On Memorial Day 2010, a trio of World War II veterans will celebrate the national holiday by remembering those who paid the price of freedom.
On a recent bright spring day, the three sat down around a table and shared their thoughts on Memorial Day, friends who lost their lives during war and wondered why holiday celebrations seem to be not as popular as they once were.
Joe Gray, 86, will celebrate Memorial Day while riding in the back of a parade convertible, Dick Baldwin, 91, and Pete Coffin, 88, will be in a quieter place, Schooner Cover retirement village in Damariscotta.
For the gregarious Gray, an Army Corps of Engineers Captain who served from Africa to Italy through Belgium to Austria, it will be a chance to wave to the parade watchers, but he will be remembering his cousin, Allan Lucas, who was slain during the Battle of the Bulge in 1944.
Lucas died in what is called the Malmedy Massacre. In that infamous incident, 88 unarmed American POWs were taken into an open space and murdered by German soldiers.
It will be a quieter day for Baldwin, who served as a Naval Lieutenant on destroyers based in the Aleutian Islands, where it was inhospitable, wet and cold, and in the Pacific battle areas including supporting the invasion of Okinawa, where it was the just the opposite.
Coffin, a retired high school principal, served as an army artillery officer during the occupation army in Japan. His time was a bit quieter.
Both Baldwin and Coffin plan to spend Memorial Day at Schooner Cove retirement village in Damariscotta.
Along with Gray, Memorial Day is a day for memories.
“My father was a retired Army Brig. General, my son was in the Coast Guard. My wife’s family were military men too. Memorial Day is a day to remember America,” said Baldwin.
Coffin echoed his fellow veterans saying he remembered those who lost their lives in defense of their country.
Gray remembers going to Memorial Day parades as a kid where there were still uniformed Civil War veterans participating. He also remembers decorating the graves of veterans and he laments that some towns no longer follow this custom.
“They all could use a good dose of patriotism,” said Baldwin. “Amen to that,” said Gray.
Coffin wondered if the reason for the seeming lack of interest in the old patriotic ways had something to do with the nature of the wars fought by Americans since World War II.
“We were defending our country after it was attacked. It was different for the boys in Vietnam. They were drafted and some didn’t know what they were there for and some were confused and others came back with problems. The same might be true of Afghanistan and Iraq.
“Memorial Day has changed. Today it is more a remembrance of those giving their lives for a big question mark,” Coffin said.
He also said it had something to do with the anti-war activists during the Vietnam War. Gray blamed it on Jane Fonda and the publicity she generated for the anti-war cause.
Despite their wonderings, the three believe Memorial Day still represents basic American values.
“Pride. Pride in America,” said Baldwin.
“Remembering. Remembering those who made the supreme sacrifice for others,” said Gray.
“Duty,” said Coffin.
“We all have a duty to our family, our community and our country. If you perform your duty, you will have pride in yourself,” he said.