Thank you to our Military Members and Veterans

Uncle Mac Sutkowski in uniform

I remember, as a child, being amazed by the story my Uncle Mac would tell about his time in Orbec, France, hiding with a farm family, his plane having been shot down during WWII.  He had just started seeing my aunt, his sweetheart, Helen, before he left Connecticut for the Air Force, deployed to Europe.  As a tail gunner on a bomber, her was doing his duty with his fellow soldiers, and on that fateful mission they were shot down over farmland in rural France. The family who took him in thought fast and sequestered him in their barn, initially. After a while he lived among them, taking meals with the family.  It took almost one and a half years for the French Underground to help get him out of Europe and back to my grandparents, his brother, my Dad, other siblings and his sweetheart Helen.  He had been missing in action throughout that period, as all communication sources were monitored, so the reunion was a huge surprise, and joyful.

Uncle Fred and Aunt Junko Blovat

Another lesser known story was about my mother's brother, Fred. My mom's family, from the Leatherstocking region of upstate NY State, lived a simple, honest life. Fred was also in the Air Force, a career soldier who retired after 25 years of service.  We never heard anything about his service, except that he served. About 10 years ago, a book was released outlining stories of the the hundreds of soldier spies who carried sensitive documents behind enemy lines, with extra risk during World War II. Who was included among these stories?  My Uncle Fred.

Thanks also to my cousins and nephews who have served, and many friends, coworkers, graduates and students at The College of Westchester.  WWII, Korea, Vietnam and the Gulf conflicts and wars.  Thank you.

Some of you reading this may have risked your lives in ways that we may never know. Today we honor you and thank you for the countless sacrifices, risks and secret missions that may be too painful to recount now, or that we might just not understand. We wish you, our US Veterans, peace and gratitude. Prayers and good thoughts toward you always.