The Cost of Liberty
By Beverly Hicks Burch
This coming Monday is a holiday in the USA.
If we were to take a nod from Jay Leno and do a little “Jaywalking”, I wonder how many people on the streets today would be able to give the correct answer to this question:
“Why do we celebrate Memorial Day in the United States of America?”
Do you know why?
No, it’s not to celebrate the beginning of summer vacation, the season of unabated drinking binges, the signal to wear white shoes, a free vacation day or the best time to plant certain crops.
Memorial Day symbolizes sacrifice and the price paid for our liberty and freedom.
The history of Memorial Day in our country dates back to the US Civil War. It was originally called Decoration Day and was a day dedicated in the memory of those who died during the War Between the States.
The day was originally in memory of Union soldiers, but believe me when I say that here in the South we LOVE tradition and we are not to be out done.
Decoration Day became a really big deal in the South and it usually coincided with Memorial Day. Decoration Day was and is a tradition to die out hard and in many places in the South is still recognized.
On this weekend, usually the Sunday before Memorial Day, family members trek “back home” to the family home place…to their roots so to speak where the family originated. There is usually a church service, dinner on the ground and cemeteries are a garden paradise of floral arrangements on the resting places of the dearly departed. If you have a veteran who died in the service to the South or your country, well then there is extra significance and honor…and sometimes story swapping of tales of valor.
I find it sad to see this bittersweet remembrance slipping out of our custom and place of honor.
As our country grew and took its place in history and became a participant in history…sometimes reluctantly…the number of veterans and causalities rose. As a result, Decoration Day became Memorial Day and it became a day to recognize and honor those who had paid great sacrifices for this country…sometimes the ultimate sacrifice…so you and I could live free with liberty.
I don’t see how there could be a family in this country who has escaped this sacrifice. Somewhere in your family history you have a family member who either served this country or who died in service for this country.
My Momma had a family member that fought in the Pacific Theatre during WWII. He was captured by the Japanese and interned in one of their infamous POW camps where his tongue was cut out of his mouth. Her Uncle Billy piloted the amphibious landing vessels on Iwo Jima. Her brother was in the Navy during the Korean Conflict. My Uncle Johnny, my Aunt LaRue’s husband served his country in the US Air Force and was stationed for a while in Alaska.
My own son has served this country in the US Air Force/ANG after 9/11. His unit was activated the day of 9/11 and went into action almost immediately. He was a boom operator (he refueled jets in mid-flight…in the air folks) and his unit began refueling runs for our national defense, especially up the Eastern seaboard. On one of those runs, he was witness from the air of the terroristic blows dealt our country when he saw the Pentagon still burning. It was a sobering sight to behold…
Later, he was deployed several times to the Middle East in the months and years right after 9/11. For the mother of an only child, it was a heart wrenching time… His unit also served honorably when they flew refueling runs for the search and rescue after the Shuttle Columbia tragedy.
Tall & Handsome’s father was in the Army during WWII and helped liberate one of Hitler’s death camps where Jews were subjected to genocide . T & H’s son-in-law was in the first Gulf War when we took on Saddam Hussein after he oppressed the tiny neighboring country of Kuwait. Brian fell victim to the dreaded Gulf War Syndrome. Now his grandson Alec is in the Air Force ROTC and has a goal and dream of carrying on a family tradition of serving his country honorably.
T & H also had an uncle that served his country proudly and that service came also with a cost. His uncle’s name was Emzy W. Gaydon, Jr.
Emzy was a rugged western fellow. In T & H’s eyes he was a hero like symbol standing tall like Ronald Reagan. Recently when I talked to Emzy’s daughter Karen Gaydon McNutt, I mentioned the mental picture that came to my mind whenever Tall & Handsome spoke of her dad.
Karen kind of chuckled and acknowledged that was a befitting description of her Daddy. I have a sneaking suspicion Uncle Emzy wouldn’t mind the comparison too much either…
In this day of “girlie men” and “metrosexual guys” I wanted to know more about Emzy and the rare breed of man he represented. (Guys, don’t get me wrong I love you all and I love a good facial and manicure as much as the rest of you…just remember, guys like Emzy paid a price for your right to have those liberties!)
I asked Karen if she would mind sharing a little about her dad with me and what I found out gave me goosebumps…
Emzy W. Gaydon, Jr. spent most of his life in Texas and New Mexico. Like most of us his heritage represented the “melting pot” of America. His great-grandmother was full blooded Native American. She was torn between two worlds because after she married Emzy’s great-grandfather the people of her tribe came to her twice and kidnapped her and carried her back to her “people”. She always returned back to the man she loved…her husband. That determination of hers, believe it or not played a part in world history. Little did she know that in a few short years she would have a great-grandson that would play a part in very important events of modern world history.
Emzy was what they call a “man’s man” yet Karen called her dad a “gentle giant”. He was unaware of the influence he carried and to the degree he influenced people and their lives. He was just humble that way…
We see a lot of “pretty boys” in Hollywood play parts that emulate lives like Emzy, especially in movies like Saving Private Ryan and HBO’s Band of Brothers. But let me tell you something…Emzy was the real deal…he didn’t play at living that life…he was living that live…a life that lives on in history books.
Once when Karen was a child she happened to notice her daddy had a sizable hole in his shoulder on his back. With the innocence of a child she asked, “Daddy, how did that happen?”
Emzy’s simple answer was, “I got shot in the front and it came out the back.”
Later, Karen found out there was much more to that simple answer…
Emzy fudged a tad about his age so he could enlist in the Army…he was that determined to served his country. Emzy entered the Calvary and at some point had the distinction of taking care of General George S. Patton’s horses. Emzy’s Calvary saddle and saber are cherished memorabilia of the family.
Emzy went on to become a paratrooper and was a proud member of the 101st Airborne…the infamous “Screaming Eagles”. If you know even a slight bit of WWII history you know the 101st Airborne’s part in the war was critical…and Emzy was there.
Remember that hole in Emzy’s shoulder and back? Well, Emzy was wounded at the Battle of the Bulge at Bastogne. He wound was so critical that it was believed it would be a mortal wound for him. A Chaplin was sent to him and Emzy was given last rites and a stiff dose of morphine…that was about all that could be done for him. The combat medic was prepared to do the best for Emzy and make him as comfortable as he could in the midst of one of the worst battles of WWII…but, the medic feared it wouldn’t be enough.
And, it probably wouldn’t have been except for one man…and that was General Patton. Patton believed in “leave no man behind”…and his actions and battle strategies lead to the ultimate rescue of Emzy and the men with him.
Emzy went on to survive the war. He carried shrapnel in that shoulder for the rest of his life. He was blessed with a loving wife who adored him and two loving daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He continued to serve his country as a civil servant and a public servant.
Emzy W. Gaydon, Jr. was a good and honorable man…we need more Emzy Gaydon’s in this country today.
The other day Emzy’s son-in-law Jack sent me a slide show dedicated to Memorial Day. In this stirring slide show is a photograph taken during WWII. It captures a group of GI’s. The GI’s are listening raptly to General Dwight “Ike” Eisenhower on D-Day. When you look at the picture it appears that Eisenhower’s hand is on the chest on one young GI. If you look just over the right shoulder of that GI you will see the face on Emzy Gaydon, standing tall, listening respectfully to General Eisenhower…it is the face of a quintessential, rugged, true blue American guy.
This slide show contains the D-Day picture of Tall & Handsome’s Uncle Emzy with General Eisenhower…the message is totally current, also!
Last Monday I was at Wal-Mart. As I was entering the store, I notice a couple of older guys…one was kind of bent over, but helping another older gentleman in a wheelchair. Both had on ball caps that proudly declared “Proud World War II Veteran”. It almost stopped me in my tracks…I wanted to rush up to these guys and hug them and say “thank you”. I was afraid they would wonder, “Who the heck is this crazy woman?”
So, instead, I’ll just say it here…Thank You!! Thank you all of you who have served and sacrificed for the freedom and liberty of this country…and thank, you Uncle Emzy…
© 2009 Beverly Hicks Burch All Rights Reserved.
