Dear Editor:

I am writing regarding Joe Gelarden’s Memorial Day article where his last three words were: “Happy Memorial Day.”

I am a Gold Star family. My uncle and namesake, William Friend Emery, 19 years old, served on the USS Indianapolis CA-35. Uncle Bill was one of the 879 men, who were killed in action and lost at sea, when a torpedo sunk the Indy in twelve minutes two weeks before World War II ended.

The words “Happy” and  “Memorial Day” should never be put together. For Gold Star families, Memorial Day is a day of sadness and grief. Even though I never met my uncle and namesake, I carry the emotional weight of sorrow from my family and his friends who loved Bill Emery, including his fiancé, his parents, grandparents, friends, teammates, and especially his older brother and best friend, my Dad.

I am grateful that I was invited to speak at the Southport Memorial Library on Veterans Day last year, and share the USS Indianapolis history and tragedy, and personalize who my uncle, namesake and hero was. But there were moments where I became very emotional, and had to walk a very tight emotional tightrope.

Brigadier General J. Stewart Goodwin, (USAF ret.), who is the executive director of the Indiana War Memorial, and fellow USS Indianapolis Honorary Survivor, wrote me and my fellow Indy CA-35 family members last week. Here is a portion of his email:

“Freedom is something most citizens seldom think about. In the history of our great nation, 1.1 million Americans have died in wars from the Revolutionary War to today. A recent national survey asked: ‘What is the meaning of Memorial Day?’ The results were 75%, or three out of four did not know the answer. Please do not say ‘Happy Memorial Day’ but say: ‘Remember Memorial Day’ for the souls of the fallen and their families who have suffered so much. We would also ask you to take some time and speak with your children about freedom. They were paid for heroes and patriots, along with their families sacrifices.”

Michael W. Emery

Concord, Massachusetts