Where I Stand — Mike O’Callaghan: Saluting those who died

Sunday, May 28, 2000 | 9:30 a.m.

Mike O'Callaghan is the Las Vegas Sun executive editor.

We celebrate Memorial Day and recall the men and women who gave their lives serving our country. Immediately the names of PFC Johnny Estrada and Sgt. Thomas Funakoshi come to my mind. We remember those who were close to us when making the ultimate sacrifice on the field of battle.

Funakoshi and Estrada were killed in Korea less than a year before that war ended with a shaky cease-fire armistice. Fifteen years later in Vietnam, Boulder City's Capt. Michael Hyde, during his second tour of duty, died while flying his F-100 in support of surrounded American infantrymen. Although I didn't serve in Vietnam, Mike's death brought back memories of him as a high school student athlete and a proud Air Force Academy graduate home on leave.

All Americans should have memories that are enriched every time Memorial Day comes around. This shouldn't be just another day we don't have to work or go to school. During the first six years of my life, we had a farm near the small river town of Dakota, Minn. This was the day for decorating the graves of the Civil War, Spanish-American War and World War I veterans. It was also the day for eating homemade ice cream, cake, lemonade, potato salad, hamburgers and hot dogs, sitting on the grass beneath trees.

In addition to playing and eating we found time to hear the folks talk about the people in the nearby graves. My father, a World War I vet, and his friends would be talking about their experiences. A special place was always reserved for the town's three remaining Civil War veterans, who were also my friends.

The Civil War stories of Oliver Tibbetts, who lived above a granary, were my favorites. During the school year I would climb up the stairs to his room and look at his uniform and encourage him to tell me about Gettysburg, President Lincoln and his experiences as a soldier. He referred to his soldiering as being a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. All the graves of Civil War veterans had headstones with G.A.R. carved into them.

Oliver Tibbetts instilled in me a continuing interest in the men who fought the Civil War. Later in life, I found a professor who also had a deep love and understanding of what happened during that divisive conflict. The late Dr. John Wright of UNLV not only provided enriching classroom experiences, but spent many additional hours discussing the Civil War and Reconstruction with me.

Those years living near Dakota were less than 18 years after World War I ended. Discussions of that war were often dinner subjects or on the front porch where the family visited during evening hours. The discussions about our nation's refusal to pay the veterans a promised bonus were sometimes heated. Always there was some reference to the friends who didn't return from what was called the Great War.

What meaning does Memorial Day have for the school children of today? Some of them tell us that World War I and the Korean War are skipped over in many classrooms with little meaningful discussion. During the recent years, because of a celebrated 50th anniversary, more time has been spent on World War II. Maybe the Korean War's half-century mark will give it more academic interest during the first three years of the new century.

Wars don't happen in a vacuum and have causes and results that color the conduct of people for many generations. When studied and learned about, they provide a rich history for us to use in making decisions for the present and future.

I treasure the history learned as a youngster from the veterans of past wars. These experiences gave me the thirst for additional knowledge and an appreciation for Memorial Day and the people we honor on this day.

Slowly, but surely, the numbers of living World War II veterans are diminishing. Now is the time for young people to learn about that period of American and world history from the participants. Everybody over 70 years of age should have some memory of their role at home or overseas. There are still millions of people who can recall the loss of family members, neighbors and friends. Now is the time to soak up this history firsthand so it can be passed on to future generations.

Not far behind the World War II veterans, in dwindling numbers, are those who served in Korea. Thousands served in both wars, and many Korean vets went on to serve in Vietnam. Time should be made to visit with them, and our youngsters should visit the cemetery for veterans at Boulder City and the new Veterans Center and Museum opening this afternoon at 3333 Cambridge St. All of these activities will help give participants a better appreciation of Memorial Day.

This is a day to show our appreciation for those who have given their all and relate how their accomplishments have made ours a great nation.