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- Nov 25, 2007
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This may generate some discussion, and it may be heated. I'm okay with that.
Today, while watching some TV at home on terminal leave I happened upon "America:The History of Us" on the History Channel. I watched for awhile, and I came to a point that covered WWII. Tom Brokaw or Peter Jennings at some point said "this was our greatest generation."
Sure, I wasn't born yesterday, I know it's been referred to as the "greatest generation." I've enjoyed and have felt honored to meet and talk to WWII vets. As a cadet, one of my favorite drills was for a group of WWII Marines that had been saved by SM1 Douglas Munro, the Coast Guard's only Medal of Honor recipient.
All of that said, it got me thinking. The GREATEST generation? We had avoided war for how long? Jews and eastern Europeans were being slaughtered in work camps and death camps. The Japanese were executing Chinese and Koreans. It took a surprise attack by Japan to put us in action (yes overlooking Lend-Lease).
Even with that, we had an active draft. No everyone signed up, plenty were drafted.
So today, we have a war that has lasted far longer than the US's involvement in WWII. Yes, far less casualties. But this is an all-volunteer force. I wouldn't begin to belittle the sacrifice of our fine WWII vets, but I feel the "greatest generation" label, in terms of warriors, does not consider the sacrifice of the soldiers, Marines, sailors, airmen or Coast Guardsmen of today. Does the entire country feel the strain of war? Certainly not.
Just a thought, I sure is not entirely popular, but echoes the sentiments of a Marine Brig. Gen. I once knew.
Today, while watching some TV at home on terminal leave I happened upon "America:The History of Us" on the History Channel. I watched for awhile, and I came to a point that covered WWII. Tom Brokaw or Peter Jennings at some point said "this was our greatest generation."
Sure, I wasn't born yesterday, I know it's been referred to as the "greatest generation." I've enjoyed and have felt honored to meet and talk to WWII vets. As a cadet, one of my favorite drills was for a group of WWII Marines that had been saved by SM1 Douglas Munro, the Coast Guard's only Medal of Honor recipient.
All of that said, it got me thinking. The GREATEST generation? We had avoided war for how long? Jews and eastern Europeans were being slaughtered in work camps and death camps. The Japanese were executing Chinese and Koreans. It took a surprise attack by Japan to put us in action (yes overlooking Lend-Lease).
Even with that, we had an active draft. No everyone signed up, plenty were drafted.
So today, we have a war that has lasted far longer than the US's involvement in WWII. Yes, far less casualties. But this is an all-volunteer force. I wouldn't begin to belittle the sacrifice of our fine WWII vets, but I feel the "greatest generation" label, in terms of warriors, does not consider the sacrifice of the soldiers, Marines, sailors, airmen or Coast Guardsmen of today. Does the entire country feel the strain of war? Certainly not.
Just a thought, I sure is not entirely popular, but echoes the sentiments of a Marine Brig. Gen. I once knew.