Tribute submitted by Mark Gregg in honor of his dad.
Wives, Children and Unknown Generations Yet to Come
At several times throughout this century men
have been asked to set aside their
lives and risk their earthly existence for the purpose
of protecting and defending their
country, their families, their freedoms
and liberties. Some men found much worth in
these values and goals, and, in order to preserve these ideals for the
benefit of themselves, their wives, their children, and unknown generations
yet to come, donned
olive drab Army fatigues and took up the role
of soldier in an effort to ensure
that the life they had already known and experienced would
be available to those who might
be so fortunate as to share their community
in ensuing years and decades.
While it is difficult for wives. children and
grandchildren to comprehend war and all its ugly, life-threatening perils, we do know that it took someone of integrity, someone of character,
someone who so valued the preservation ofthe world they
knew, that they would risk
their own lives for the task. Fate chose to justly reward
those men of olive drab with the victory of peace
and preservation. On this Veterans' Day, we have an innermost desire to acknowledge the enormous significance of those difficult times. And, we are
aware that whatever appreciation we might now offer them, as our standard-bearers of courage for the century, pales
dimly, though the rewards
of their valor continue to grace our world.
No doubt time has somewhat obscured the exhilaration of those who shared with you the moments ofV.E.
Day or V.J. Day. No
doubt you have often heard the appreciation which your wives have given
for your sacrifices.
And, no doubt you have
seen gratitude in the eyes of your children and in the
lives which they have so fortunately been able to freely live.
evertheless, WE now choose to offer
our modest gratefulness for your sacrifices and efforts, and wish you to always
remember that while we were only an abstract notion during those
days of hardship and ultimate triumph, that what you did for us and our futures will
always remain inseparably
imbedded in the real freedoms
and liberties enjoyed in our
daily world. It is as if your theoretical
notions of freedom and liberty for an unknown
generation yet to come have become built and preserved in our
daily lives as a real, lasting monument to you
..... for,
-We are the beneficiaries of your preservation of
freedom and liberty; -We are the yet-born
people for whose freedoms
and liberties you sought to protect; -We are that "Unknown GenerationYet to Come."
And we are eternally grateful to our Father above
that you were here for us then, when we were but
a vision, and most importantly, that
you are here for us now when we can live and play together enjoying those ideals
for which you so boldly stood and sacrificed.
Our heartfelt love and
thanks to you,
Alan and
Meghann
November 11, 1999
November 11, 1999