Thank you for
allowing me to become a member of the 2d AD Association. Unlike most of you, I
was never assigned to the 2d AD during war time but during peace time from
1981-1984 in Germany. My last experience during war time was with the 3d ID.
However, I have always had a special place in my heart for the 2d AD and
especially for you veterans who served with the “Hell on Wheels” during
WWII. The stories that I recently read
about in the November 2006 issue of “Hell on Wheels” touched me greatly and I
appreciate very much those of you willing to share your experiences. I understand that many of them were not good
experiences and it was difficult for you to talk about them. God Bless you.
I myself came
from a military background like so many of you. Each of us have many different
experiences in our families and throughout the years I have attempted to
collect many of my own families, as far back as the Civil War and just recently
located my grandfathers military number from WW1. He like so many never spoke to me, or his own children about ever
having a number although I do not believe he ever did serve. My grandmother was one of the first Gold
Star Mothers in the State of New York. Having all four of her sons serving in WWII at the same time.
My uncle Bob was a pilot of a B-25, Richard
served in the States during WWII, Gerald served as a Bombardier, (belly gunner)
and ended up retiring from the Air Force with over 32 yrs active service. He
served at one time under the famed now retired General, Paul Tibbets from the
Enola Gay days. Then my father Howard
served as a Signalman in the Navy aboard the USS LCS 49 and he was the only one
of the brothers who received the Purple Heart during WWII. His ship was sunk by
a kamikaze boat near New Guinea. My
father was one of the few who survived.
On to the Korean
War my uncle, Lawrence Tryon served with the famed 1st Marine
Division and was sadly killed during that war. The Viet Nam war brought about more tragedy with the death of my
brother-in-law Gerald Carr.
I then was to
enter the Army and was blest with some wonderful assignments throughout my 22
year career.
I had the
distinct pleasure of working as a guard for former President Jimmy Carter
during his inaugural parade. Then in December 1978 received orders to be an
Enlisted Aide to General of the Army, Omar N. Bradley at his home then in El
Paso, Texas. I have many fond memories of my short but rewarding experiences
with him. Four years after my
retirement I was called back to Active Duty this time to serve with the 3d ID
in the Gulf War.
Our military
experiences did not stop with my return home and retirement from the Army. Years later my son was to follow in my
footsteps and enter the Army as well. I
was very proud of him and his accomplishments which included graduating from
Jump School at Fort Benning, Ga. He
went on further to graduate from EOD school in Maryland and was soon attached
to the U.S. Secret Service and at one time was assigned to prepare for the
arrival of former President Bill Clinton on a trip to California.
Sadly on 12 March
2001 we received word one night that my son, SGT Phillip Freligh had been
killed by friendly fire in Camp Doha, Kuwait. He was 25 yrs old. An F-18 from
the USS Harry S. Truman accidentally dropped three five hundred pound bombs in
the wrong area killing not only my son but five other young men.
My uncle,
brother-in-law, and my son all died for their country. They knew as we all did
the many risks that were involved in the “raising of our hand”. I know and feel in my heart today that not
only these men..but all who gave the ultimate sacrifice” that they did not die
in vain.
Sadly though I
wish that our young people of today could fully understand what that means. I shake when I see our young people today and
know that this is the “upcoming generation.” What indeed are we in for? It
breaks my heart that the schools of today are not teaching about our military
past and of those who gave of themselves so that THEY could have the freedoms
they so much enjoy (and take advantage of).
Not long ago
while walking through Sams Club I happen to notice an older gentleman leafing
through what appeared to me some sort of a military history book. I went closer
to see what he was looking at and sure enough he was looking at a photo of a
B-17. I could tell that he never knew I
was even standing there…his mind was going back in time. So, I left him with his thoughts, but I
couldn’t get him out of mine. About
thirty minutes later I went back his direction and yes, he was still
there. Not being able to resist any
longer I ventured once again over to him. I said to him that I had been watching him and I apologized but I wanted
to know if he was infact a WWII veteran. He shared with me that he had been a B-17 pilot during the war and had
been shot down, thus spending time in a German POW camp. I let him talk and it was wonderful to hear
his story. Later I thanked him for
serving and he gave me a hug and said that this had been the first time ever
that anyone asked him about his experiences and he wanted to thank me. It was a wonderful experience for me to
shake his hand and tell him how much I appreciated his duty to God and country.
And so to each of
you WWII 2d AD “Hell On Wheelers” I also want to say thank you. What more can be said?
Mike Freligh
P.O. Box 9052
Gosnell,
Arkansas 72315
“Hell on Wheels”