The posts on the various blogs today, one and the comments in particular, has gotten me to thinking about the missing in action. Blogs like this are hitting me, more so than today's newspaper.
Most military cemeteries I have seen have markers all over the place of those unknowns no one knows. When we were in Italy the first time (for me) we visited an American cemetery. They are all over Europe--in France too.
We visited the office there, looking for a name, Eugene Pitre. He is Mrs. Jim's brother who had been shot down over the Mediterranean in WWII. Just him and his P-38.We knew they had never found his plane or body, but there was no record of him either.
We didn't ask enough questions but have decided later that their computerized list was just of those known to be burried in the national cemeteries.
He enlisted when he was only seventeen. That was while Mrs. Jim was still in her mother's womb. He was her brother she never met. Mrs. Jim hasn't said anything about him yet today, I will bring him up now.
Whenever we are on the Mediterranean or just looking out over it, we think of Eugene Junior. That was true again many times this spring again while were in Sicily looking towards Tunisia.
Of course we can never go to the cemetery to visit his grave.
Thank you for your visit Jim, and your very poignant comment, too. It must be very hard for Mrs. Jim. I know "the need for closure" is an over-used phrase, but it seems appropriate here, plus, it would be so meaningful wouldn't it to have a a final resting place for her brother? I wonder if there is some way to investigate it further...I did mean MIA'S as well when I was talking about all those lost, but I am sorry now I wasn't more specific.
ReplyDeleteI've never really understood the "Happy Memorial Day" greeting...what is 'Happy' about this day? It truly is a day of contemplation and honor and of course, remembrance. Please give Mrs. Jim my best and I hope and pray that there will be some way to find out more information about her brother. Maybe some wonderful blogger out their in cyberspace has some connections to The Air Force records, or something similar...I hope so.
Jim
ReplyDeletePlease tell Mrs Jim that she is in my prayers.
Catherine