Honor to Whom Honor is Due on Memorial Day
When the designers of the World War II Memorial on the Washington Mall chose a quote to etch in its northern wall, they chose this one by U.S. Army General George Marshall.
We are determined that before the sun sets on this terrible struggle our flag will be recognized throughout the world as a symbol of freedom on the one hand and of overwhelming force on the other.
—General George C. Marshall
Today we honor every veteran who has died while serving in the United States military as they pursued the honorable goal of bringing justice and freedom to America and to other peoples around the world.
Both Ray’s father and mine served in the U.S. Army. Praise God that neither of them died during that service. Neither was drafted and neither went into the Army because of his own desire. In 1941 Ray’s daddy got a letter from Uncle Sam inviting him to join the Army. If he refused, he would be drafted. Ten years later my daddy got his own invitation to join.
Both of our fathers served during wartime. Both went into the Army with the understanding that they would serve for one year, but their experiences were vastly different. December 7, 1941, was one of the dates in Ray’s daddy’s year. When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor that day, his one year got extended to however long it took which turned out to be four years, one month, and seven days for him.
Ray’s dad Wes served in Europe. First, he and thousands of other American soldiers spent ten months in England, preparing for the Allied invasion of the German-occupied European continent. Then, Wes landed on France’s Utah Beach on the day after D-Day. He continued with the soldiers of the First Army through every major military campaign until the Allies entered Germany and the Germans surrendered.
Daddy served during the Korean War, but rather than America entering that war while Daddy was serving, the war ended just a few months after Daddy went into the military. In those few months while the war continued, Daddy received orders to go to Korea, but — believe it or not — problems with his teeth prevented him from going. Army dentists pulled all of his top teeth and supplied him with dentures. Somehow this resulted in the decision that he would not have to go to Korea but would remain in the United States.
While I was growing up, my fun-loving Daddy used to love to stick his false teeth out to surprise children and to hear my brother Steve and me say, “Daddy-y-y-y-y!” As I remember fondly the times my daddy did that, I am grateful for those missing top teeth that prevented me from possibly having a missing daddy while I was growing up.
Instead, Daddy got out of the Army at the end of November in 1953 and welcomed a new baby girl, Eva Charlene Boyd, on the second of December. By God’s grace, Ray’s daddy made it through the war uninjured while actually serving in the midst of combat. Seven years later Wes welcomed a new baby boy, Raymond Wesley Notgrass. Twenty-two years after that the baby boy married the baby girl.
I am grateful for both of our fathers. God worked in their lives in His perfect wisdom. Many years ago, when we took our homeschooled children on a trip to Washington, D.C., we walked within the Korean Memorial on the Washington Mall. I was overcome with the reality of how close my daddy came to being one of those American soldiers slogging through the mud in Korea.
Korean War Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C. Photo Courtesy: Photographs in the Carol M. Highsmith Archive, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.
When we were in Washington during that trip, we saw President Bill Clinton dedicate the site of the World War II Memorial. Eight years ago, Ray, John, and I were in Washington for a homeschool conference and visited the World War II Memorial.
In the photo below, Ray and John are standing below the monument dedicated to soldiers from Tennessee.
The following quote by General Dwight D. Eisenhower reminds us that Ray’s dad crossed the English Channel and into the war in Europe the following day, June 7. It reads:
You are about to embark upon the great crusade toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you . . . I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty, and skill in battle.
—General Dwight D. Eisenhower
The following pictures show messages we saw which had been left there by loved ones in memory of their loved ones who fought, at least two of whom did not come home.
Often God doesn’t tell us the details of why we live the details we do. Why did our daddies come home? Why did other daddies not come home? Why did my daddy live only to age 72 while Ray’s daddy lived to age 92. We can think of thousands of why questions. Meanwhile we trust that God does all things well and look forward to the day when we will reign with Jesus.
It is a trustworthy statement:
For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him;
If we endure, we will also reign with Him;
If we deny Him, He also will deny us;
If we are faithless, He remains faithful,
for He cannot deny Himself.
2 Timothy 2:11-13