Memorial Day Remembrances

Greetings from Cape Cod-where the past winter’s storms, snow, freezing temperatures, and high winds are a distant memory. The flowers are now blooming, the grass is green and the beaches are getting ready for the summer onslaught!!! That was a fun winter but let’s face it, there’s nothing better than Spring turning gloriously into Summer-new life! Another cycle of a Cape Cod summer is upon us.

The studio is ready to go, I have updated my website and am still working on the summer schedule…so if you haven’t reached out to me yet about classes, please do. Thanks and looking forward to another great summer season! As always, thank you for your support!!

“And when our work is done,
Our course on Earth is run,
May it be said, “Well done:
Be thou at peace”

Memorial Day was a day originally set aside to honor the Union soldiers who died during the Civil War. In 1971, Congress declared the last Monday of May Memorial Day and made it a federal holiday. A day to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

For most people, Memorial Day weekend is a time to escape to the shore or the mountains or just stay at home and gather with friends and family. Since 1980, Memorial Day weekend has been bittersweet for my family. Because of a car accident, we lost my brother Jimmy when he was 18. For 46 years now, my entire family gathers-we have grown from 12 siblings and my parents to 12 siblings with spouses and 51 children among us. Currently, there are 28 great grandchildren running around. We call it “Jimmy’s Day”. Over all these years, along with my parents (and now just my mom), Jimmy has become the glue that has kept us all together. We keep him alive by celebrating his life. Knowing this, I will share with you stories of some extraordinary young men who signed up to serve our country and answered the ultimate call.

The Power of One

My father in law, Coach Jack Riley, led a remarkable life. The oldest of 4 boys from Medford, MA, he fell in love with hockey at a young age and wanted to play at the highest levels. A world war interrupted his plans and took him away from Dartmouth College as a sophomore when he joined the Naval Air Corps and was a pilot in the Pacific Theatre. He played on the 1948 Olympic team in St. Moritz, Switzerland and put together the squad that won the first United States Hockey Olympic Gold Medal in 1960. His head coaching career at West Point began in 1950 and he retired in 1986. Coach had a beautiful wife and 5 thriving children. 

In his office at West Point, there was only one framed hockey photo on those 4 white walls. Just one. You would think he wasn’t that successful if you just looked in to his office-no big trophy’s, no plaques on the wall for recognition, nothing except that one back and white photo. In the photo were three of his players from the class of 1963: Billy Hingston from Braintree, MA, Hunter Shotwell from Beverly Farms, MA and Ozzie Battis from Dedham, MA. They are all celebrating a crucial goal against Army’s biggest rival-RMC. Captains Hingston and Shotwell were killed in action in Vietnam in 1967. Ozzie was killed while on vacation on Cape Cod in August of 1964, just one week after getting his pilot’s wings at Reese AFB in Lubbock, TX. 

West Point has online memorials and anyone can write a eulogy to these fallen heroes. I read every eulogy for these three young men. They came to life for me!! I could see Coach absolutely loving each guy, for they each had some qualities of their mentor and coach in them-fierce competitors, swagger, senses of humor, love of their families and their country. After reading the eulogies, I now know why there was just one photo on his walls. The power of that one photo reminded Coach every single day what is most important-selflessness, friendship, sportsmanship, courage, tenacity, joy of living, family and faith. Thank you boys for your service, your selfless sacrifices, your friendship to Coach, and for your love of our country. You will never be forgotten. Be thou at peace. 

Lieutenant Colonel Charles Drake Poole, USAF, was the father of one of my client’s. LTC Poole was killed in1968 while on his last training mission at Minot AFB North Dakota. He died one week before his retirement where he was planning to live at his beloved summer home on Cape Cod. In his 28 year career, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, a Presidential Unit Citation and other awards. But for LTC Poole, there was one stained glass window in his church depicting a soldier-most likely Civil War era-that was his sole inspiration. Beneath the soldier was the scripture verse that read:

“Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 
Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?
Then said I, Here am I, send me.” 

One of the trainees made a mistake and while LTC Poole tried to gain control of the B-52, he had to unstrap himself from his seat so the two young trainees could eject safely. Mistakes happen, accidents happen. My client’s father was so brave and cared more about his charges safety than his own. He almost made it clear on the ejection but he didn’t make it. He fought valiantly to the end. It is no wonder that God sent Charles Poole. During his career he saved countless lives, and on his last mission he continued to save lives but would be called back. Thank you LTC Poole for your dedicated service to our country. Like the soldier in the stained glass window, you will never be forgotten. Be thou at peace.

A few years ago, my family went to Washington, D.C. for a family wedding. It’s a special place, our nation’s capital. My husband hadn’t been to D.C. in many years and wanted to see the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial. He remembered well Billy, Hunter and Oz. Ozzie was also on the Army Golf Team and my husband was his caddy for every home golf match. When he saw Billy and Hunter’s name on the wall he was overcome with emotion and wept. These young men were his heroes. Yet, all these years later, the pain of loss was still fresh. Whether we lost them by enemy fire or senseless accidents, may we remember all those souls not only on this last Monday in May, but each and everyday. 

I will end with a quote from President Abraham Lincoln. It is from a letter he wrote to the mother of a fallen soldier, Mrs. Bixby of Boston, dated November 21, 1864:

“…I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering to you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save. I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.”

In peace,

Debbie