To all Veterans Welcome Home

[Richard Dow]

My father , Lt. Russell Dow was killed Nov. 19, 1944 just before the battle of the Bulge. He was a tank officer and 23 years old with a 8 month pregnant wife at home. I was able to find his grave at the military cemetery. In St. Avold France some years back.
My stepfather, Master Sgt. Frank Mayer was 17 (yes 17) when he was captured on Bataan. He then took the Bataan Death March and remained a prisoner of war for 3 yrs and 7 mo. He was on two different transport ships heading for Japan that were sunk by the Americans. At one point he floated for 48 hrs before being picked up and he could not swim. He weighed 85 lbs. when liberated. He had jungle rot on his legs the rest of his life. He pulled his own teeth one by one with a pair of pliers over the years as he put up with the effects of malnutrition and alcohol. He died at 61.
These are the men I think about on Memorial Day.
Teach your kids and grandkids who preserved their freedom for them. I’m already working on my young great grandkids. Best