By Mike Cooper

Top Right – Honor Flight; Top Left – Current

As we celebrate Veterans Day, I am reminded of the stories my dad would tell about his time in the US Navy in the Atlantic during World War II. He joined the Navy at the age of 18 in November 1942, and served from July 1943 to January 1946 on the USS Philadelphia, one of two ships that supplied firepower to cover Allied landings at Sicily, Salerno, Anzio, and the south of France.

One harrowing story had to do with a stormy night when he was on deck. The winds were whipping and the sea was in turmoil. Luckily my dad saw a huge wave coming over the side of the ship and he grabbed a cable and hung on for dear life. He was literally sideways as the wind and water tried to pull him away! But luckily for us, he hung on tight and has had another seven decades with us.

If you know a veteran, especially those from WWII or another foreign conflict, here are a few things you can do to capture their stories while they are alive:

• If they are willing to talk about their time in the service, listen to and document their stories. You may need to ask a few leading questions.
• If they don’t quite remember, take out any memorabilia from their time in the service. Those items may bring back memories that they forgot.
• Take these stories and create a short book with them that you can give to other family members or close friends. Even if they heard these stories over the years, it might be nice for them to have something they can go back to after your loved one passes away.

We shouldn’t wait for Veterans Day to thank a vet for his or her service to this country. We continue to be a free country because of their dedication to this land. But especially on this day, make sure you thank every veteran you come across for their service and remember those vets who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

All of these veterans deserve our respect and gratitude. At Naperville Senior Center, all of our Members are treated with dignity and respect.

Call to action: contact us to schedule a FREE 3-hour trial at our facility so you can see what we have to offer and understand the Naperville Senior Center experience, “Home Away From Home”.