The Day for which They Gave

It was 75 years ago, on Sunday, September 2, 1945, that Japan formally surrendered at a ceremony held onboard the USS Missouri, thereby concluding the Pacific theater of World War II.

We're still close enough to that conflict to have a tangible presence of those who participated, exerting such enormous effort that led to the Allied victory that was finalized this day.

One person who is still with us is Bill Leibold, a veteran in his 90s who is the last remaining survivor of a Navy submarine, the USS Tang when it sank in the Pacific Ocean.

I sense a personal connection to World War II in my Grandpa Martin, who served in the US Navy in the Pacific Ocean.  While I don't know the full extent of what happened in his service, I have looked up to him as someone in the family who I could admire for playing a role in what happened in World War II, putting himself in harm's way to contribute to something bigger than himself, just as he would do as an educator in later years.

My Mom has a picture of him in Navy uniform, from when he was about 20 years old, and to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the conclusion of World War II with Japan, I adorned his picture with patriotic bunting, as you can see below.

I have to wonder what it was like for him, after having experienced the horrors of war, to finally see it end.

Then there was the European theater of World War II, and I noticed a local connection to that conflict recently.  At Ascension Parish, there is a statue of the Blessed Mother, which is pictured below, near the labyrinth prayer space at the Parish Green.  I looked closely at the plaque on the base of the statue, a close-up of which appears directly below, and discovered that it was built in honor of Staff Sergeant John Brennan, who died in combat in Europe on January 14, 1945, and is buried there.  Furthermore, I noticed that 2020 marks 100 years since Staff Sergeant Brennan's birth on April 9, 1920.

Besides the sacrifices of those in uniform, we also are right to acknowledge the sacrifices and efforts of those on the home front, the families of the soldiers who served, and the other civilians, who did their part to support and supply the soldiers to help them gain the victory.  My Grandma once shared with me about how she brought small amounts of money to school to contribute to the war effort.

That generation, like all others before and since, rose to face the challenges posed to them by circumstances beyond their control, banding together to contribute toward a common goal of making the world a better place.

As we mark the victory that was achieved through a group effort 75 years ago, let's be thankful for what that generation sacrificed to give us the world we have today, and be inspired to band together to face the challenges of our own day.  Looking back to what they endured, we have confidence we can overcome these challenges.  And we pray that through our efforts, we will contribute to enhancing the state of our world, that we will be that instrument of peace as spoken of in the St. Francis Prayer of Peace, giving of ourselves to create a more peaceful, wholesome, and righteous world for all people.