“When I went to Joe Viola’s funeral in October 2013, I saw his son Rich who I knew very well during our high school years together. I told him that his dad, Joseph Viola, had never told me about his experience, but that he had given me some general information on his service finally at the VFW dinner in the winter of 2013.
Rich said his dad had never talked about his service, but then as is usually the case, I have found, Rich said “You know one time he mentioned that he had been in a fox hole for five days with ten guys and was the only guy to come out alive. The guy next to him he said had his head blown off.” 
Rich, like my self, cannot comprehend such an experience not having ever been in combat. It only registers to us at the time as a “comment”, but when you think of what that comment means to the person's experience is beyond ones comprehension, unless you have experienced combat and sometimes only after your ‘dad’, the soldier, passes away, can you reflect on the meaning of what he said.

Let us never forget the soldier's sacrifice.

Written by:
Bob Meli
January 30, 2014