[Duke41]

I met a very old man today he was 93 and in good health although little forgetful as he shuffled around the house. I was speaking to him being nice and patient because he is old and deaf and slow. As I left his house I saw a Silver Star plaque lying on a pile of stuff he was moving into storage. I meant to ask him about but he had already left. I was curious what the story behind the plaque, so I spent some time surfing the web. What I discovered was incredible. That old man 69 years ago last January was a 21 year old platoon Sargent in the Marine Reserves fighting for his life on the beaches of New Britain Island in the South Pacific. He fought in the battle of Gloucester Bay. Leading his men to safety after being cut off from the main force by the Japanese defenders. He took out two machine gun nests, then while under fire and wounded he then used semi pores (flags) while standing in the open on the beach to call in naval bombardment and guided in a halftrack to rescue his men. The citation further states that though seriously wounded he continued to fight until he and his men were safe.

This old man frail and forgetful. A war hero, Silver Star winner, the last of the greatest generation. All this from a handshake a hello and a little plaque on the wall.