Major James Carl Wise, Jr. Honored
(note: this is a follow-up to a special event we told you about a few weeks ago)
The day was perfect. The bright sun, crisp. The air clear. COL. Wilbur Parker, Ret. Chaplain for the Joint Chiefs of Staffs stood to bring the invocation. Then we heard it. The fly over by Major Wes Nims, US AFR (94th Airlift Wing, Dobbins ARB). The crowd erupted in applause. Tears streamed down the cheeks of the people who had gathered to honor and celebrate the life of Major James Carl Wise, Jr. A man, who gave his life to his country oh, so many years ago.
My heart was glad when I looked around the crowd and recognized many Mt. Bethel members who came to show their respect to Lucille, the widow of Major Wise, and his three grown daughters, their spouses and their children. What an honor to be there! And as I sat, I had time to reflect on several things during poignant moments of this hour and a half long service. Do the younger people today truly realize the cost of our freedom? Or rather, the cost of anyone’s freedom? Do any of us? Those who were gathered, do they understand the complete and total sacrifice our military men and women make for the cause of our freedom – a freedom that we perhaps take for granted?
As COL. George E. “Bud” Day, USAF (Ret.) stood to deliver the message – can we even comprehend what his life as a POW was like – not to mention how he was medically cared for by another POW, now known as Senator John McCain. And as the service drew to a close and the Atlanta Blues Notes band played a Medley of Service Songs from their hearts – I saw men from each military division stand, Navy, Marine, Air Force, Army, Coast Guard… With pride and confidence, they all stood when they heard their theme song. Do the young people today even know those songs? Are we raising up a generation of ignorance regarding our military history. Has my generation (the generation in between) – has my generation dropped the baton? How I pray we haven’t. How I pray that we will forever, indelibly etched in the hallowed halls of our minds, remember today, what it stood for, and what it means for our future.
Ms. Lucille, my gator country friend, indeed lost her husband to the hells of war, but her faith in God and in her country enabled her to continue on with her life, rear three beautiful daughters, and today to proudly stand tall on the stadium in front of all those gathered to honor Major Wise, as she gracefully received our Country’s flag presented to her by COL. Day. As I said, the day was perfect. The bright sun, crisp. The air clear. And then we heard it, TAPS, and the Taps echo reminding us that we have just experienced a most honorable day.
Diane Parrish
