I hope this message finds you well and enjoying your Memorial Day weekend.
It's so easy to let the events of the holiday pass without remembering why it is we are celebrating. It's so easy to forget that just a few short decades ago things were incredibly different. Well, different yet eerily similar. In 1940 evil was on the march as Hitler began unleashing his scheme to take over the world. Today, ISIS and death hungry violent radicals across the Middle East are attempting to do the same. Today, however, every day Americans can relax comfortably at home, knowing that the government can't force average citizens to go off and fight in war. In the 1940's, Americans were not afforded that same luxury. One letter in the mail could alter your life forever. Global conflict wasn't something easily shrugged off - it meant a draft notice could be right around the corner.
That was exactly what happened to Benjamin Lewis Salomon. After graduating dental school, he began his own practice in 1937 and even though the economy was still weak, he was able to do very well. He looked forward to eventually settling down and having children. But those plans came to a screeching halt when he received the draft letter.
The year was 1940. America was not yet at war, but that all changed, of course, just a year later with Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor. Salomon was deployed as a dental officer with the Army (who knew they had dental officers?) and as expected, didn't see much action. By 1944 Salomon had earned the rank of Captain but still hadn't been in combat. That was all about to change.
When his battalion surgeon suffered severe injuries, Salomon saw an opportunity and decided to volunteer to take the surgeon's place on the next mission. It was granted, and a few short hours later he found himself on the coast of Saipan with the 105th infantry, just 50 yards behind the line. The Japanese were cornered and desperate and unleashed a banzai attack, rushing the line. All hell was breaking loose - the enemy was bursting through line and in moments, an enemy combatant came surging into the medic tent. Salomon reacted quickly and killed the enemy, then urged the rest of his team to evacuate.
As they gathered the wounded and began to retreat, Salomon hurried over to the machine gun (the previous gunner had been killed) and set up shop. He engaged a sea of oncoming Japanese soldiers, but managed to hold them off while the others fled to safety. Captain Salomon did not survive the battle, but when it was all over and Americans had eventually re-taken the area, they were amazed when they surveyed the battlefield.
They found Captain Salomon slumped over the machine gun. There in front of him, were 98 dead Japanese attackers. Even more incredibly, Salomon had 76 bullet wounds, 24 of which he endured while still alive. It was also clear from the scene that Salomon had moved the machine gun at least four times to improve his position. Four times, while badly wounded and bleeding out, he found the strength to keep the fight going.
He eventually won the Medal of Honor in 2002 (the long delay was over the fact that he was a medic). Incredible. A guy who was on track for a nice comfortable life as a dentist ended up making the ultimate sacrifice for not only his country, but the countless American lives he saved in his final day on the battlefield.
What's equally incredible is that we no longer have to worry about our lives being upended on a moment's notice all because there are millions and millions of Americans who are ready and willing to voluntarily put themselves into the hell that is war so we don't have to.
It is truly the ultimate sacrifice. So to all those who have fallen, and to those who continue to risk it all to preserve freedom, we say thank you.
God Bless! 
No comments:
Post a Comment