May 26, 2004

Dear Classmates of “1944”---

Yes the date is correct…..1944…. the date most of us Jesse Jones High school alum were born.

As I walked up to Union Railway Station for lunch today I saw hundreds of World War II veterans pile off buses, some wearing soldier caps emblazoned with slogans such as…. “veteran of the battle of the bulge”. All were giddy about being here in your Nation’s Capital to celebrate May 31, Memorial Day. They are here by the thousands to celebrate the dedication of the long awaited World War II Memorial that enshrines the sacrifices that our parents made during the war years.

American flags are flying everywhere. There is an exhibit in Union Station “Memories of World War II”. It is a collection of Associated Press photos taken in combat as well as in celebration of the end of WWII. Looking at the photos makes one realize the sacrifices the World gave back then. The Iraq War and all its misery is nothing but a speck, perhaps a day in what our parents endured during the 4 years of WWII.

There is some irony in the street scene today that closely resembles the Washington street scene of WWII. Washington’s streets were patrolled during WWII by armed soldiers. The Mall (that grassy strip between the Lincoln Memorial and the Capitol) during WWII was a sea of military barracks to house the workers who came to Washington to support the War effort. Today Washington streets are patrolled by every conceivable police force to combat terrorism….D.C. Police, National Capital Police, Amtrak Police, U.S. Postal Service Police, National Park Service Police, Secret Service. The barracks on the Mall have been replaced with Jersey concrete barriers to protect the “Memorials”……Lincoln, Jefferson, the Washington Monument. The Press warn of possible terrorist attacks during large gatherings such as this Memorial day celebration. The Press tells us that everyone should be vigilant, watching for suspicious characters, which in today’s dress code, means everyone. It is a modern day WWII in your Nation’s Capital.

So, as we prepare to celebrate Memorial Day this May 31st, you members of the birth class of 1944 give any surviving members of WWII a handshake and thank them for the sacrifices they made so that we could all be free. And thank the Men in Service, the cop on the corner, the firemen, the security guards who are doing the same today to keep us free.

John Blair

Washington, D.C.

Born August 21, 1944