I made a hospital visit to an elderly, dying man several years ago. We had known each other but we're not close. He began to ask me questions about my family. When I mentioned that my mother's maiden name was Bagley he was taken aback. He asked if I knew Jim Bagley.
When I said yes he told me a story.
"It was 1944 in the Philippines..." The U.S. army position was being over run by the Japanese. For the unit to survive someone had to stay behind and draw fire while the others escaped. My uncle, PFC James Bagley, volunteered to stay behind. During that night he was shot 6 times. A piece of shrapnel destroyed his right eye. He recounted how a Japanese soldier rolled him over poised to bayonet him. He played dead and the soldier went on.
The next morning reinforcements were brought in. The enemy was driven back and miraculously my uncle was alive and survived.
The man telling me the story would survive the war and go home to raise a family; soon raising a little girl who would someday give birth to the wonderful woman who would become my wife.
I have a beautiful life. A sweet wife. Two awesome little girls. And I owe it to my uncle who paid a high price to secure my future. He didn't know that in that foxhole he was preserving my wife's life.
So to my late uncle Jim Bagley, my late grandfather-in-law John Daily and all veterans - thank you for all the futures you saved.
Here's some of who you served for.
When I said yes he told me a story.
"It was 1944 in the Philippines..." The U.S. army position was being over run by the Japanese. For the unit to survive someone had to stay behind and draw fire while the others escaped. My uncle, PFC James Bagley, volunteered to stay behind. During that night he was shot 6 times. A piece of shrapnel destroyed his right eye. He recounted how a Japanese soldier rolled him over poised to bayonet him. He played dead and the soldier went on.
The next morning reinforcements were brought in. The enemy was driven back and miraculously my uncle was alive and survived.
The man telling me the story would survive the war and go home to raise a family; soon raising a little girl who would someday give birth to the wonderful woman who would become my wife.
I have a beautiful life. A sweet wife. Two awesome little girls. And I owe it to my uncle who paid a high price to secure my future. He didn't know that in that foxhole he was preserving my wife's life.
So to my late uncle Jim Bagley, my late grandfather-in-law John Daily and all veterans - thank you for all the futures you saved.
Here's some of who you served for.
