Enduring Faith in Veterans of America
By C. Naseer Ahmad
Oakton , VA
"He aint heavy, he's my brother," hummed my heart recently at the Arlington National Cemetery.
With me was WWII Bronze Star veteran Bruce Hughes, his wife Maureen and my wife. All of us went to the final resting place of Major General Roland (on active duty in WW2 and a veteran of Korean War) and Elizabeth delMar because both live in our hearts and brought joys to the world.
Bruce and I were born oceans and decades apart. One can read about Bruce in "On the Road to Innsbruck and Back" - a 103rd Division Infantryman's World War II memoir by William B. Bache. Bruce's interview on the radio program "Greatest Generation" reveals his sharp memory. It was a joy to see his eyes sparkle as we listened to the hit song 'when the lights go on again all over the world'. Mementos from his study like a picture of the 'Eagles Nest' from his personal camera and other artifacts speak a lot about him. Through personal experience with veterans like him, I found humor, hospitality and humility in the American character.
Bruce's in-laws, General delMar and his lovely wife, were an embodiment of all that is good in the United States. On Thanksgiving and Christmas - and many times in between - they welcomed newcomers to this country like me to their lovely farm.
The memory of the gatherings at the delMar farm has lasted a lifetime. It did not matter how much money you made, neither did your profession, rank, country of origin or race matter. What mattered was that you were human and friends of the delMars. The guests discussed current affairs and many other issues. And, there was a sincere attempt to solve all the world's problems before the pumpkin pie was served on Thanksgiving.
When all the guests at these dinners were gone, Mrs delMar would take me to the back of the kitchen and prepare sandwiches for me from the left over turkey. The packed sandwiches would sustain me for at least a couple of weeks during my graduate studies at George Washington and Johns Hopkins Universities. When I left the farm, General delMar would stand at the edge of his property to let me know when the road was clear. As I drove away, I could see in my rear view mirror the former Commanding Officer of the last horse cavalry in the United States Army.
When my married life began and my children were born, the DelMars would send beautiful ornaments every Christmas - each inscribed with the children's names. This did not weaken my Muslim faith. Rather, it strengthened it because we are all children of Abraham. These ornaments arrived at my doorstep every year no matter which part of the United States or the world we were living in.
These memories were on my mind, as Bruce drove on the winding narrow roads of the Arlington National Cemetery. And it was a joy to hear the banter when Bruce ran into another Bronze Star veteran of the Korean War who enlisted when he was actually fifteen - adding three years in the form declaration.
Any camera, no matter how outdated its technology, would capture the scenic view of Washington from the place where the delMars are buried. The same old camera would capture a historic picture of the grave of Abraham Lincoln's son - a few feet away.
But, the most beautiful image of America was right in front of me. It felt that Maureen and her parents were all humming: "It's a long, long road from which there is no return. While we're on the way to there, why not share." It was then that Maureen took a few roses that she had brought for her parents and planted them in the next grave where the delMar's best friends find eternal peace.
A little further on the winding road, I found three Kennedy brothers buried close by. An eternal flame adorns John's grave. Near Bobby's grave, inscribed on a wall was "I dream things that never were and ask why not?" In the quietness of those hallowed grounds, Teddy's words kept booming in my mind: "The cause endures, the hope still lives and the dream shall never die."
