Memorial Day, 2015

What is bravery? Many think that it is the lack of fear. This isn't the case. Bravery is the willingness to face and endure danger. It is fear managed.

Memorial Day is a special day set aside to honor those who gave their lives in defense of our freedom. In this we honor the brave.

It's people like Sgt Dennis Weichel. In March of 2012 he was a Rhode Island National Guarsdman serving in the Laghman Province of Afghanistan. While riding in a convoy, he spotted some Afghan children picking up shell casings on the road. They would sell them to make money. Weichel got out to clear them from the convoy's path and most went, but one young girl ran back for one more shell. Weichel saw that she was in the path of a heavy armored truck. He intervened and succeeded in saving her from being crushed, but was run over himself. His fellow soldiers said that was just the kind of guy he was.

It's people like Major Kenneth Bailey. He served in the Marines in World War II. In September of 1942 he was on Guadalcanal defending the critically important airfield. His battalion was attacked on the right flank, but he held them off even after the main enemy group attacked. Facing superior enemy forces, Bailey rallied the troops in danger of taking flight and, with severe head wound, led his men in hand-to-hand combat to repulse the enemy and hold the field. Major Bailey died in the fight, but his undaunted courage inspired his men to hold out.

It's people like Captain Hilliard Wilbanks. Capt. Wilbanks served in the Air Force in Vietnam in a particularly hazardous role. He was an FAC, a forward air controller flying an unarmed aircraft over enemy locations to ensure accuracy of targeting and safety for nearby friendly troops. On one particular mission Wilbanks discovered a well-concealed and numerically superior hostile force preparing to ambush advancing rangers. Discovered, the Viet Cong attacked and pinned down the rangers. Capt. Wilbanks ignored the fact that his aircraft was unarmed and taking heavy ground fire and flew low over the advancing enemy inflicting casualties with the rifle he carried and fired out the side window. He repeatedly made low passes firing into the enemy until the rangers could withdraw to safety. Mortally wounded and flying a doomed aircraft, he crashed between the two forces and died on while being evacuated, having saved numerous friendly troops facing overwhelming forces.

This day, Memorial Day, is specifically set aside to honor that kind of bravery in people who served in the military and gave their lives on behalf of a grateful nation. Worth remembering.