Of all patriotic holidays, Memorial Day is the most powerful for me. A veteran came up to me at the program and asked why more people didn't come. He was hurt and said, "I guess I'm just old fashion." There is just something about this holiday that brings tears to my eyes.
The first stop is the breakfast put on by the Big Sandy Historical Society. It's a great breakfast, and everyone can sit around and visit while waiting for the parade.
Every year, the parade is getting better. I remember there were only six vehicles one year-I still loved it. This year, the parade lasted 15 minutes and was well attended. I know there is a desire to continue building the parade, making it grand with many old cars and candy on the street. It starts with the Boy Scots walking with veterans carrying the flags. The Big Sandy band came after that, and they sounded outstanding sitting on the float and playing all the arm forces anthems.
After the parade, there is a program at the high school. The band and choir participated this year, and Pastor Rich Jesperson started the program with a short devotion and prayer. The main speaker, Bob Boettcher reminiscing, said, "I was born and raised on a farm 19 miles west of Big Sandy. I was Walter and Signe's second son. I wound up going to school out in the country. I don't think there are any schools left out there that are still standing. I went to town in 1944 because my brother Eugene was starting his freshman year in high school, and so we moved to town. My folks bought the yellow house on the corner by the old jail. I was in the eighth grade when we moved, graduating from high school in 1949." He went to Northern to college. "It's still a great source of education. I was in industrial and wanted to get my bachelor's degree and attend UC Santa Barbara. I finished my bachelor's at UC Santa Barbara in June 1953. I met my wife, Ann. She came from Glendale, California. She says that she chased me.
I went to California for my eight-week basic training before going to Albuquerque, Mexico, to a secured base. One of the first people there was MP, whose name was Maxwell." Bob had top Security clearance because he can now tell us he worked with weapons and mechanical companies that work on atomic weapons. "We celebrating 50 years at a 2005 reunion in Albuquerque. I have a picture that was taken in August 1955." He showed us a picture of all the top secret members. " I left the army on July 20, 1956, to come home for harvest. We were paid $75 a month. A corporal was given $114 a month."
Bob was instrumental in the creation of the memorial at the Paul Williams City Park for members of a plane that crashed outside of Big Sandy on October 1, 1943, at 10 a.m. Nine men lost their lives in a training accident in which their plane fell from the sky 27,000 feet. The death of those men and their commitment is a priority to Bob, and the lasting memorial will be here to help us remember.
Closing his speech, he said, "It was quite an experience to talk about this, but we need to remember these people that have served this country, and it is a tribute to them to the last thing that is done here is to go to the cemetery and read all the names of the veterans how many people in the military. We would not be free if it weren't for the brave."
In 1966, he took over the farm and joined the American Legion. He has put up many flags on the graves of veterans. "It's amazing how many are out there." It is sobering to listen to the hundreds of names of people who served our country being read. More than sobering, it's humbling!! And, like always, the tapping of the taps!
