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On Sunday, Monday and Tuesday I was privileged to attend the dedication of the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. I wouldn't take a million dollars for this wonderful experience.
When you walk through the entrance of the memorial, you immediately feel the pride, fast heartbeat and the sadness for the ones who didn't get to see such beauty created in their honor.
What an honor it was to see my husband's name and picture in print. He served in North Africa in the 5th Army.
I sat one row behind 10 veterans who had won the Purple Heart, and all around me were veterans in their uniforms. I felt so honored. As with many other women during World War II, I also worked for the war effort by working for the Hoover Co., which made parts for the atom bomb.
One of the veterans' daughters was a reporter, and she sat with me during the dedication. She bought me lunch. Two young ladies who were with their grandfather, who was in uniform, paid my taxi fare. Breakfast at the hotel was free to everyone attending the dedication. The janitor drove me free to the airport.
People couldn't have been nicer to a veteran's wife. Thank you, Washington, D.C., and all veterans everywhere.
There was a small, insignificant article on the front page of the Clearwater Times Monday about the power being out for an hour Sunday on Island Estates and North Clearwater Beach. It ended by saying this is the second such outage in two days.
Someone is covering up a much larger story. On Saturday evening around 6 p.m. the electricity was off for more than two hours, then went on and off several times. Then at 10:30 p.m., it was off again for a long period, and I could see from Island Estates that the north end of Clearwater Beach was dark also. It eventually came on again and went off again during the night.
Progress Energy trucks were all over the place. Some of the condos had generator problems because they ran so long on and off.
Progress Energy has a big problem out here that it would probably like to keep quiet.
On Flag Day, June 14, at noon the VFW, the city of Indian Rocks Beach and the Clearwater Chapter of the Military Officers Association will come together for the third annual Flag Retirement Ceremony at the Nature Preserve, 903 Gulf Blvd. (between 9th and 10th avenues) in Indian Rocks Beach.
An honor guard will take us through all of the steps of the proper retirement of flags that have become torn and tattered.
This year a 48-star flag which is more than 80 years old will be presented to Mayor Bob DiNicola for preservation. Lunch will be served.
Call the VFW at (727) 596-8959, Indian Rocks Beach City Hall at (727) 595-2517, or Victor Wood at (727) 593-3573.
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