hands again and parted company.  As we were driving out of the cemetery, Uncle Walt said that that was the first time anyone had ever thanked him for something specific he did during the war.  Today, we thank you, Uncle Walt.  We thank you, your brothers, and every man and women who fought in that war.  Uncle Walt died a few years ago; yet, the magic of that moment at Normandy, and such American valor, must live forever.  Victory in Europe, sixty-eight years ago today.