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"I'll
Be Home for Christmas" sung by Frank Sinatra
fondly remembered as one of Micky's favorites
Donald
"Micky" Maguire
"One of the most
extraordinary feats of military engineering
during the war was the building in 1944 by Allied forces
of a supply road from Ledo, India, to the Burma Road
at a point where the road was still in Chinese hands.
This Stilwell (originally Ledo) Road opened in January
1945,
was 478 miles long, and twisted through
mountains, swamps, and jungles."
Dad was
always so proud to have served our country during WWII.
He belonged to the 76th Engineer Lt Pontoon Company. From
1943 to 1945 he served overseas at the China-Burma-India
(CBI) Theater, where they built the Ledo Road, which was
to connect with the Burma Road. It was later renamed
Stilwell Road after General Stilwell, Commanding General
of CBI.
As a child
of a World War II veteran, I am just now beginning to
somewhat understand the impact that WWII had on our
country, and the pride that the men who served in that
war carried. The stories about the war that Dad shared
with us, were not about the monsoons that plagued them or
of the unsurveyed territory with steep grades, hairpin
curves, and sheer drops for as much as 200 feet, all
surrounded by a thick rain forest jungle. Atlhough these
were the conditions he dealt with daily, Dad talked of
their mission, the vision to get the job done, and their
conviction to win the war, and protect the freedom of
America. They accomplished this with grace,
perserverence, and faith in themselves and what they
believed in. I am truly proud to be the daughter of a
Veteran of World War II, and am truly grateful to the
heroes who served.
Please
read below about the WWII National Memorial, click on the
link and visit the website.
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The World War II Memorial will be
the first national memorial dedicated to
all who served in the armed forces and
Merchant Marine of the United States
during World War II and acknowledging the
commitment and achievement of the entire
nation. All military veterans of the war,
the citizens on the home front, the
nation at large, and the high moral
purpose and idealism that motivated the
nation’s call to arms will be
honored.
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Symbolic
of the defining event of the 20th century
in American history, the memorial will be
a monument to the spirit, sacrifice, and
commitment of the American people, to the
common defense of the nation and to the
broader causes of peace and freedom from
tyranny throughout the world. It will
nspire future generations of Americans,
deepening their appreciation of what the
World War II generation accomplished in
securing freedom and democracy. Above
all, the memorial will stand for all time
as an important symbol of American
national unity, a timeless reminder of
the moral strength and awesome power that
can flow when a free people are at once
united and bonded together in a common
and just cause. |
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Dad standing next to
his jeep, which he named "Alyce" after my Mom.
This next page is dedicated to them.
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