Paul Goldfinger, MD. Editor Blogfinger.net
Eileen and I went to a Veterans Day tribute at Ocean Township Town Hall last month. There were veterans, Ocean Twp officials, Boy Scouts, citizens and speakers, but there also were children. I was wearing my Jewish War Veterans hat, and as we entered, some kids spotted my hat and a small girl handed me a folded piece of paper. I gave it to Eileen for safekeeping, and we forgot to open it. Yesterday, Eileen found it and handed it to me.
It was cleverly folded, like one of those paper constructions, and I cautiously opened it, and here it is. (above).
Zeezee signed it “love” and she called me a “hero.” Of course, I never thought of myself that way, especially since I was based in Portsmouth, Virginia (Naval Hospital) during Viet Nam. The only danger I experienced was when some docs and corpsmen played basketball at lunchtime in the medical base gym, and I was in danger of being fouled while shooting.
But ZeeZee reminded me of those heroes who never came back from our wars. And they never got to enjoy another Christmas. But their families get to remember them during this holiday season. And I’m sure Zeezee was also honoring all those who did come back.
Among those millions was Eileen’s Dad Bernard Harkavy of Brooklyn, NY and then later, of Dumont, NJ. Of course, Bernie got to enjoy many Hanukkahs when he came home, although he was away when Eileen was born. When I met her, Bernie was around to make sure I was behaving. And then in 1984, at his insistence, we all went to France to visit Normandy. It was like a scene from Saving Private Ryan. It was the 40th anniversary of D-Day.
Sgt. Bernard Harkavy. He was in Europe during WWII.
BAND OF HMS ROYAL MARINES: Theme from “Saving Private Ryan.”