The modern era veterans are honored at lakeside location
Courthouse, M-59
Howell, Livingston County
"The world acclaims and we revere our heroes names engraved here
"A tribute to the 656 heroic ones who served their country
In grateful memory of those from Livingston County who gave their lives in World War I & II"
Wars surging tide caused their decease
Pray God they died for lasting peace"
World War I
1917-1918
in memorium"
This visit was a treat. The place was packed with young teens, obviously celebrating their release from school for the summer. It took some maneuvering to get all of the shots without including them in the shots. As I turned to leave an older gentleman eating an ice cream cone beckoned me over. He asked, "We you in the Coast Guard?" It took me a moment to realize he had seen my baseball cap.
Our convesation lasted nearly 30 minutes, as I learned from my new shipmate some of the stories of a Coastie in the late 50's and early 60's. He had been an Ocean Station sailor like me, but his hours of boredom and moments of excitement came on the southern Pacific Ocean and mine had been the northern Atlantic. It reminded me again of the bond between service personnel of all generations. We all endured the same conditions, the same lonely days and nights. And each of us, when reflecting upon those years, would generally do it again. Sure, there are the unpleasant moments that haunt many and spark great debates about the nature of war and military service. But the intense satisfaction at knowing our youth was not misspent is universal.
