VETERAN’S DAY 2007
Jack
I am writing this on November 12, 2007-Veteran’s Day. There is a sadness in my heart as I think of three very close buddies who were killed in the air war over Japan. We had all trained together, partied together, and in rare moments shared our philosophy and inner thoughts. I have no idea what providence allowed me to safely return. I had no visible wounds but I will always carry the scars of combat.
I want to mention their names as I see them in my mind’s eye as clearly as if it were yesterday. There was Norman Bassett from Buffalo, New York—Jim Kinsella from Boston, Massachusetts and Hank Panken from New York City. After the War, I visited with their families and shared some wonderful memories.
I say this now because it gives me an inner feeling of what I am about. I can only speculate as to the precious lives that were lost and the legacy they might have left. It has been 62 years since those days of horror and fatigue. I am certain that these memories made me feel as strongly as I do about sending innocent young people to war. My war, WWII, seems to be the most noble. We knew clearly that we were fighting facism, prejudice, and we had actually been attacked by a sovereign power. It is interesting that there was no doubt that Japan, Germany, and Italy were evil. It makes it all the more remarkable that we are now their closest friends and allies.
I don’t pretend to have the answers to the unimaginable problems that exist in the world today. These are problems that we who fought in WWII had no idea even existed. I do know, however, the present war is part of a drama that is being played out for vanity, greed, and imperialistic swagger. Perhaps, if our leaders had worn the uniform, or taken the personal losses, or had seen death and destruction first hand, a diplomatic solution to differences would have been sought with greater effort and determination.
WWII as well as all the other wars we have been in are memorialized today and we sadly and proudly salute those that fell long before their time.
Communication is inspiration! Share your thoughts below.
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Jack: In the 50-plus years we’ve known each other, I don’t remember
your talking about your war experiences, except in passing. War is
Hell and very rarely accomplishes anything worthy of its horrors.
Our war, as Tom Brokaw referred to it, was the Good War. Selfishly,
for me, it was the Good War, because I met my gal because of it.
Thanks for telling us about the blog. And we offer our best wishes to
the soon-to-be newlyweds. Zull zein mitt Mazeltovs. Sherm - and
his gal.
Sherm 11/14/07 @ 3:51 pmFirst of all, Germany did not attack the United States.
Also, I am curious why you would salute men whom you believe are simply killing for, in your words, “vanity, greed, and imperialistic swagger.” None of our brave men believe this is why they are fighting, to say the least. What a terrible insult to their honor.
Curious George 11/14/07 @ 5:02 pmOf course they don’t believe that they are fighting in vain - the brave men AND women who are serving - how could they? They have to believe in their mission, for their own self-preservation.
George’s eagerness to attack Jack’s considerable perspective, is the insult here.
Allen 11/14/07 @ 8:21 pmCurious George -
I’m amazed at how far back you will bend to justify the Iraq
situation. This is a way of escaping logic by stating that any
negative word about the Iraq War is unpatriotic. A negative opinion on
this wasted war brings back the response about not supporting the
troops. Two statements are totally wrong. According to my research a
very large percentage of Iraq War veterans now oppose the war. I refer
you to their website -
Iraq War Veterans Against the War (www.ivaw.com).
Also I never stated that Germany attacked us. I said we were attacked
Jack 11/15/07 @ 12:35 pmby a sovereign state. Do you remember Pearl Harbor?
George is a curious fellow indeed. No war by the U.S since WWII has been declared by Congress as set forth in our Constitution. Democratic and Republican presidents have both violated this clear instruction from our forefathers. But none more so than the Bush administration which has also emasculated other important sections of the Constitution all the whils claiming in other arenas (the appointment of judges ) that they want strict constructionists.
David A. Braun 11/15/07 @ 11:26 pmAs to why our young men go to war is an interesting issue. The excitement motivates many. The response to their patriotic instincts is another. The fear that our leaders use to frighten our polity into acquiesing to a pesidential enlargement of the powers granted to the president under our constitution is probably the most important motiation. A country afraid is one that will take action without regard to established rules and customa. As Mussolini said once you frighten people they will do whatever the leader wants in the name of public safety. And if you can raise an army and not inconvenience most of the public you will have little meaningful resistance to the war policies. I hope George reads and appreciates this note but I doubt is very much. In any event we are grateful to your contribution to our freedom and your heroic efforts in beating back the British at Bunker Hill. Love, Dave
“This is a way of escaping logic by stating that any negative word about the Iraq War is unpatriotic.”
I never said opposition to the war was unpatriotic. I simply said that you dishonor our troops by insisting that they are engaged in a war for the purposes of “vanity, greed, and imperialistic swagger.” That is simply a factual statement. If that is what you believe, then our troops are the moral equivalent of the nazis we fought in World War II.
And Allen’s implication that our men are simply too stupid to know otherwise only adds to the insult and reveals his contempt for them. In any event, ignorance does not excuse one from being a war criminal, so to the extent that you actually believe that our government is at war because of “greed,” then our enlisted men should not be honored but tried.
Of course there are some veterans against the war, as there are against any war. That is neither here nor there. But this dismissal of people with whom you disagree as “greedy” and “imperialistic” just poisons public discourse. Why not argue on the merits rather then with the insults?
Curious George 11/16/07 @ 1:42 pmAnd David, you are simply confused about the American Constitution. The President is the commander in chief and he has the authority and the duty to deploy the military in defense of our country, with or without a declaration of war. The Constitution simply states that “Congress shall have the power to … declare War,” but no one believes that it infringes on the prerogartives of the Commander in Chief. Congress does, however, have the power of the purse, so they could end this war tomorrow if they saw fit. But as you have noticed, they won’t do that, the reason being that they’re not completely irresponsible.
Curious George 11/16/07 @ 1:52 pmGreedy imperialists all!
Nancy Pelosi, December 1998:
“Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process.”
Ted Kennedy, September 2002:
“We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is seeking and developing weapons of mass destruction.”
John Kerry, October 9, 2002:
“I will be voting to give the President of the United States the authority to use force — if necessary — to disarm Saddam Hussein because I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a real and grave threat to our security.”
Jay Rockefeller, October 10, 2002:
“There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to develop nuclear weapons and will likely have nuclear weapons within the next five years… We also should remember we have always underestimated the progress Saddam has made in development of weapons of mass destruction.”
Hillary Clinton, October 10, 2002:
“In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including al Qaeda members .. It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons.”
John Kerry, January 23, 2003:
“Without question, we need to disarm Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal, murderous dictator, leading an oppressive regime… He presents a particularly grievous threat because he is so consistently prone to miscalculation… And now he is miscalculating America’s response to his continued deceit and his consistent grasp for weapons of mass destruction… So the threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real.”
John Edwards, 2002
“I think Iraq is the most serious and imminent threat to our country. And I think Iraq and Saddam Hussein present the most serious and most imminent threat.”
Al Gore, September, 2002:
“We know that he has stored secret supplies of biological and chemical weapons throughout his country” and “Iraq’s search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power.”
Not to mention Tony Blair and John Howard. War criminals!
Curious George 11/16/07 @ 6:09 pmNice quotes - jingoism at its finest.
Allen 11/18/07 @ 7:56 pmHillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, John Edwards, Al Gore, Tony Blair, and John Howard are jingoistic? How bizarre.
Curious George 11/19/07 @ 5:59 amWhy is it bizarre to call a politician jingoistic?
Allen 11/19/07 @ 8:34 amIt’s only bizarre if they aren’t jingoistic, which Nancy Pelosi, Ted Kennedy,
Curious George 11/19/07 @ 6:01 pmAl Gore, John Kerry, and Hillary Clinton clearly are not. You cannot simultaneously be jingoistic and in favor of surrender at any price.
I just found your comments on Norman Bassett. He was my father’s cousin and as first cousins of the same age, best friends with my father’s older brother. Norman’s death (if you can call it that as he is officially still missing) left a tremendous mark on my family. I find it very strange that I now live very close to where he trained in Florida (I did not know that for several years after I moved here).
My father died at an early age of non-Hopkins Lymphoma in 1965 and my uncle Kingman was a large influence in my life. He sadly too has passed on.
I remember as a young girl visiting my father’s grave in Forest Lawn in Buffalo and seeing the marker for Norman. His parents and sisters missed him dearly. I remember being proud (as I still am) that he gave his life for our freedoms.
I am saddened by the recent elections and while it is clear that change is needed - when I asked people why they were voting the way they were, I rarely got a clear answer. It scares me to death.
I am absolutely supportive our men in the military and it is very clear that they feel strongly about what is needed. That path is not necessarily the easiest nor the most popular and they/their families need and deserve our full support. It frightens me about how many people agree to a concept and then do not have the fortitude to follow through when things get tough..
Susan Bassett 11/15/08 @ 9:20 pmDear Susan,
I was deeply touched by your comments and more than pleased that we have made contact.
Your Uncle Norman and I were the closest friends. We met in Advanced Navigation School in 1944. We celebrated our graduation with our wings and commission and a big party. We then travelled together to attend Radar School in Boca Raton Florida. In addition to learning how to drop bombs by radar, we had one giant celebration for the month we were there.
We staged at McCook, Nebraska and we were assigned to an overseas training unit in Pyote, Texas. Your Uncle had his own car (very rare in those days) and we took about 5 days driving from Nebraska to Texas. The story of this trip would make a very funny but touching book.
I was assigned to a unit in Saipan, going into aerial combat one month before Norman’s group was assigned to the nearby island Tinian. Norman contacted me when he arrived and we looked forward, after the next mission, to getting together. It was his first mission and a severe blow to me when I learned that he was missing in action.
My friendship with Norman was very close and was very joyous. We trained together. I am sure it will bring a smile to your face to know that your Uncle Norman was a very popular guy with the women. For years afterwards, when I met somebody from Buffalo, my first question was if they knew the Bassetts. Years later, I met your Aunt at the New York Museum of Art and we were in touch with each other for a while. I do not know why the events played out that I survived 27 missions and we lost Norman the first time out.
I read with interest you feelings about the last Election. Over the years, I have been a Republican, a Democrat and an Independent. But, I have steadily had the position that diplomacy should come long before an American is put into jeopardy on foreign soil.
I have great hopes for what lies ahead because I think President Elect Obama is brilliant and has conducted the most intelligent and brilliant campaign in history. I cannot tell you how much I welcome intelligence combined with a genuine feeling for the USA.
Most of us interpret events differently. My answer to your question is that the great majority voted for change, perceived leadership, and a fresh look at our failed policies.
I will not get into the details now, but would like to say the freedom that your Uncle Norman and I fought for is the ability to disagree and to be respected regardless of how we disagree with each other….and even to have an open mind to consider another way of looking at things.
I want to thank you again for your letter and I look forward to any comments you may have. Your Uncle Norman was a great man.
Best, Jack
Jack Nadel 11/16/08 @ 10:01 am