Ray Scheibe is pictured (to the left) in this May 1953 photo taken by my dad, Elvern Kletscher.
WHO WILL YOU REMEMBER on Memorial Day?
I will think of my dad’s Army buddy, Cpl. Ray W. Scheibe, killed by an exploding mortar on June 2, 1953, the day before he was to return home from war to his wife and new baby girl in Nebraska.
A story about Cpl. Ray W. Scheibe, published in the July 23, 1953, issue of The Wolbach Messenger.
I will think of this man who served his country on the battlefields of Korea.
I will think of this man who died a horrible death in a region where the threat of war still exists.
I will think of Ray’s daughter, Teri, whom I searched for and found seven years ago in southwestern Iowa but have yet to meet.
I will think of the grief and pain of so many whose loved ones never returned home from war. These are heavy, deep thoughts laced with patriotism and gratitude and conflict.
My dad carried home a July 31, 1953, memorial service bulletin from Sucham-dong, Korea. In the right column is listed the name of his fallen buddy, Raymond W. Scheibe.
My dad came back to Minnesota, walking, living, breathing, yet suffering. Teri’s dad returned to Nebraska. Dead. On Monday, I will remember him and the ultimate sacrifice he made for country.
FYI: Please click here to read my 2010 story about Ray Scheibe and my efforts to find his daughter.
© Copyright 2017 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Thank you for the reminder of those who served and sacrificed.
Writing this post is the least I can do.
I will think of my dad, his brothers and my cousins. I was watching the video yesterday of the solider placing flags next to the graves in Arlington – made me pause for a thank you and for my freedom. I will be waving (maybe even wearing) the red, white and blue this weekend. I need to add a flag to the house or a touch of blue (have red and white on display). Thank you to your father and his buddy for serving their country. Happy Memorial Day!
Thank you to all of your family members who served and for your gratitude and patriotism.
My dad contracted an unknown tropical disease in New Guinea. A lot of guys did. It cost him sight in one eye, his sense of smell and taste and left him with a lifetime of COPD for which the government compensated him by mailing us a brown envelope containing a $1 each month.
“I was lucky,” he once told me, “It saved my life. They shipped me stateside to work as a guard in a prison camp, if I remained with my unit… well, they were wiped out in the Philippines.”
“So who were those guys?” I asked him.
“None of your damned business,” he snapped.
Thanks for sharing this story, among those we never hear.
May they rest in peace they who have tendered the ultimate sacrifice and to all those who have served
to protect, defend and preserve the freedoms of this great nation which so often go unappreciated!
Thank you, Jake, for those honoring words.
What a tough memory for your dad to live with! Losing a friend in that way. We will be remembering all those who have sacrificed their lives for our country and also my grandma who passed away on Memorial Day 18 years ago. She was at a service for Memorial Day, maybe thinking of my grandpa who had died the year before and who had served in WWII, when she took in a deep breath and went to see grandpa in heaven. Loving and missing them this weekend especially.
I am so sorry for your double loss and grateful to your grandpa for his service.
Thank you and prayers for your recovery from your fall!
I sincerely appreciate your prayers.
Thank you for sharing that Memorial, one thing about freedom is sure, it certainly is not free. We must never forget those who gave all, for our freedom.
So true.
I am truly thankful for all those men and women who fought for our freedom.
Me, too.
a compelling story reading your link to a previous post. How gratifying for you making contact with Terri. What a lucky find for you going through your father’s possessions to uncover this connection.
A little sleuthing and I found Terri. Now to meet her.
Just a comment. We need to be thankful to those that served in appreciating and exercising respect, civility and appreciate those rights ensured and endowed to us as a people. American men and especially American women share more cultural, moral, religious, civil and Constitutional Rights than 90% of the women world-wide. Members of the armed forces gave up rights to serve the country. Be very wary of those who, in the name of personal safety and security, ask you to surrender those rights. One does not need to be a member of the armed forces to protect those rights that we all share.
Excellent points. As someone with a journalism degree and experience as a journalist, I am especially cognizant of issues involving freedom and rights.
The loss of my loved ones has been hard to endure but I can’t even imagine how the family’s of our heroes feel. Many thanks to their service to this great country
You have endured a lot and I am sorry for all the pain and grief you’ve experienced.