In an old travel chest that once carried a family member's belongings across the Atlantic from Norway lay a collection of World War II memorabilia my grandfather kept.
Photos of boys in their uniforms grinning ear to ear with their sweetheart on their arm. A moment captured in time before the reality of war swept in and changed their lives forever. For those who made it home afterward, those smiles gave way to a blank stare, short tempers, and a wife asking what happened to the man she fell in love with.
When my grandfather left for the Pacific theater, my grandmother had someone in La Crosse make him a knife he carried throughout the war. When I was young, I was told what the many tally marks on the back of the sheath meant.
For each, a life.
An idea I held in regard for many years, until I grew older and realized each also held a memory that would never go away.
The 96th Division "Deadeyes" entered the Battle of Okinawa on Easter Sunday, April 1, 1945. It would be the largest amphibious assault of the Pacific War and one of the bloodiest battles of WWII. Of the 13,146 Deadeyes in the battle, 1,506 were killed in action, and another 5,912 were wounded. Over 12,000 U.S. soldiers and over 100,000 Japanese soldiers would die in the conflict that would end on June 22.
The chest holds newspaper clippings that mention my grandfather killing Japanese soldiers attempting to infiltrate foxholes at night. An AP News photo of him showing off a recently acquired Japanese officer's handgun to his friends.
He didn't talk about what happened there. Survivors shared stories at yearly Deadeye reunions. My grandmother said he would leave when the discussion turned to combat.
He witnessed his best friend killed next to him by a sniper. He would tell my grandmother later that he lay in a hole next to his dead friend, knowing he was about to die next. He was among those wounded and found life on board the hospital ship that was dodging kamikaze attacks worse than combat. Like many others, he also fought off malaria acquired in Leyte, and the difficulties of jungle combat during a monsoon.
After surviving the brutal fighting on Okinawa, the Deadeyes moved to Mindoro in the Philippines to rest, rebuild their ranks, and train for Operation Downfall, the planned invasion of Japan's home islands. The use of the atomic bomb "Little Boy" on Hiroshima, Aug. 6, 1945. and "Fat Man" on Nagasaki, Aug. 9, 1945, brought Japan's surrender. Events that saved the lives of 400,000-800,000 American soldiers who were estimated to die in the invasion.
My grandfather passed before I was old enough to understand anything about war. We rarely saw him smile. He was quick to anger, and would yell at us for playing "war" around him. My grandmother told me he didn't want to see his grandkids grow up to do what he did.
Before we knew them as veterans, someone knew them as a child, a friend, a sweetheart. While they battled an enemy somewhere else on this planet, loved ones were at home, battling the fear of the unknown.
Our veterans left their homes to serve alongside others who would become part of their lives forever. Their service took many forms. So did the sacrifices: missed birthdays, empty places at the table, long stretches of uncertainty, and experiences that are hard to put into words.
Today, these veterans are our neighbors. Some proudly share their stories. Others quietly carry memories we may never hear. Each deserves our respect without having to explain what they endured or prove what their service meant.
May we remember those who never returned, and the families who have lived with their absence. We remember, too, that coming home can be the beginning of another difficult journey. Some still fight a war they wish would end.
Our gratitude should have a place in ordinary life: in a patient conversation, a ride to an appointment, an invitation, a willingness to listen.
I did not have the honor of serving. For much of my life, I was disappointed in myself for disrespecting my family, my friends, and country. As I grow older, I feel that same disappointment for not having asked how I could help those who came home. For those of us who weren't there, we will never understand; we can only listen. We want you to know you are loved, and that if you need help, someone is there.
That likely won't be as helpful as speaking with someone who knows the pain, the internal struggle, and the experience. For that, the Monroe County Veteran Services Office is a great place to start. Charles Weaver will be there to welcome you with a smile and a handshake. If you are lucky, Radar might say hello too.
Thank you for all you gave and continue to bring to our lives.
Monroe County Veteran Services Office
Address
Monroe County CVSO
202 South K Street Suite 5
Sparta, WI 54656
608-269-8618
https://www.co.monroe.wi.us/departments/veterans-services
Office Hours
8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. by Appointment
Veteran Services Officer
Charles E. Weaver
charles.weaver@co.monroe.wi.us
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