Memorial Day

I have a theory that if you look into the life of just about anyone born between 1910 and 1920, you’ll find a hero. I was reminded again the other day when I heard about the death of Dick Martin, half of the team of Rowan & Martin who hosted the popular late-60s show Laugh-In.

I read up on him and also on his partner, Dan Rowan, and discovered that Rowan was a fighter pilot in the Pacific in WWII. I shouldn’t have been surprised. Service back then was so common as to be unremarkable. Still, it’s amazing to me how often we only learn about people’s service when they die. Longtime Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry was a bomber co-pilot completed 30 missions over Germany. Mime Marcel Marceau helped smuggle Jewish children out of occupied France. Even the cross-dressing worst directory ever, Ed Wood, was a Marine who stormed the beach at Tarawa.

There are many, many veterans who were not so well known, and to them, we give our thanks.

Update: Dick Martin lost the use of his right lung when he was 18 (1939 or 1940), so that may be the reason I can’t find a record of any military service.