Memorials
Originally written in 2006, Daddy Goyer no longer walks this earth; however, he leaves a lasting legacy in our country’s history, his family, and my heart.
His slight body is frail now. A once jaunty step has been slowed by the march of time. His steps are slightly unsure; though his determination never falters. Hands that once held a rifle with sure aim and grasped refugee children with gentle strength now tremble as he reaches for mine in a warm greeting.
“Daddy Goyer” as I call him, is a second father to me. He is also a father, of sorts, to us all. This father of freedom fought in World War II as a member of the 10th Mountain Calvary Division. His mind slips now and then; except when you ask him to tell you about his war experiences. His bright blue eyes become strong and fierce again as he looks back in time and recalls days of bravery and barbarism; days when the difference between courage and cowardice were marked, not by terror or its absence, but by sheer determination.
Daddy Goyer is a member of the 10th Mountain Division, helping to liberate Europe from the Nazis in World War II. Photo courtesy of Amy Goyer.
At a pre-Memorial Day barbecue, I asked him about those days. I asked him about the ones he was most proud of. He described marching through Italy, with the Italian Alps and the Germans in front of him and enemy troops closing in behind. His eyes glistened as he recalled friends and fellow soldiers who sacrificed everything to preserve and defend freedom – for America and the world. And he laughed.
In spite of death and destruction and desperation, he laughed as he recalled the northern Italian family that hosted his troop. He remembered the father who dug up the best bottles of Italian wine that had been buried and hidden from the Germans. American soldiers celebrated with the family the declaration of peace. He remembered that every soldier had at least one, maybe two bottles of this precious nectar as they drank and celebrated with abandon the sweet freedom they had won.
Daddy Goyer is one of a dwindling number of WWII veterans; men who saw much and talk little about their experiences. To them, it was simply duty, not something to brag about. To me, it is a reminder of our nation at its best. People committed to the proposition that all men are created equal, endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
In the midst of an at-best questionable war in Iraq, I often think of Daddy Goyer. I remember his stories of helping children orphaned in the war. Then I see reports of U.S. soldiers slaughtering Iraqi civilian women and children.
I see the honor and pride, even today, as Daddy Goyer tells of enduring enemy fire, yet befriending European civilians everywhere he went. Stories of Abu Ghraib, Gitmo, and secret prisons show just how far our sense of “freedom and justice for all” has fallen.
Some things are, unquestionably, worth fighting for. But I think we have to represent in our words and actions the tenants we say we’re defending. In other words, if we say we’re the good guys, we need to act like it. We need to serve as living memorials to the ideals that make this country a flesh and blood embodiment of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
I think Daddy Goyer serves as a model for all of us. He truly is a member of the greatest generation – a living legacy offering a snapshot of our country at its best. Happy Memorial Day, and thank you Daddy Goyer.