I am republishing an old post today. It was not written on a past Memorial Day, but it certainly has a Memorial Day theme. Two sons in the Ernst Meier family died while serving our country during World War II. One died in Italy in 1944, and the other died at Iwo Jima in 1945. Ernst Meier and all his siblings were born in Perry County and baptized at Salem Lutheran Church in Farrar.
After World War II came to a close, I am sure that Memorial Days for this Meier family were especially meaningful. Several trips were likely made on those special days to the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis to visit their graves. I did not notice it when I first wrote this story, but both of their slain sons were interred at that cemetery on the same day, September 7, 1948. I think there is a good chance that they were buried next to each other.
Today, we remember and honor those folks who not only served in the United States military, but also died while serving. We can thank such military personnel for their sacrifice. We maintain our liberty because of them.
Yes, we owe our servicemen a debt that is difficult to repay. Keeping their sacrifices alive by remembering them is one way of doing so, especially now with our country so divided. My dad served in Tehran, Iran during World War II as part of the U.S. Army Persian Command which supplied the Soviet Union with war material. He did not see action, but his efforts helped shortened the war which probably saved many lives. Thank you for this post.
Incidently, I believe Form 14 is not an interment form but a requisition form for supplies and equipment, in this case, for a tombstone. The government will pay for and deliver a tombstone for any serviceman who cannot afford or does not have an existing stone. This can apply to any burial site for serviceman going back to the Revolutionary War.