Truth Hiders and Hoarders

by N. Clement Weathers

May 29, 1997

On this Memorial Day, May 30, 1997, I wish to remember and pay deepest respect to my relatives, friends and acquaintances from my small hometown of Victoria, Va., who served and sacrificed to protect and preserve the freedoms we enjoy as Americans.

First, to my dad, Eugene Gallion, who served in the 29th Inf. Div. in France in WWI during which time his first and childless wife, Inez, died in the terrible flu epidemic which claimed millions of other lives throughout the world.

To my brother Harold, who served in the Merchant Marines and the U.S. Army in WWII.

To my first cousins, George Gallion, a paratrooper, and his two brothers, Charles and John Archer, U.S. Navy, all who sacrificed over five years of their lives.

A special remembrance and respect for my first cousin and close friend, John Lew "Buster" Gallion, who was killed in action in Holland where he is buried.

To others from my small hometown who made the supreme sacrifice: Early Tucker, Jr., son of a local grocery store owner; Charles Sheffield, a fellow railroader; Sterling Sadler, whose baby brother, Claiborne, was my close friend; Edwin Jennings, who lived in the house directly across the street from the house in which I was born; Walter Williams, who caught me stealing a cap pistol from his dad's 5-10 cent store and didn't report me; Reginald Dunnavant, who threw me out of my cousin's poolroom because I was too young to be there; O.T. Oats, a super high school baseball pitcher and tobacco farmer; Ben Whaley, one of the sons of the town's only doctor and a member of the football team that broke a 14 year losing streak with arch rival, Crewe, Va.

To the six million Jewish people who suffered horrible atrocities and deaths.

To the unlamented 60-80 million nameless and faceless Christians, military and civilians, who suffered and died horrible deaths during this same conflict.

To be continued.

Have a good week!

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