Fermilab veterans celebrate their service
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| World War II veteran Lt. Henry Flora shares stories about his service in U.S. Army communications in the South Pacific Theater. Photo credit: Sara Reardon. |
Fermilab’s Kuhn Barn was a picture of pride on Nov. 11. Its walls were draped in flags and within them crowded about 93 men and women of all ages dressed in military sweatshirts and hats.
The crowd came together for Fermilab’s annual Veterans Day luncheon, which honored the contributions of the approximately 150 veterans at Fermilab.
World War II veteran Lt. Henry Flora, the father of AD’s Bob Flora, gave the first speech. Flora was born in 1918, the year of the first Armistice Day, later renamed Veterans Day. He worked in military communications in the South Pacific Theater, commanding two transmitting ships stationed outside of Brisbane, Australia. His presentation included photos of the 1940s radio equipment his ships used to relay voice-encrypted communications between General Douglas MacArthur and President Franklin Roosevelt.
“One of the significant things that led to winning the war was the ability of commanders in the two theaters to reach high command,” Flora said. “I hope I had a part in that.”
Bob Flora showed off his father’s experimental 1920s radio as the elder Flora declared it the “grandfather of the modern radio frequency cavity.”
For the first time, the celebration recognized the valor of soldiers from other nations: veterans from the Russian army and air force, the Turkish army and two from the South Korean army attended.
“Sometimes it’s surprising to find who has served,” said Fermilab General Counsel and retired Air Force Col. Gary Leonard, who gave the welcome address. “It’s a whole part of our lives.”
Members of East Aurora High School’s Navy Junior ROTC program provided the color guard while veterans saluted during the national anthem. This was followed by a recording of “Taps,” in memory of the veterans’ fallen brethren.
Leonard acknowledged the volunteers who made the event possible. “It goes to show the basic spirit of the GI: We want something to happen, so let’s go do it!” he said.
-- Sara Reardon
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| Members of the East Aurora H.S. Junior ROTC color guard stand at attention. Photo credit: Sara Reardon. |
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