Memorial Day

I heard a segment on the Bob Edwards Show today called Stories from Third Med: Surviving a Jungle ER. The story reminded me of my Father, John T. McCarthy, Jr. He was a surgical technician in the South Pacific in WWII - assisting in the OR trying to patch up wounded soldiers. He never talked much about that....

I also thought of PGM Gerald Rhoads and my friend and protector, Tom Frank, who were in Viet Nam about the same time as the interviewees on the Bob Edwards show. PGM Jerry was a medivac helicopter pilot. Tom was a radioman in the infantry.

We must all pause to remember and give thanks to men and women like Dad, Jerry and Tom who served their country with distinction. And also, of course, to those men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice, like my daughter-in-law's cousin, Josh Hanson, who was killed in Iraq almost three years ago.

Another Memorial Day thought:

Taps, the hauntingly beautiful Bugle call, which signals the end of day as well as the end of life for American Service men, was composed by our Masonic Brother General Daniel Butterfield of Civil War fame. It has become one of, if not the most recognized musical composition known world wide. He was a member of Metropolitan Lodge # 273, New York City, New York.

This tidbit was provided courtesy of Cinosam, the website authored and managed by PGM Neil Neddermeyer. Take a look at Cinosam - it has hundreds of interesting Masonic stories, as well as many PowerPoint presentations. Check it out!