Remembering veterans

When you turn to Page 4 and read the obituary notices in this week’s News Letter Journal, you will learn that our community recently lost two veterans. 
Lyle Sylte was drafted and served in World War II. Cal Huber was a veteran of the Korean War where he was awarded a Purple Heart after being wounded twice by mortar explosions. Our condolences go out to the families of both of these men.
Some veterans share their experiences with others, but there are some who will not. Sylte shared his memories and experiences with Michael Troupe in 2018 for an assignment with Mrs. Troftgruben’s English class. The News Letter Journal re-printed this essay in our Nov. 5, 2020, issue. 
Sylte told Troupe the one thing he wanted readers of his story to remember is that war is a terrible thing. It tears families apart, it rips countries apart, and destroys a person’s life. When veterans share their experiences and insight with others it offers important life lessons for all of us, but especially for our youth. Sylte also shared that while coming into the San Francisco Bay and traveling underneath the Golden Gate bridge he thought of how lucky we are to have our freedom, how he missed this great country, and how he never wanted to be gone for that long again. 
We are indeed lucky to have our freedom, and we thank those who serve to ensure our freedom in this great country.               
As this community continues to lose veterans who serve and have served our country every day, let’s hope more veterans share their experiences and words of wisdom with us — and that we learn from them.