A Star Spangled Moment

My wife and I had the opportunity, this past Saturday afternoon, to attend a football game for the first time in 2 years. Stanford vs. UCLA at Stanford Stadium, just 20 minutes from our home. With the both of us having attended UCLA we were, of course, rooting hard for our Bruins among a crowd of mostly Stanford fans.

As they played the Star Spangled Banner, I looked to both teams benches - all standing up and at attention. Just like the fans around us all in a moment of silent thought, prayer or pride. In most college football games these days there are a good 75-80 young men on each side - ages 18-23. In the prime of their youth and the pride of the great universities they represent. They have trained hard, worked diligently to learn and master their positions in preparation for their weekly battles each fall. Knowing that they are just a part of a bigger team - they put on their uniforms each Saturday and, with much personal anticipation on how they might perform, they enter the stadium and play their game.

It was 77 years ago today, that over 360 young men of the 445th - of similar age - had a much more serious event to attend to. They also had trained hard, working diligently to understand their roles, knew they were part of a bigger team and likely had much anticipation of their task ahead of them that morning. They, too, were in the prime of their youth and the pride of their side as well.

Among the many big differences - no live fans to cheer them on, no half time to regroup or change strategy and, of course, the “win or lose” consequences had much higher stakes. On 9/27/44, for the young men of the 445th, it was that Star Spangled Banner that silently represented their “fan base” … as it did every mission. And for 117 American men, it would be their last game, their last day, their last and ultimate sacrifice. Almost a third did not survive the day - but our Stars and Stripes would live on. 100% of the UCLA and Stanford football players woke up today - maybe a few aches and pains but alive and well.

It’s not lost on me nor my wife, nor any of us among the members of KMHS that we get to enjoy things like a good college football game because of the sacrifices made by all the men of the 445th. It’s not lost on any of us just what our Star Spangled Banner meant to those of the 445th - rooting for them on each mission. All of us at KMHS - along with our descendants will forever be their fan base too - forever proud and forever grateful.

With memory and thanks to all those of the 445th who fought and sacrificed for our own Star Spangled moments.