28 September 2009

COUNTERPOINT - WWII MEMORIAL




i was moved by this article in the NYTimes online, detailing how aging WWII veterans are able to visit the WWII memorial (click on images to enlarge) in washington, dc, through the help given by Honor Flight, a non-profit group of pilots and donors who transport vets to visit their memorial. since most aging vets cannot afford the trip otherwise, it is a worthy venture in a world where few think beyond their own lives or pocketbooks. my father is among the WWII vets whose numbers are swiftly diminishing through simple attrition. he is 84. while we have our differences, i will always honor him and his generation for the ready sacrifices that they made, literally saving the world from the depredations of a conquering madman.
it particularly pleases me that it is aviators, among whom i am one (if only in aspiration), who similarly demonstrate a selfless spirit in making the vets' visits possible. amid today's criminal greed and civil unrest, there is hope in gestures such as these.

No comments:

Post a Comment