Memorial Day Preview

One of the blessing of living in a small town is that traditional American values are still alive and well here. I went to (yet another) high school awards program last night, this one for scholarship recipients. In keeping with our 'help your neighbor' traditions, many local organizations raise funds and award them to deserving students. However, there are two scholarships that deserve special note as we near Memorial Day.

The first is the Captain Mark Tyler Voss Memorial Award. Tyler was a 2004 graduate of the local high school. He went on to graduate from the Air Force Academy in 2008. He died in a plane crash supporting operations in Afghanistan just over a year ago. I told that story here and here.

The memory of that loss is still fresh. This is a small community, where most folks have at least a nodding acquaintance with everyone else. Many local residents came together to honor Tyler by establishing a fund to help young people achieve their dreams. Captain Voss' parents were on stage to make the first scholarship presentation. His mother was the epitome of poise and grace, even though her sorrow was plain for all to see. His father just stood in the background and stayed silent, a strong, proud man suffering unimaginable pain.

That auditorium must have been full of dust, because just about everyone in it was sniffling and tearing up.


Less raw, but still poignant, was another memorial scholarship. This one is in honor of Captain Harold G. "Hal" Lynch, a WWII veteran.

Harold G. "Hal" Lynch, age 85, died on January 17, 2005 in San Antonio, Texas.

Born in Hartford, CT on March 30th, 1919, Hal grew up in Greenwich, CT before attending Springfield College, graduating in 1941. He then joined the old Army Air Corps.

During World War II, he flew 54 combat missions over Europe with the 57th Bomb Wing, before being shot down over the Brenner Pass in Northern Italy. His B-25 crew was imprisoned in a POW camp near Nuremberg, Germany. Hal escaped from the camp and returned to his outfit to finish out the war.

Discharged as a Captain, he held the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Purple Heart, six Air Medals, a Presidential Unit Citation and the POW Medal.

Hal returned to his native Connenticut after the war. Several years later, tired of the cold winters, he moved to San Antonio. He was a successful local businessman and stayed active in civic affairs until his death. After he passed away friends and associates established The Hal Lynch Memorial Scholarship Foundation.

As Memorial Day approaches, we would do well to remember our veterans not just on one day of the year, but every day. As these two Americans remind us, they are part of our daily lives - before, during, and after their service. The good that they do lingers on long after they are gone.