Sacrifice
Tom Brokaw has called the survivors of the Great Depression and World War II, the Great Generation. It has been 82 years since the stock market crash in 1929. The number of people who personally experienced those years is diminishing rapidly. History verifies that Hitler and Hirohito brought our nation out of the economic chaos.
Wars and prosperity have been like love and marriage. Except for the Iraq war. It and Afghanistan have put us trillions in debt. The combination of time and war have seldom been the friend of people. Why? Because of the casualties that follow. The economic fallout and the loss of lives. Many of the Great Generation still remember with sorrow the loss of family members and friends because of war. The passing of the years has failed to ease that pain.
Some situations seem to be worse than others. Take for instance the Stinson family, of San Bernardino. Parents, James and Vella; six sons. Only two are living: Dick (89) of Northern California and Ed (76) here in Highland. Ed is a good friend of mine. Bob Stinson joined the Air Force four months before Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. He eventually became Flight Engineer (FE) of a B-24 J Bomber. His specific duties were to police the plane: in flight, before and after a flight: and to pilot it if necessary. On September 1, 1944 the Bomber left Indonesia and proceeded to the archipelago of Palau. (made up of 300 islands) It is located 500 miles east of the Philippines and 2,000 miles south of Tokyo. After bombing Koror, the largest city housing 15,000 Japanese, the plane was hit by anti-aircraft and it crashed into the ocean. Of the eleven crewmembers, three parachuted to land, were captured, tortured and executed by the Japanese. The remaining eight disappeared for 65 years. In a watery grave.
By the way, today Palau is known as the Republic of Palau. It is a member of the United Nations and supports the policies of the U.S. A. For twenty years Bob’s mother, Vella, wrote twice a year to our government about her son. She died in 1964. Bob’s father died in 1974. Both obviously had broken hearts, for they and Bob’s brothers did not know where his B-24 J Liberator had gone down. Crewmen from other bombers reported seeing the “Babes in Arms” come apart and crash into the ocean. In 2004 an investigations team from BentProp succeeded in locating the plane. The propeller was sighted first, then machine guns, followed by body remains and other personal items. Skeletal remains of Bob Stinson were found. DNA tested and compared with the DNA of Richard and Edward, his brothers. The report was conclusive. He was their brother. On October 31, 2009 full military honors were accorded Sgt. Robert Stinson at Riverside National Cemetery. A B-52 flyover, a 21-gun salute, taps, flags presented to his brothers and the release of 21 white doves symbolizing “The Final Flight.”
Sgt. Stinson had received many medals for his heroic behavior prior to the crash and he was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, Air Medal and Oak-Leaf Cluster.
Many members of the family said, “This brings closer;” but as Ed Stinson says, “Never a day goes by but what I think of Bob. He loved sports and poker. He was a happy-go-lucky person who was always playing tricks. In talking with Ed, I was moved with his introspection about his brother. Dead at age 24 and his whereabouts unknown for 65 years, Ed wonders often what his brother would have become if he had lived. Would he have used the G I Bill and gone to college? Would he have been an engineer, a teacher, a husband, a father and grandfather? Such thoughts are understandable.
Sgt. Robert Stinson’s death is a reminder for all of us of the tremendous sacrifice that has been made by many of our fellow citizens. Thousands have given their lives that we may live in freedom.
Lest we forget, let us join in the Pledge of Allegiance and sing with enthusiasm, The Star Spangled Banner, and God Bless America, as opportunity is presented.
Amen. Selah. So be it.
WORDS TO THINK ABOUT
G. W. Abersold Ph.D.