TEWSPilot
Admiral
Joined: 26 Aug 2004
Posts: 1235
Location: Kansas (Transplanted Texan)
|
 Posted: Mon May 03, 2010 5:38 am Post subject: Stories honor vets at Sunday event |
 |
|
| Quote: | Stories honor vets at Sunday event
By James Carlson
Topeka Capital-Journal
Created May 2, 2010 at 5:58pm
Updated May 2, 2010 at 11:50pm
Col. Glenn Frazier tells a crowd at the Gage Park Memorial about surviving the Bataan Death March in World War II. Hundreds gathered Sunday afternoon to honor Frazier and veterans of all wars.
A veteran watches a speaker Sunday afternoon at a "Welcome Home" veterans event at the Gage Park Memorial. Hundreds attended and heard the story of Col. Glenn Frazier, who survived the Bataan Death March in World War II.
Col. Glenn Frazier has been telling his story for ages.
The 86-year-old's tale of surviving the Bataan Death March in the Philippines during World War II is the stuff of bravery. Or the stuff of luck or God's grace, depending on how you look at it. While thousands fell by his side during the 60-mile prisoner walk, Frazier somehow remained standing.
On Sunday, he stood again in Gage Park and recounted his story to inspire patriotism, to remember those not as lucky as he and to urge the softening of a warrior's heart.
"It's a wonderful world out there," he said with a pause, "if you're free."
The stories were rich Sunday at the Gage Park Memorial where hundreds gathered for a "Welcome Home" event, which planner Rance Sackrider said was to "honor every soldier who's been overseas, to welcome them home."
More than 150 American flags flapped in the wind around Frazier, a visual reminder of that time just prior to the United States' surrender at Bataan in 1942. His group of soldiers had made the difficult choice to bury Old Glory. Maybe they could retrieve it later, they believed.
They never got that chance. Frazier choked up at the thought on Sunday.
Col. Percival Pascua has his own stories. He was a 5-year-old in the Philippines when he saw his father finally released from Japanese custody. His father had marched from Bataan as well. He had dug his own grave on one occasion. But for whatever reason, he survived, though to his young son seeing him for the first time in years, he looked more like a ghost — nothing but skin and bones.
Sometimes the stories take awhile. Pascua's father didn't say a word about the march for 10 whole years. But when he started talking, he told it over and over.
For Don Munn, the stories told are important for his ROTC group. 1st Sgt. Munn, who leads Topeka West High School's ROTC and a Vietnam veteran, said the event was a great way to remind the younger generation of veterans' sacrifice.
Vietnam veteran Ken Lott said Sunday's event doesn't happen enough. While Frazier said he came home with a heart full of hate but learned to dissolve his hard feelings, Lott retains his bitterness about a lack of support for his war. Everybody has their stories, Lott said. Some he'll tell, others he won't.
"Some stories are buried too deep," he said.
Then there are stories whose epilogue comes half a century after its beginning.
That flag long ago buried in the Filipino dirt by Frazier and his fellow soldiers was never resurrected. But on Sunday, military officials in attendance presented to Frazier a flag in remembrance, and the man with the stories suddenly lost his words.
"Thank you, thank you," he said. "This means so much to me. I will treasure this all my life, guard it all my life. Thank you. Thank you."
James Carlson can be reached at (785) 295-1186 or james.carlson@cjonline.com and tweets at twitter.com/carlson_james. |
I have not met this hero, but one of the first men I met when I started working for the company I still work for was also a survivor of the Bataan Death March.
_________________
Find the perfect babysitter, petsitter, or tutor -- today! |
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
