Honoring Andrew and Joe

The last Monday of May is the day we set aside to honor the war dead. Memorial - to keep in memory, to remember those who have fought and fallen in both popular and unpopular battles for the purpose of defending Democracy and the freedoms we cherish. I think of President Franklin Roosevelt's 1941 Four Freedoms speech to Congress - the one so famously illustrated by the great Norman Rockwell highlighting Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, Freedom from Want, Freedom from Fear, and am grateful to our veterans for answering the call to serve and protect our freedoms from those who would do harm by denying us those very freedoms.

No one likes war, and most of us can't even imagine the horror of what being on a battlefield is like; or the grief of a mother, a father, brother, sister, wife, son, daughter or friend when learning their loved one has been killed in war. My great great Grandmother, Mary Norton experienced that kind of sorrow when she received word from the War Department stating:

"Army of the United States of America
to all who shall see the present greeting
This is to certify, that

ANDREW G. NORTON
Private, Company 6, Camp Gordon Infantry September Replacement Draft,
died with honor in the service of his country
on the ninth day of October, 1918

On a separate letterhead is a listing of his effects :
1 Black Leather Diary with photos
1 Pkg. Letters and Postals
1 Elgin Wrist Watch # 20969206
15 jewels
1 Gold ring
1 Brown Leather Wallet
1 Rosary
1 Scapular

Grandma Norton's eldest son was laid to rest in a U.S. cemetry in Brest, France.

Turning another page in the family scrapbook I come across a newspaper article about Joseph Barrett , 18, killed in action in Germany on March 6, 1945. I've heard stories all my life about Joe Barrett. He was kind of a hero in Council Bluffs; a star basketball player at Holy Family school and all around good guy. My mother's family and Joe's family were close friends; his sister Rosemary and my mom were best childhood pals. Mother sang the solo at Joe's funeral Mass and said it was one of the hardest things she ever had to do.

This Memorial Day I remember and honor all our Veterans, but I think especially of Andrew Norton and Joseph Barrett, men - boys really, I've only known thru newspaper clippings and family stories, and know both rest in eternity with all the great ones.