My
Dad kept a diary while he was in England during WW II, and I’d like to
read you a short excerpt from January 28, 1944.
“ Sent two cables home
today to my honey and my Mom. It’s my honey’s birthday today and heard
our song “Linger Awhile” 1
on the radio tonight:
The stars shine above you
Yet linger Awhile
They whisper I Love You
So Linger Awhile
And when you have gone away,
Each hour will seem a day
I’ve something to tell you
So Linger Awhile”
Now if he were able to, my Dad would
sing that for you now. I’m sure he was singing it as he wrote
his letter. Singing was certainly one of the things he loved
to do.
I can remember as kids, whenever
we went anywhere with my Dad in the car, we’d all have to sing. I remember
in the early Sixties we sang songs from the musicals Camelot and My Fair
Lady, we sang Beatles songs, and frequently we even sang a song that he
made up. I was particularly fond of the song that he made up about the
city dump that we had to sing each time we went to the dump. He’d be happy
to know that both my brother Jim and I have sung that same song with our
kids when we dragged them along to the dump.
My Dad grew up within walking distance
of this Church, at 73 Ellis Street, with his sisters Francis and Marion,
and his brothers Art and Tom. His Dad was a New Britain fireman and his
Mom was one of the most amazing ladies ever born. They attended St. Joseph’s
Church where my Dad was an alter boy and, in fact, he graduated right here
from St. Joseph’s Parochial school, in 1934, as President of his eight
grade class.
He went on to attend New Britain
High school where he played basketball all four years and was captain of
the team as a senior. It was then on to Teachers College of Connecticut
which is now Central Conn State University, where in his junior year, he
enlisted in the Army.
That was January 19, 1942.
My Dad spent most of his time during
WW II in the European theater. He was rated as a pilot and navigator on
the B-24 bomber. He flew over 30 missions at the height of the war, including
two separate missions on D-day. Among other citations, he earned 4 air
medals and the prestigious Distinguished Flying Cross, which was awarded
for, and I’ll quote, “Heroism and Extraordinary Achievement while participating
in Aerial Flight”.
He was extremely proud of his service
record, as are we. He didn’t talk much about the details, and we’re very
fortunate to have his diary, which details his activities throughout the
War.
He returned home in August of 1945
and married his honey on June 8th, 1946. He graduated from Teachers College
soon thereafter and later received his Masters Degree in Education from
the University of Hartford.
My Dad was a teacher by training,
but more so, a teacher by nature. As young kids, my brother and sisters
and I were forced to learn the definitions of words like egregious
and voracious, among others. And if we, by chance, used one,
he’d immediately stop us and ask us to spell it.
My Dad was a voracious reader.
And Dad… that’s v-o-r-a-c-i-o-u-s.
(Whew, that would have been an
egregious
error if I misspelled it).
He was a teacher and guidance counselor
at Plainville High School for several years. He apparently was one of those
special
teachers as evidenced by his continual contact with several of his students,
40 years after their graduation. At his wake on Sunday, I met one of the
students that he had back in 1954 who remembered him like it was yesterday.
That’s quite a testament.
He went on to various teaching and
administrative positions and colleges in the area, including his Alma Mater,
Central Conn State University.
He retired in 1975.
He was married to my Mom for 52
years before she passed away in 1998. They had an enviable and special
relationship. True love.
He had five grand children, Tracy,
Chris, Lisa, Johnny, and Jenny who he thought the world of.
We’ll remember my Dad for his sense
of humor, his songs, his wisdom, and his love of the Red Sox and UCONN
basketball.
If my kids are one-tenth as proud
of me, when I pass away, as I am of him,
then I’ll have been a success.
1 'Linger Awhile' was written by Vincent Rose,
Harry Owens and Leo Feist in 1923. Recording by Lawrence Welk in 1989.