The End of World War Two.

The photograph displayed on the USS Missouri in Pearl Harbour, Hawaii.

We were in Hawaii a little over a year ago and spent a day visiting the USS Missouri.  The battleship was the last one built by the US and was finished in 1945; it was the place where the Japanese finally surrendered and put an end to the war.  A large photograph on the starboard side of the ship captured the moment with General McArthur at the table.  If you look carefully at the officers, you will notice each one of them is numbered.  Their names are given in the script to the bottom right of the shot.

It was a poignant moment for me, seeing that image, with the realization of what the cost of the freedoms I enjoy really is.  The power of the ship, the ghosts of those who served upon her and her nearby sister ship, Arizona, filled me with humility and a deep sense of pride.  I have always respected those that serve and have served.  My grandfather served in the war.  Even though he returned from the war, unlike so many others that sacrificed everything, the burdens of the experiences weighed heavily upon him for the rest of his days.

We use Remembrance Day as a time to remember those who died in service of their country.  We stand silently to honour those lost far too young as we gaze in retrospect at the poppies and crosses which symbolize their sacrifice.  Too often though we forget those that survived the ravages of war but are still carrying the physical and emotional scars they have received.  To our shame, many of them have needs which are not being met because of policies beyond their control.  I think our freedoms are worth more than what little they are asking for.  We owe them everything.  It is not too much to ask to help them when they are in need.

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