Dr. Zoe Simmons
I haven’t ever been the type to stop at a yard sale, but this particular sale caught my attention as I drove by. There on on a rack were uniforms of a deceased WW II soldier. As I walked through and glanced at the items, pictures were being sold, letters, the uniforms and even the man’s medals were gone in minutes. I paused in disgust and I assumed with the expression on my face was the reason the young lady come over to me.
She asked me was I interested in buying those items. I shook my head and said no. What I did tell her was that she just sold the most valuable thing left to her family. She was puzzled and could not comprehend what I was saying. I went into detail telling her that it was her grandfather who died for her freedom, the freedom for us to be out here talking amongst each other, the freedom for us to live, breath and sleep. I went on further as I noticed that she had a young son, that she just sold her grandfathers items for $10.00 and now what can she teach her son about the most amazing man in his family.
How can she teach him the truth about the soldiers and their lives during WW II?
For that moment the tears swelled in her eyes as she realized the mistake she made. She knew there was no way to get it back. Her items had been sold to passersby. Death is among all of us, and when we leave this life, we cannot control what happens to our belongings.
What I do ask of any one who has family members who have or are currently in the military, to please preserve their memories. What may not seem valuable to you was valuable to them. Please do not sell them in a yard sale. If you do not want these items, find an organization that will preserve the heritage and memory. There are many museums that would like to acquire medals, uniforms, and any military memorabilia.
Our children deserve the right to know the true history of our soldiers. We as a nation are indebted to our military men, we must honor them while they are living and as they perish.
If you are a family member or a veteran and are interested in a replacement medal, I have composed a list of where you would need to send your request. you must also fill out the standard form 180 and mail it to the appropriate military branch.
Air Force & Army Air Corps
National Personnel Records Center
Air Force Reference Branch (nrpmf)
9700 Page Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63132-5100
Army National Personnel Records Center
Medals Section (nrpma-m)
9700 Page Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63132-5100
Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy
Bureau of Naval Personnel
Liaison Office Room 5409
9700 Page Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63132-5100
Replacement Medals
From Milt Long
This happens more then you think. Letters to the editor can help. I have saved several collections but I was lucky. I have talked to funeral directors in the area and ask them to remind the family of a deceased veteran that they should try to preserve the military life of their loved one.
Thanks.
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US Army HQ Berlin 1949-1950
From DOC ELLIS, Cpl., USArmy, 1947-50.
I’m a member of the Berlin United States Military Veterans Association with its site at http://www.berlinveterans.com where I found these snapshots.
I was stationed there 1949-50 as an Army corporal and news editor of the post newspaper, Berlin Observer. Our newsroom was in this headquarters compound on Clayallee (formerly Kronprinzenallee) near OscarHeleneHeim u-bahn station and across the street from the massive PX/Theater/Restaurant compound.
When Ingrid and I were dating in 49-50 (I came back from USA in 1952 to marry at the Tempelhof base chapel), we’d go to the Truman Hall Restaurant in the compound and when we returned for a visit almost 40 years later in 1989 found the restaurant replaced by a Burger-King!!
McNair Chapel? While stationed in Berlin I was billeted at McNair Barracks which, IF I remember correctly, was on unter den eichenstrasse?
Checkpoint Charlie? When the Berlin Wall fell and the city re-united it was uprooted and transferred to a museum at, I believe, the old Onkel Tom Strasse site. I used to get the Berlin Observer in the mail regularly until deactivation and now, hanging on the wall of my den/nook is a copy of the front page of the paper with the checkpoint shack being raised for removal.
I guess I’m a regressonist...but a happy one.
From DOC ELLIS
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Published in U S Legacies Magazine May, 2004
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