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THE BERNARDS-RIDGE CONNECTION
DEC 2015/JAN 2016
A full service real estate firm handling: • Residential Closings • Commercial Leasing • Loan Modifications & Home Retention • Short Sales • Foreclosure Defense 22 Pine Street • 2nd Floor • Morristown, NJ 07960 • 862-260-8438 • Fax: 973-577-8832 www.lenneylawfirm.com Thomas M. Lenney, Esq. T he Tales My Father Never Told Me! By: Ellyn Mantell He was eighteen years old, and by the standards of the day, a man, ready for battle. He was not unique, countless marched to enlist to protect our country. I know not whether he chose to become a marine, hoo rah, or if they were recruiting in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He, like so many scores of others, had never left home, never seen the world...so perhaps that made becoming a bomber, a bombardier, so exciting (fright- ening?) for him. I can only tell you that for the short amount of years I knew my father, he was fiercely proud of being “there” and yet never said a word about it. While he fought in the south pacific, in the back of a fighter plane, crouched for hours as the plane traveled to the target for the mission, he lost both of his parents, battled depres- sion, battled the enemy, entertained the troops at the base at night with his beautiful voice and talent as a musician, and yet, my sisters and I discovered most of what we know after his early death, so what tales I missed! It occurred to me watching the amazingly wonderful movie UNBROKEN, (produced by Angelina Jolie and adapted from the book by Laura Hillenbrand) that each of the sol- diers, regardless of which country they represented, had their own story to tell, and that this chapter, albeit horrendous and larger than life, was only at the beginning of their book of life, assuming it wasn’t their last chapter. What an interesting con- cept...those who survived, had so much of their lives ahead of them, they were not much older than children, and yet their most harrowing days were to become the piv- otal points for so many chapters to be written. World War II changed everyone’s lives, it is true, but none more so than the young women and men who were THERE. The things they saw, the pain they endured, the survival instincts that saved so many, those are stories that made the legend...and yet, so many never uttered more than a word or two about their experiences, regardless of how many decades they lived thereafter. As I watched UNBROKEN, I was riveted by this man, Louis Zamparini. His family was first generation from Italy, his parents speaking next to no English. Their children trans- lated for them. Coincidentally, when my parents, sister and I returned from our early lives in California, we lived with my grandmother who spoke no English, and she, too, had several interpreters to explain the ways of our country, one very different from her native Poland. My mind returned, as I watched Mama Zamparini prepare gnocchi, to my grandmother preparing our Sabbath dinner, and all of us who were her grandchil- dren, racing home to catch a taste of the fried chicken fat (gribenas) we adored. These are the memories that endured for Louis...that of the foods, the kneading of the dough, the sight of cracking eggs being whisked to a light and fluffy perfection. And those were the stories he shared while adrift on a pontoon for over 40 days with his flight mates who survived being shot down by the enemy. Eventually, those who sur- vived were captured and “treated as an enemy of the country” until their liberation by the allies. We learn that before the war, Louis discovered his incredible ability to run speedier than any other high school athlete, becoming an Olympiad, creating in him the motivation to endure. This was a characteristic his captors identified and despised! For the young soldier in charge of the enemy camps, a personal struggle existed as they compared their determination to survive. Louis’ story became the book that became the movie! His legend is now known for all of eternity. World War II has another face...that of a boy whose family came here for a better life, and then he nearly lost his, countless times. We know Louis’ legend, but my sisters and I barely know our own father’s. Each year over Memorial Day weekend we would travel to Quantico Marine Base so my father could take us to the Px concession store to buy our gum at a discounted price. He would salute all the Marines, and drive around because it was his “right” to do so...and it sure- ly was. He was a bomber who could have been captured or floated away at sea. What horrors did he see? Did he look his enemies in the eyes...enemies as young as he, grown up children? We will never know. He returned, met my mother and they began their lives. He is gone, but if you have someone to ask about their lives...their legend...please do so, because there may be tales you have never been told! Repairs, Accessories, Sales and Lessons 6 E. Main Street, (Dickens Lane) Clinton, NJ 08809 908-894-5332 clintonguitars.com MONTGOMERY ACADEMY “WHERE YOU CAN BE YOURSELF” 188 Mount Airy Road, Basking Ridge, NJ www.montgomeryacademyonline.org 908-766-0362 Educating children with special needs for over 40 years! Here’s some of what we offer: • Serving Ages 5-21 • Differentiated, IEP Driven Instruction • Departmentalized HS Program • Community-Based Vocational Training In 20+ job sites • School Wide Integrated Support Community • Integrated Social Skills to Develop Pro-Social Behaviors • Supported Lunch Program • Strengths-Based Skills Development • Music, Art and Performance • Afterschool Activities • Safe and Accepting Environment www.theconnectionsnj.com