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Choosing a new police chief in Dundee
Golf course earns
nod from county commission
Documentary film
will warn teens of the dangers of meth use
Remembering
the vets,
the sacrifices |
`Freedom is Not Free: A Celebration of Liberty,' draws
hundreds to university to support veterans |
By Gunnar Olson, Newberg Graphic
reporter
E-mail Gunnar at golson@eaglenewspapers.com
|
 For Rick and Elizabeth Peters Saturday’s marathon of red, white and
blue was mission accomplished.
The couple from Wilsonville had two goals this spring when they set out to
organize “Freedom Is Not Free: A Celebration of Liberty.” They wanted first and
foremost to honor the men and women who have served the United States in its wars.
Secondly they hoped to instill in the civilian audience a greater appreciation of
the freedoms they have, which were won by the veterans.
“They simply deserve to be appreciated,” Rick Peters said Monday.
“That’s all we’re trying to do. It doesn’t take too much on our part
to be appreciative.”
The Peters spent a considerable amount of energy putting together the
celebration, and it showed.
As a backdrop to the stage at Bauman Auditorium at George Fox University were
three light-up banners, the one in the center rising up above the outer two, with a blue
glow and stars at the top; the flanking banners were lit in red and tied at the bottom.
Gordon Jernstedt of Carlton, who served in the Army during the Korean War,
said he felt privileged and honored to have been at the celebration.
“They put out a tremendous amount of effort,” he said.
Much patriotic music was provided. The Wilsonville High School Dirty Dozen
performed, as did the Sojourn Rock Orchestra and The Oregon Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra and
Community Choir.
Veteran speakers gave the audience the details to attach their feelings to.
Alter Wiener, whose entire family was killed in the Holocaust, gave the first
presentation.
“I didn’t fight on many of the lines you did,” he said. But
after being pulled out of the line to the crematory at one of the Nazi concentration
camps, he said, he had a great appreciation for the freedom provided by the veterans.
Kristin Hicks of Wilsonville said afterward that she felt humbled in front of
all the veterans, adding that at times she was teary-eyed.
“It was amazing, the stories people had to tell,” she said.
Don Malarkey also spoke. He was one of the original band of brothers, the
original paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division. At the time they served it was a new
technique to parachute behind enemy lines.
Malarkey got a surprise on stage. As he was making his way though his speech,
two of the men he served with snuck in from the side of the stage.
“Don Malarkey!” said one of them. “Sounds like a lot of
malarkey to me!” It was Sgt. Bill Guarnere, in a yellow jacket and crutches to
supplement his one leg. Behind him was Lt. Buck Compton.
After a cheer-filled greeting, Malarkey eventually returned to telling his
stories, but cut it short.
“I better be careful,” he said. “I’m going to cry.”
Scattered throughout the celebration was video testimony, played by large
projectors on the tall white walls on each side of the stage. One of them was Kennie
Namba.
Namba was one of those Japanese Americans who served in the military in World
War II. He was in the highly decorated 442nd Regimental Combat Team, 100th Battalion.
Fighting for “freedom” was especially difficult for him, being that at the time
of his departure his parents were, in essence, prisoners of war in the county he was
serving.
“We set aside all the hate ...,” he said.
Late in the ceremony Rick Peters took the time to thank the veterans in order
of the wars they served in. He started by asking if anyone was at leave from the current
war in Iraq, saying he had heard military policeman Ame Campbell was home. Veterans from
each of the wars going back nearly a century stood to the applause of the audience.
Charles Creamer of Beaverton, who was a combat medic in the Korean War, said
celebrations such as these are a “heartwarming thing. It does good to you.”
His wife, Mildred, added: “It makes you aware of what a lot of them went
through during different wars.”
Rick Peters didn’t stop acknowledging veterans at World War II. Present
was one of the few remaining World War I veterans: Howard Ramsey, 105. Ramsey had the rare
knowledge of operating vehicles in the era, and served in the Army training others to
drive such things as motorcycles.
The three-hour show was professionally videotaped, which Rick Peters said he
hopes to sell to the community. He will encourage buyers to make copies, on two
conditions: copy it in its entirety, and forward it to someone.
Lynn Lantilli of West Linn, said she didn’t have any war experience to
which to compare with the veterans’, but nevertheless was impacted by the event.
“I found it very touching,” she said, “found myself crying
many times.” |
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From Nov. 19,
2003, Newberg Graphic
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