The
Greatest Generation is perhaps the generation most aptly named
Two
titanic struggles met and conquered to insure their immortal fame
The
Great Depression on the domestic front when jobs and fortunes disappeared
Daily
the flight from prosperity was the path on which they steered orm
At
its peak unemployment hit one in four
As
more and more businesses closed their doors
With
little of the social net we enjoy today.
Times
were exceedingly tough and it seemed to the Greatest Generation they would
forever stay
Americans
were tested as they have never been tested before
But
an even bigger test for this generation was the coming war
The
War to End All Wars merely planted the seeds of a much larger butcher’s bill
Millions
upon millions of civilians and armed forces were soon to be killed
China
and Japan had a head jump on this epic fight
1937
at the Marco Polo Bridge then 2 years later the Winds of War in Europe blew day
and night
For
us enjoying coming out of the Depression our world was frozen in time
On
a Sunday, a day of rest in the morning at Pearl Harbor, the end the Mount Niitaka Climb
No
one alive in America on December 7, 1941 older than 5 would not remember to
their grave
Where
they were when the bombs dropped and the Greatest Generation rose up to a
nation save
Over
70 years later, the Baby Boomers, XGen and the beginning generation of Millennials again had their lives
frozen in time
When
4 hijacked airliners turned into their deadly collusion paths after their
takeoff climbs
To
a person those over the age of 5 would remember where they were when on live
TV,
A
band of jihadists in hijacked planes went on their killing of innocents spree
Unlike
the Greatest Generation who spent over 4 years in World War II and in Korea
over 3
Our
warriors in the War on Terror have been at it for 18 years
Against
an enemy whose faith will not let him disappear
Look
at the face of Mike Kehoe climbing the stairs into what could have been a
certain killing zone
And
you should see the eyes of another generation ready to protect this nation we
call home
Great
generations facing great challenges separated
by years
As we honor the Greatest Generation,
honor those of 9/11 and their followers and not hold back the tears
© September 11, 2019 Michael P. Ridley aka the
Alaskanpoet
No comments:
Post a Comment