Inscription at the Cemetery at Colleville-sur Mer, France (Omaha Beach):

“Think not upon their passing but remember the glory of their spirit.”

Roy Haskel Wilson was born in 1937 in a small town in Tennessee and attended college at Western Kentucky University, where he enrolled in ROTC.   I met him in the mid-1960s when he was an Army captain and the commanding officer of a battery in the 1st Howitzer Battalion, 138th Field Artillery of the Kentucky Army National Guard.   The 138th Field Artillery was comprised of four Howitzer battalions.   The 2nd Battalion, which fought in Vietnam, is one of the most decorated units in the United States.

Captain Wilson was my commanding officer.   He had a disciplined approach and would not tolerate nonsense.   Yet he had a good sense of humor and was easy to work for if you did your job.   I recall lighthearted conversations with him and the good stories we shared.

In 1967, Captain Wilson was sent to Vietnam.  My recollection is that he volunteered.   Captain Wilson’s tour of duty began on November 26, 1967 and ended on October 22, 1968 in Phong Dinh, South Vietnam.   You will find his name on panel 40W, line 22 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.   Officially, Captain Wilson was listed in sterile terms as a “Hostile Ground Casualty, Vehicle Crash.”

Memorial Day is a time to honor the men and women who died in uniform in the service of the United States.   Personally, I intend to reflect on the ultimate sacrifice of Captain Wilson–I salute you, Sir–and every other military casualty from the American Revolution to Iraq and Afghanistan.   May all of you rest in peace.

May the rest of us reflect today on these men and women who gave their all so we can live safe and free.   Remember the glory of their spirit.

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