Honor - Veterans Day 2012
Thank you to America's veterans! Following are just a few of the stories from Ecumen customers who have served our country. We invite you to share your remembrances and tributes in the comments section below.
Mike Colallilo
Today in Duluth, one of the few living Medal of Honor recipients will be honored at Ecumen's Bayshore community. Only about 450 U.S. soldiers, sailors and pilots received the nation's highest combat award during the war. Mike Colallilo, pictured above with President Truman, received his based on his bravery and leadership on April 7, 1945. Here is an excerpt from a Minnesota Public Radio Story. You can read the full story here – it’s amazing.
"Lying on the ground, bullets and shells flying everywhere, Colalillo decided something had to be done. Even though he was a private, not in command, Colalillo rose up and yelled to the other soldiers to follow him.
"I jumped on the tank...and told them...'I'm going to use your machine gun.'"
The soldiers fell in behind some tanks and moved forward, firing as they went. Shell fragments hit Colalillo's submachine gun, making the weapon useless, and leaving him even more vulnerable.
"I jumped on the tank, and just hollered in the tank and told them, 'I lost my gun and I'm going to use your machine gun on the top,'" Colalillo recalls. "And that's when I started shooting all these positions where the Germans were."
Doris Brand
Doris Brand lives at Ecumen Point Pleasant Heights in Chisago City. Among her neighbors at Ecumen Point Pleasant Heights are 30 other WW II vets. She served in the Navy during WW II in the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service). She played a substantial role in developing America’s air supremacy.
She attended Hunter College in New York City and then headed to boot camp. Afterwards she was one of just 1,000 women nationally who became Link Trainer instructors. These were instructors who ran flight simulators to train pilots. After her training in Atlanta, where she learned how to fly planes, transmit morse code, and other skills, she trained pilots at the Naval Air Station in Corpus Christi, Texas.
In a recent interview, she shared how some male pilots tried barrel rolls and loops in the simulator to see if they could make her sick. They never succeeded. But she did succeed and, because of it, she helped our country succeed.
Honor Flights
A number of Ecumen customers this year have taken Honor Flights to visit the World War II memorial in Washington 
D.C. Recently returning from one of those flights was Jim Reasoner (pictured at left) from Ecumen's Pathstone Living Community and Bill Spehar, Vince Flesness and Bob Huston, who recently passed away, took flight to D.C. from Ecumen Lakeshore.
Among the remembrances, Jim shared the following: He was 19 years old, and married with two young daughters when he was drafted. He was involved in combat in the invasion of the Philippines. In addition to participating in heavy combat, he suffered from 26 attacks of malaria. After a 30-day hospital stay on the Island of Leyte, he rejoined his company in Yokohama, Japan, soon after it had been bombed. He worked out of Tokyo. He recalls at the end of the War taking the USS U.S. Grant back across the Pacific to the U.S. with 5,000 other soldiers. Crossing below the Golden Gate Bridge, he and his fellow troops were welcomed by thousands of people and bands, and banners flying everywhere.
Another neat story added today by colleague Lori Olson; you can read the full stor in the comments below.
Thank you again to all veterans! We invite you to share your thanks, remembrances and tributes below in the comments section.
6 Comments
I just returned from my parents home after presenting my Dad with a medal in appreciation for his service in the Korean War. Gil Acevedo sent me this medal after visiting with me about my Dad's service last week at the DON meeting in Sartell. Gil had mentioned in his introduction that he had been on a submarine while in service to our country. During a break I told him my Dad had also been on a submarine while in the Korean War. Gil asked me if he had received the appreciation medal from the Korean government. When I said no he offered to send me one and "tell your Dad thanks for his service from one submariner to another." I did this today and his reaction was priceless. He had tears in his eyes and he told a story I had never heard before and believe me I've heard many! He said that on the ship "it was so cold my feet were freezing. We only had oxfords to wear. The waves crashed up on the ship and the water froze. I wrote to my mother and asked her to send me some wool socks and boots. She did and then it was better. Funny thing it never seemed that cold when we went into Japan." Thanks Gil and thank-you too for your service. You made an old man very happy today. Sincerely, Lori Olson
I and my family have so many freedoms today because of the people above and so many others. I am so thankful for the contributions of our veterans. Thank you!!!!!!!!
As a veteran I am mindful of the sacrifices, both physical and psycological, of our veterans. Being far from home in a foreign and often inhospitable land is tough. Thank you to all of our servicemembers, both past and present, for your selfless service. We know that freedom isn't free and owe you all a huge debt of gratitude.
As a veteran I am mindful of the sacrifices, both physical and psycological, of our veterans. Being far from home in a foreign and often inhospitable land is tough. Thank you to all of our servicemembers, both past and present, for your selfless service. We know that freedom isn't free and owe you all a huge debt of gratitude.
Today as I read the stories so graciously shared, I hold back tears of pride. I want our veterans to know how powerful their stories are, that millions of lives are given freedoms for the risks so bravely taken, and that the leadership and patriotism demonstrated will never be forgotten. THANK YOU.
We as Americans are so lucky that all of these men and women gave and continue to give so unselfishly of themselves. God bless all of our military personnel!
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