Post Memorial Day

Today is Memorial Day. It has been gratifying over the years to see the importance of this day re-emerge in American priorities. This year in particular, with the winding down of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, it takes on special meeting as the nation remembers its fallen heroes defending our nation in a post 9/11 world.

I didn’t serve in the military. My draft number was so high that ‘Tricia Nixon would have been drafted before me during the Vietnam War. Those were horrible days. We are now several generations away from the Vietnam War in which Americans suffered 45,000 casualties. Those returning from the war were scorned and spit upon. It was disgraceful. It was heartening to hear President Obama apologize for those actions today. Whether you agreed with the war or not, those returning deserved better than this nation gave them.

We are also seeing the Greatest Generation, those that fought in World War II, shrink in numbers as they leave this life hopefully for a better place. All of my family served in the military during World War II. I recently came upon some family history that may have been directly influenced by the war. My original family name was Mancini. I knew that the family collectively got together and changed it to Mangie. I was told it was because each of the brothers and sisters had a different spelling on their birth certificates. But I assumed that it happened in the early 1930’s.

My son researched the 1940 census stats when they were released several months ago and found out that in 1940 the family name was still Mancini, including my father and all of my uncles. I was surprised because after the war, the name was definitely Mangie. What happened? I concluded it was the war that forced the name change. All of my uncles and Dad joined the Army. I suspect they were uncomfortable with an obviously Italian last name given Italy was the enemy, and decided to change the name to the very generic Mangie before enlisting.

My Dad actually did two tours of duty. One was during World War II where he was literally shoveling manure in Texas…San Antonio to be exact. The next was during Korea after he finished dental school where he was stationed in Harrisburg, Pa. He didn’t see any combat.

My uncles, on both my mother’s and father’s side of the family, were stationed in Europe and saw lots of combat including the D-day invasion for some of them. My Uncle Frank was a pilot and received numerous citations for his large number of combat missions over Germany. My Uncle Lou sent home TWO women, one German and the other Russian, to possibly marry when he got back to the States while he was engaged to my Aunt. We will deal with that story in another blog. All of my uncles happened to run into each other in Paris when the war was over just by happenstance. And my Uncle Bud NEVER got on a boat again after his ride back to America when his tour of duty was over. He was in the hold of a “fish bucket”. Never saw the light of day.

I don’t want to forget my aunt, who joined the Army as a nurse and tended the wounded in Europe during the war, and then was stationed in occupied Japan after the war. She was an Italian-American original. I think of her often because I live in her house.

This Memorial Day caught me by surprise. I was so busy last week my internal calendar was off and thought it was next weekend. So I decided it was time to stop and really contemplate what our military has done for this nation, and to think about my family and their small contribution to the greatness of our country. From Rolling Thunder to Wounded Warriors to the ITAM Club to the VFW marchers in the parades….God bless those who served and are serving, and God bless the United States of America.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Thank you, Mark. You said it perfectly. My Dad and uncles served in WWII. My Dad was an Army Ranger and preceeded the mass of troops on Okinawa. Then, he ended up in Japan 2 days after the bomb. He came home and worked at Republic Steel until the EPA & whoever else shut them down. My mother was a WAVE and now is buried in Camp Nelson National Cemetary in KY. It overlooks the KY River and is the site of a historic encampment in the Civil War. Wars never end. I am glad you pulled a high draft #. It gave you the freedom to continue your education, growth, and development. You were blessed with the opportunity of time to mature into manhood with perhaps a bit of playful & wimsical daliances. I can tell you the reality of the draft was harsh on so many. Lives changed forever when we were barely adolecents. Thank you for your stories! The uncle who sent home a few ladies must have a very interesting story that someday perhaps you will share! In the meantime, thanks for keeping life real. Memorial Day this year was very poignant for us, too. And, Pres Obama did right to recognize the Vietnam Vets. It stung, as it is still heartbreaking to hear talk of those days - and remember. It is always right to thank a Vet - and to thank the men & women serving today. May God bless each and every Patriot, whatever his or her status or history. By the way, I have been thinking of finding Jimmy Joyce from St. Ed's, UHS, and YSU (Newman Center). He DID go to Canada. His sister, Eileen, was a dear childhood friend. Jim was a friend of Jon's. Does anyone know what became of him?
11:45 AM
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