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WWII veteran Joe Markus, left, and Tom Shackelford raise one of the flags at Cordes Lakes' Avenue of Flags during a ceremony Friday to commemorate 9-11.
BBNPhoto/Pat Williamson |
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By Pat Williamson
Big Bug News
Cordes Lakes enjoyed quite a turn-out for a flag raising in remembrance of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Volunteers quickly raised the flags with help from Noah Bruant, 11, and Julius and Bryce Rummage, ages 10 and 11.
Cordes Lakes resident Ed Krystenack weeded the area to make it easier to walk down the flag row.
The group, led by Chaplain Robert Canell, included servicemen and women, past and present, in prayer. The event also marked the space for a new POW flag, dedicated to Joe McCray, 96. McCray served in WWII and spent time in a Japanese prison camp.
During breakfast at C.J.'s Diner after the ceremony, Jerry Schultz provided complimentary beverages for all. Four WWII veterans joined the group, including McCray, Joe Markus, Virgil Leach and Ron Johnson.
Each shared their thoughts about 9-11.
Joe Markus, who was in Corregidor, among other places, during the war, joined the day after Pearl Harbor. He lost his two brothers in the war, watched two of his gun crews shot down and suffered a mortar blast that severely injured his right eye. He came home with amnesia. He said he thinks politicans knew about about 9-11 and covered it up.
Virgil Leach was drafted in 1944. He went to Germany with the 80th Infantry and was assigned to the Germany POWs. Virgil said 9/11 was a horrible loss of lives and destruction of property. He said he wonders how Washington could let it happen, as the counter-intelligence should be much better now than WWII.
McCray also enlisted the day after Pearl Harbor. He saw a lot of action during the war, flew in many missions, and was a POW. He said someone "missed the boat" on 9-11.
Johnson lied about his age to enlist and didn't get found out for quite some time. He said he feels 9-11 was preventable, and would not have happened if intelligence agencies had shared information.
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