Commentary; Posted: 6/20/07
Memorial a fitting tribute to veterans
Rev. John C. Blackford,
Religion Columnist
A memorial tribute to Minnesota’s World War II veterans was dedicated Saturday, June 9, on the State Capitol Mall in St. Paul.
“On a day bright as peace, as breezy as liberty, more than 4200 veterans came from all over Minnesota and all over the world: a grand mobilization of old soldiers, sailors, nurses, airmen and Marines, mustered once more” (Minneapolis Star Tribune, June 10, 2007).
An estimated 22,000 people attended the event.
The memorial cost a little over $1 million, and is the culmination of efforts initiated by two Minnesota legislators, Representatives Erv Anderson and Bernie Lieder, both World War II veterans.
“A combination of State and Public funds were raised over the past three or four years to design and build this tribute...This year the Minnesota Legislature also passed funding to pay for a portion of the Dedication Ceremonies.” (Gopher Oversea’r, a publication of the Minnesota Veterans of Foreign Wars, for April-June, 2007). Approximately 327,000 Minnesotans served in the war, which began for America on December 7, 194l with the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Standing guard at the memorial is the gun from the USS Ward, the ship largely manned by sailors from St. Paul that fired our nation’s first shot that day --- at a Japanese mini-submarine trying to sneak into Pearl Harbor before the aerial bombardment.
There are only about 47,000 veterans in the state today. They are in their 80s and 90s, and across the nation are dying at the rate of 1300 daily.
Several years ago a national World War II memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C.
World War II was a pivotal event for the world. Beginning in September of 1939 with the invasion of Poland by Hitler’s Nazi forces, it continued until August of 1945. These were difficult years for all the nations involved.
Although we were not invaded, we suffered in other ways, including the deaths of many service personnel.
Many see the hand of Providence in that the Japanese did not follow up Pearl Harbor with an attack on our west coast.
While Germany and Japan had prepared for years for the war, we were forced abruptly into an all-out war-time effort.
Hitler’s scientists were close to developing an atom bomb toward the end of the war, but it was our achievement in atomic science that brought a sudden end to World War II.
Early, then, in that conflict we could have lost, and late, as well, but we and the world were spared that catastrophe.
The Minneapolis newspaper article cited above included the remarks of several veterans in attendance.
One of them, Leroy Bell, 87, of Minneapolis, who rode a tank through France and Belgium as part of the first black tank battalion in Gen. George Patton’s 3rd Army, commented, “It’s a great day. I thank heaven I’m here to celebrate this day. All the guys who were in my outfit --- they’re all deceased. I miss them” (Bell and this writer were South High School classmates in Minneapolis, but the latter, a World War II Navy/Marine Corps chaplain, was not able to attend).
Special medals for the occasion, worn around the neck with red, white and blue ribbons, were given to each of the veterans present.
We can be thankful to all who worked in any way to make the day possible, and while there were still living veterans to represent all who served in World War II.
It is hoped that many will visit the memorial, and in doing so, honor all who wore our nation’s uniform during those difficult days.
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