A Soldier Died Today

A memorial video for my great great uncle, Rich Howard.
May 6, 1921-June 14, 2009.
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A Memorial service was held at the Big Horn County Historical Museum, where Rich did restoration work for several of their exibits.
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Pictures taken by me, and my grandmother. Several of the pictures in this video can be found on my deviantart, dretfg.deviantart.com
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Rich Howard was a B-24 Flight Engineer in World War II.
While stationed in the South Pacific, he was awarded the Bronze Star and Air Medal for Valor and outstanding acheivement.
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This poem was featured at his funeral:
"A SOLDIER DIED TODAY"

He was getting old and paunchy
And his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the Legion,
Telling stories of the past.
Of a war that he had fought in
And the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies;
They were heroes, every one.
And 'tho sometimes to his neighbors
His tales became a joke,
All his Legion buddies listened
For they knew whereof he spoke.
But we'll hear his tales no longer,
For old Bill has passed away,
And the world's a little poorer
For a soldier died today.
He will not be mourned by many,
Just his children and his wife.
For he lived an ordinary
And quite uneventful life.
Held a job and raised a family,
Quietly going on his way;
And the world won't note his passing,
though a Soldier died today.
When politicians leave this earth,
Their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note their passing,
And proclaim that they were great.
Papers tell their whole life stories
From the time that they were young,
But the passing of a soldier
Goes unnoticed, and unsung.
Is the greatest contribution
To the welfare of our land,
A guy who breaks his promises
And cons his fellow man?
Or the ordinary fellow who,
In times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his Country
And offers up his life?
A politician's stipend
And the style in which he lives,
Are sometimes disproportionate,
To the service that he gives.
While the ordinary soldier,
Who offered up his all,
Is paid off with a medal
And perhaps, a pension small.
It's so easy to forget them,
For it was so long ago,
That the old Bills of our country
Went to battle, but we know
It was not the politicians
With their compromise and ploys,
Who won for us the freedom
That our Country now enjoys.
Should you find yourself in danger,
With your enemies at hand,
Would you want a politician
With his ever-shifting stand?
Or would you prefer a soldier,
Who has sworn to defend,
His home, his kin and Country
And would fight until the end?
He was just a common Soldier,
And his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us
We may need his like again.
For when countries are in conflict,
Then we find the Soldier's part
Is to clean up all the troubles
That the politicians start.
If we cannot do him honor
While he's here to hear the praise,
Then at least let's give him homage
At the ending of his days.
Perhaps just a simple headline
in a paper that would say:
"OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING,
FOR A SOLDIER DIED TODAY."

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Soldier
• Died
• Today
• Rich
• Howard
• WWII
• Veteran
• World
• War
• Two
• b-24
• flight
• engineer
• Memorial
• service

[boroya]

i'm also very sorry for ur loss, and i hope u won't be hold it against me if i ask for the name of the first song. ty

[SafireTears]

@boroya It's called Din Din Woe; little Child by Muso Ko

[deardavidh]

This is such a beautiful song and tribute Safire (Stephanie?). God Bless You This Memorial Day. And may your uncle rest proudly and in complete peace for he was a true HERO.

David

May 31, 2010

[zulfitareen]

may he and every soldier who passed away rest in peace.

god bless the american soldiers.

this nation is in great debt to every brave man and woman in the armed forces.

[zulfitareen]

the song touched my heart.

may god bless every american soldier.

may god bless every brave brave man and woman who served the us armed forces.

may howard and every soldeir rest in peace.

this nation is in great debt to these barave men and women.

[kelleherjj]

He was just a common soldier and his ranks are growing thin,

But his presence should remind us we may need his like again.

For when countries are in conflict, then we find the soldier's part

Is to clean up all the troubles that the politicians start.

If we cannot do him honor while he's here to hear the praise,

Then at least let's give him homage at the ending of his days.

Perhaps just a simple headline in a paper that would say,

Our Country is in mourning, for a soldier died today.

[75801Tammy]

I am so sorry for your loss. I wish there were more tributes like this to honor our beloved soldiers. Bravo to you for creating this special tribute to honor him and all our soldiers. God Bless them all!

Tammy, proud daughter of a vietnam veteran. Daddy served 27 years in the US Army.

[Ishedo]

great video steff!

[deth2550]

Sorry to hear that he passed away.