By war veterans such as Ronald DeBoer (Army & Navy Jr. Reserves), Doug Robert (Army Special Forces) and Kari Long (Reserves), patriots and lawmakers alike should acknowledge the incredible sacrifice our fellow Americans made. Veterans and surviving family members need to be heard and their story honored.
Today, we honor the 4,247 Americans who gave their lives during World War II –including Sgt. Brockton Blount of Wilkes-Barre. Sgt. Blount served as a member of the 8th Army, which was headquartered in Philadelphia. He also served in the Patriot Division in April, 1945. He was killed in action during the Battle of the Bulge on Dec. 13, 1945 in northern France.
“I’m very disappointed we’ve lost another World War II veteran,” Tonya Sherwood-Hinze, Sargeant Brockton’s granddaughter, said. “He died a hero, and he wasn’t given the proper honor he deserved.”
Sgt. Brockton Blount served our country with honor and integrity. He was a skilled soldier who always demonstrated a great deal of physical strength and was respected by many. He did everything that was asked of him and never met a person he didn’t like. Brockton went to the Special Forces because he knew they would show him the utmost respect and help him get as far as he wanted to go. These are qualities in which Brockton always wanted to be remembered. We need to do more to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice and to remember them in a proper manner.
In my book, patriotism is being able to use your voice to speak up and speak out against injustice and intolerance. It is because of Brockton’s bravery and courage that his life matters and our families know that we have someone who is a hero. Brockton’s example showed others that it’s okay to be a hero, that it’s okay to help the weak. Brockton’s life matters for that reason and many others.
Many are alive today because of the sacrifice of WWII veterans and I appreciate them so much. These soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines were incredibly brave. They knew that the enemy was hiding and looked forward to battle. They used their training and skills to defend our nation and protect our nation. It was painful but the greatest sacrifice these service members gave was their lives. They gave their all to our nation and the sacrifices should never be forgotten. As veterans and patriots, we should show our support and continue to honor those who gave their lives. Every veteran makes our nation stronger and we all, from those of us who fought in World War II to today’s veterans, owe our country a debt of gratitude and honor.