Memorial Day – a day of reflection and remembrance – a day where we look at where we were then and see where we are now. The day you don’t wish people a Happy Holiday. It isn’t one of those kinds of days. There are the barbecues and the get-togethers; more often than not as a reminder of the ones you used to celebrate with, those who aren’t here anymore.
Being reminded we’ve been at war a lot, even in our lifetimes. Conflicts in places we couldn’t even find on a map, yet the life of a loved one or a brother or sister or father ended there, defending someone or something all in the name of country and duty. It’s often not the big, bold face wars we’re reminded of, but the conflicts, the ones that wind up buried at the bottom of the fourth page; an embassy attacked – peacekeepers ambushed – riots turned deadly.
And there are the ones still living – the ones who left one way and came back another – who came back not quite the same, or came back in pieces; relegated to a lifetime of being reminded of the last good day over and over and trapped amid endless chaos – those are also the loved ones, brothers, sisters and fathers who came alive yet missing. Those are the ones we give thanks to on this day – they didn’t want to do it – didn’t want to be where it was when it went all wrong. Would rather laugh and polish off a six-pack.
So Memorial day isn’t a day of joy and celebration – it’s a reminder that it can, and most likely will, happen over again.
In 1945, as VE Day was being announced and celebrations swept all the allied nations, there were tributes being broadcast; reminders of where we came from and how we arrived at this day. One of those, probably the most famous one, was produced by CBS Radio and made available for repeat broadcast, and most Memorial Days for years and decades to come.
Written and produced by Norman Corwin and featuring a host of Radio notables along with music composed by Bernard Herrmann. Corwin spares nothing and pulls no punches and goes over the top more than once – there are stereotypes and broad stroke conclusions, but understandable in a way, since it was prepared on the fly with a hurriedly assembled cast and not much rehearsal time.
Still, the essence of the program is there – the reminder of why days like this one are important. And in light of our current nature of things, a damning bit of deja vu that yes, it can all happen again. Listen closely for similarities.
So for the next 58+ minutes, dive back to May 1945, 80 years ago and have a listen to just what Memorial day is all about.
Regularly scheduled programming resumes tomorrow:
