my uncle, O'Neil Lajoie, a Marine Raider; a picture of the whole family inc. my father, Raymond; my dad in the army; my dad in the 80's
The Lajoie Boys Meet Alive!
We are re-printing this for future Independence Days!
I am writing this on Veterans Day, November 11, 2011: 11/11/11. At school, they asked if there were any veterans in our family that we would like remembered, listed and prayed for in honor of Veterans Day. There are very many veterans in my extended family, but I knew who I wanted them to mention. I thought of two men and one amazing incident in particular.
My uncle O'Neil was a remarkable man, filled with JOY, fun, humor, industriousness and faith. His large family and the wonderful company he started speak of his powerful influence to bring good into the world. He and my father, Raymond, were young men when Pearl Harbor happened. They, like so many French-Canadians in Augusta were soon off to the Pacific theatre of the war.
O'Neil was in the elite forces of the Marines, a Marine Raider, those who went ashore first. My father was an Army Sergeant who was admired and depended upon by his men. They both ended up in the hell that was the Battle of Guadalcanal. (My father did NOT like to talk about those days on the islands. He let slip some things, like the trench foot, the close-up fighting, the hunger, the smell of the enemy, the prayer.) At any rate, the months of that battle were finally over and each brother had heard devastating news: each had heard the other had been killed. But then both of their units did roll call near each other. As the roll was being called they heard each other's names and...RESPONSES! They rushed to hug each other, someone took a picture and it ended up in the the hometown paper, the Kennebec Journal, or, so I am told. We, their children, stand in benefit of their miraculous survival, will and faith. All who have been touched or blessed in any way by us, or by Living Waters music, for instance, are entirely beholden to these brave veterans.
May we always remember and treasure the gift of our country, and the veterans in our lives who have insured its survival to a new generation, and beg the Good God to have mercy on our country in its great peril. Till we meet alive again - God willing - in Heaven.
