bulletman
Last friday i went to a funeral for support for my wife, ordinarily i try to avoid them. I've met the the deceased a few times as my wife looked after him and his wife through age care. his name is/was Eugene ( Gene ) McClarty, he was 96 years old, a survivor of Pearl Harbour, he was sailor on the USS Downes which was a obliterated, he managed to get off saving a fellow sailor from falling to his death, eventually he was assigned for the rest of the war on the USS Bagley including heavy engagements in the Battle of Midway and the Coral Sea,and later the Korean war. Whilst on shore leave in Sydney he met his future Aussie Wife --'Bobby. After the war in 1946, Bobby and Gene were married in Philadelphia and lived in Newport Rhode island where thier son was born in 1948 until his retirement from the U.S.N. in 1962, they moved to Sydney then on to Adelaide, South Australia in 1983 to be closer to their son and his family, he spent the last four years along with his wife in a nursing home, Bobby died just seven weeks ago, sorry to be long winded but i had alot of respect for him. aAnt way i went to the funeral and i was taken back at the number of American Officers of the Army, Airforce and of course the Navy who are stationed in Australia along with Officers of the Royal Australian Navy, it was a tear jerker, the eulogy was done by the highest ranking Officer in Australia, Lt. Commander of the American Navy, who did the 13 folds of the American Flag which was drapped over the coffin given to his son, Ameican National Anthem was sung along with Waltsing Matilda, and what got my wife blubbering, The Last Post, i never expected to see a Military funeral, i think all Americans should be proud of their Countryman, i know i am honoured to know Gene a true Hero and Gentleman. PS Gene retired as a Chief Petty Officer.
7 Answers
Colleen
jhharlan
Bob/PKB
What a remarkable man and story you have shared, Kent. The honor that goes into a military funeral is touching and impressive. There are tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat. I am grateful to all who have served in US uniforms throughout history. Each one put his/her life in jeopardy, bottom line, for our freedom and safety. I'll believe this, no matter what anybody says to the contrary.
My dad was stationed in Africa during WWII, in charge of the motor pool. Didn't see any combat, but that makes me no less proud of his contribution.
| 10 years ago. Rating: 9 | |
Tommyh
bustieone
Kent, very nice and deserved tribute to one of our many American Heros. Thanks for representing us at the service. My father-in-law also served in Aus. he was in Townsville, where he met and married his wife. She recently arrived in Heaven to join him again. She followed him with my wife, who was a 7 mo. war baby, back to RI, where she spent the rest of her 89 years, an American, but an Aussie to death!
| 10 years ago. Rating: 6 | |
nomdeplume
mycatsmom
Thank you, Bullet man for posting that. It's always a tribute to the deceased who are real elderly, if there's crying adn mourning at their funeral.And that was nice that they played the American National Anthem along with Waltzing Matilda. We learned the latter in grade school.Always loved that song.
| 10 years ago. Rating: 3 | |
