SPRINGFIELD — While many look at Memorial Day as the unofficial start of summer, its true meaning is to honor those who paid the ultimate sacrifice fighting for our country.
As reported at 5:00 p.m., News Center 7′s Xavier Hershovitz talked to a 101-year-old World War II veteran about his time in the military and the surprise trip he never thought he’d get to go on.
It’s a Memorial Day tradition at Springfield Masonic Community, placing a flag on the grave of each veteran buried there.
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“I certainly reflect on the fact that it’s a very, very important day,” Don Muncy, a 101-year-old World War II veteran said.
He served with people that are no longer here. He served for 7 years in the Navy and Navy Reserve and both World War II and the Korean War.
“I live in the past now but my mind, My mind is filled with memories,” Muncy said.
He showed News Center 7′s Xavier Hershovitz some of his keepsakes from his military days, which he reflects on now. But he’s looking to the future too.
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“It was a total surprise really,” Muncy said.
To mark 80 years since D-Day, Muncy was selected by American Airlines for an all-expense paid trip to Normandy.
“It’ll certainly be very moving to me. I’m looking forward to it from that standpoint, just the history of it and I can’t realize it been 80 years,” Muncy said.
Muncy became an Air Traffic Controller after his military career, one of the loves of his life.
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One of his early jobs was with American Airlines.
“All of this kind of fits together,” Muncy said.
While his military career never took him to Europe, he says he can’t help but think about all the soldiers who paid the ultimate sacrifice on that beach 80 years ago.
“I’ll certainly be moved by the fact that so many people lost their lives, you know,” Muncy said.
Those soldiers and the soldiers remembered not far from Muncy’s house, are what Memorial Day is truly about.
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