Hi guys! As you all know, Talon recently published its first edition of a news magazine, which looked amazing with its glossy pages and full color pictures. It contained a spread on the 70th anniversary of WWII, and due to lack of print space, The Talon later published full-length features on two Los Altos veterans online.
Here is the link to veteran Al Galedrige's story:
And here is the link to veteran Fred Wellmerling's story:
I highly recommend you check out these features! I was lucky enough to be able to interview and write Al Galedrige's story, and some of the things he said just blew me away. He talked about witnessing the bombing of Pearl Harbor, about watching torpedoes slice boats in half, about the moments when he thought for sure he was going to die, about countless more stories of fear and pain. But the amazing thing is that Al also told happy stories from the war--small moments like witnessing the raising of the flag at the battle of Iwo Jima (it later became part of a historic photograph), spearfishing with the natives of Guam, and ultimately, hearing the news that the war had finally ended. Al is 89 years old and has fairly conservative views on politics (I sometimes had to pull him back from rants about Obama and US involvement in Iraq/Afghanistan) but it was surreal and humbling to hear the first-hand experience of someone who had gone through the horror of war and come out alive. It reminded me to be thankful that we don't have to fight for our freedom, that we have soldiers who sacrifice their lives to do so for us.
These WWII veterans won't be around much longer, and I think it's important that we remember and record their stories for future generations. In history class, the history we learn covers death counts, dates, and political impacts. Al Galedrige's story is a different kind of history, the personal kind. His story may not tell us about the strategic importance of the battle of Guam or the political cost of Iwo Jima, but it will remind you of the individual experiences in war that link together to fabricate the very nature of the war itself. And that's something worth reading about.
Thanks for the great post, Katherine. I enjoyed reading both articles and had a similar thought about how lucky we are as students to only need to worry about our own personal lives and not risking them to fight for our country. Another thing also crossed my mind: What is it about American soldiers that allow them to have positive memories about the war and burst with patriotism, even if they don't agree with American involvement in a war? I think that's an interesting thought and is also humbling to reflect on the veterans sacrifices to protect and fight for our country.
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