My Father's Medals
A legacy of "exemplary behavior, efficiency, and fidelity"
I
recently inherited my father's medals from World War II. He served in
Israel and Egypt with the Army. (I find it amazing that my father, a
man from a family of modest means, was able to visit the Holy Land, all
expenses paid by Uncle Sam.) From what I can determine, his medals are
those of the common soldier. There is no Purple Heart for surviving
injury. No Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism. No
Medal of Honor for "conspicuous gallantry."
He received a couple
service bars and a "Good Conduct" medal. The official criteria for
receiving a Good Conduct Medal lists "exemplary behavior, efficiency,
and fidelity." I think most soldiers received them if they didn't do
too much drinking and carousing.
I'm proud of my father, now in
Glory. He was a quiet man who left a sweetheart in Iowa to answer his
country's call. I'm thankful, of course, that he made it back home to
become a husband and father.
Dad talked very little about his
time in the service. I guess that is true of many veterans. He
continued to live a life of service, but it was more to his Lord than
to his country. He used his accounting skills as church treasurer and
contributed his beautiful tenor to the choir. He loved teaching Sunday
school and he helped lead the church as an elder.
His life was not
the kind to inspire books or garner wide acclaim. But it was the kind
of life in which God delights. Isaiah 66:2 says, "This is the one I
esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my
word."
It's hard to imagine Jesus pinning medals to my
father's chest, but the apostle Paul does tell us about the awards that
await the faithful. He says in 2 Timothy 4:7,8, "Now there is in store
for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge,
will award to me on that day-and not only to me, but also to all who
have longed for his appearing."
My father and his faithful
service remind me of the many Navigators who serve Christ around the
world. They don't work for medals or awards, only to hear their Master
say, "Well done" (Matthew 25:21).
Rebecca K. Grosenbach is a staff writer for The Navigators. She welcomes your comments at becky.grosenbach@navigators.org
