The Shame of Forgotten Days

On May 27th, Orlando at FortHardKnox provided some unique and meaningful insight into the observance of Memorial Day.

I’m ashamed to admit that Memorial Day had little meaning except for a mini-vacation, a day off, BBQ, and picnic.

Sound a little bit too familiar?

That changed when I joined the military and served in the Gulf War.

Thank you for your patriotism and service, Orlando.

More than 1.5 million American men and women who served our Armed Forces have died. One point five million – that is the equivalent of the entire country of Estonia. It is hard to comprehend. They did not die in vain. They died in service to our country. In return, we owe them and their families our greatest respect.

Indeed, we do and it must be never ending.

Orlando's commentary brings to mind ways in which we disrespect our veterans - our World War II veterans specifically. For starters, see if there's more than passing reference that this year marks the 63rd anniversary of D-Day, the start of the Allied invasion of the European continent.

Now, think back one month ago. How much was said or written about VE Day?

To our great shame, very little.

In the Czech Republic's southwestern Bohemia, however, the memories and significance of VE Day - 62 years ago - survived nearly 45 years of Soviet liberation occupation; an occupation that was no less brutal and cruel than that which was visited upon the Czech Lands by der Übermenschen, the Austrian corporal's Master Race.

As World War Two in Europe came to a close in the first days of May 1945, more than just the end of the war was at hand. For over six long years, the people of western Czechoslovakia had lived under Nazi tyranny - longer than any other people subjugated by Nazi Germany. Now, two corps of General George S. Patton, Jr.'s Third U.S. Army were in the Sudetenland region along the old 1937 German- Czechoslovak border. The German Army opposing them was literally melting away, as tens of thousands of its soldiers surrendered or deserted daily. Third Army was about to bring an end to western Czechoslovakia's long years of Nazi occupation and oppression.

Today, the populace of the Plzeň region remembers, celebrates and honors their liberators. But it wasn't always so.

For more than 40 years after U.S. forces drove Nazi Germany from Plzeň, west Bohemia, an important truth was kept quiet. Although this event was known as the “liberation” of Plzeň, the city continued to suffer under the oppressive censorship of Soviet communism, and schoolchildren were taught that it was the Russians who freed Plzeň from the Nazis’ grip.

But private memories persisted. Many people remembered the massive celebration when the Americans rolled into town in May 1945. Families secretly kept photos, and some even hid U.S. military vehicles that had been left behind.

Discovery would have meant execution for being an enemy of the state.

Eva Stejskalová, of Prague, was 6 years old at the time; she remembers bringing a cake her mother baked to some U.S. soldiers and parroting the English phrase her father taught her: “How do you do?” The soldiers laughed and gave her chocolate.

On May 6, 2007, a convoy of Jeeps and other military vehicles made its way along Klatovská street, re-enacting the liberation.

Perched in one of the jeeps was Earl Ingram, 84, a U.S. veteran from North Carolina. It was his division, the 2nd Infantry, that liberated the city in 1945.

Doug Brackenbrough, 75, a Korean War veteran, came over from Washington state for the celebration. His eyes teared when he remembered driving through a small Czech town in 2002 with the convoy and passing a crying elderly couple holding a sign that read, “Thank you America.”

“The outpouring of appreciation and patriotism in this country is much greater than in our own,” he said.

Ask any American school kid about the significance of the Anschluss, the Munich Accords, the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, September 1, 1939, the Malmedy Massacre - much less D-Day, VE Day or VJ Day - and you'll be met with a blank stare.

Hell, go to the source. Ask their indoctrinators teachers.

It is The Shame of Forgotten Days.