DogTags and Body Bags - A Tribute to CWO Barry Alexander

My first video, now leading to many others with many hours of content provided by interviewing veterans. Why?

 

 

Volunteering at the VA hospice, I was good at getting stories out of these elder mostly WW2 vets, so the volunteer director asked me to interview them for the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress. So, with permission of the staff, I started off right there in the Hospice, which is part of the Community Living Residence called Patriots Harbor. Interviewing Rev. Dan Wright, who sadly has since passed, and PFC. Finney was a good start for my own project called In Their Words, Wisdom of WW2 Veterans. I have considered it an urgent purpose, as these courageous and mostly wounded warriors are dying off quickly.

WW2 was a no choice war for the U. S. with Japan on the West Coast raiding Pearl Harbor and taking over an Aleutian Island off of Alaska. Germany was sinking our ships off the East Coast and raiding some small ports on the North Carolina Outer Banks. In addition, they declared war on us first. Our government started the draft quickly taking in  some youth not even of draft age with their parent's permission. As we learned from Specialist Ruth Walzer, some WAC's were even trained to shoot machine guns, and were disappointed when the Generals decided not to use women in combat.

I have interviewed Okinawa, Iwo Jima, Dday, New Guinea, POWs,
Chiefs and Petty Officers in the Navy, Philippines, Belguim, St. Lo, Huertgen Forest, Belguim, France, Parachuters, Infantry men, medics, on and on.

What did these Veterans have in common?

After being in service to our country in a terrible war, many continued their service to mankind in general after the war. . Both of our enemies had fanatical soldiers trained to sacrifice their lives to their leaders. In Germany, to Hitler then in Japan to Hirohito. Over 410 thousand of our troops died in this war and hundreds of thousands injured, many of which did not get recognized with a purple heart,  however thanks to their courage, we came out on top first against Germany and the in JapanWe owe a great debt of gratitude for these men and women who were able to prevail despite the terroristic enemy soldiers they faced.

I am so grateful and feel so blessed to have had this opportunity.