World War II veterans speak of the importance of the flag
Bob Ramos served in the US Army in both Europe and the Pacific during World War II. He later served in the Air Force during the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Ramos says he takes pride in his time carrying, and serving under the America flag.
Oliver Willoughby, a World War II Navy veteran gathers with students and fellow veterans to recognize the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War at the George E. Wahlen Ogden Veterans Home on Thursday, April 9, 2015.
Bob Ramos, a veteran of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War rings a handbell for four minutes in recognition of the four years of the Civil War at the George E. Wahlen Ogden Veterans Home on Thursday, April 9, 2015. Veterans at the home rang handbells while students from the neighboring West Weber Elementary School rang the bell tower.
OGDEN — Ninety-year-old Bob Ramos shines his shoes every day and he almost always wears an embroidered custom uniform that outlines all of his military service, in both the Army and the Air Force shortly after that branch of service was created.
One of a shrinking few World War II veterans, Ramos has a special reverence for the flag of a country that drafted him twice.
“I get emotional,” Ramos said as he explained how it was in basic training in the Army at 18 years of age that he gained a respect for the red, white and blue.
“The flag appeared before me more and more because we carried the flag and the flag was visible everywhere,” Ramos said, noting that eventually he earned the honor of being his unit’s designated flag carrier.
“I soon learned that the American flag was the symbol of freedom,” Ramos said. “Display that symbol, speak for that symbol.”
In honor of Flag Day today, Ramos and other veterans who are residents of the George E. Wahlen Veterans Home spoke about their feelings for the flag.
This year, Ogden will get an additional opportunity to honor the flag as organizers of the Ogden Pioneer Day Parade on July 24 are making an effort to encourage all entries to fly the flag during the parade.
BENJAMIN ZACK/STANDARD-EXAMINER
Photos Bob Ramos and his family cover his dressers at the George Wahlen Veteran’s Home in Ogden. Ramos served in the US Army in both Europe and the Pacific during World War II. He later served in the Air Force during the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
Photos Bob Ramos and his family cover his dressers at the George Wahlen Veteran’s Home in Ogden. Ramos served in the US Army in both Europe and the Pacific during World War II. He later served in the Air Force during the Korean and Vietnam wars.
Ramos is one man who makes a point of trying to help at least one person a day. He was excited to speak about the flag in hopes that his efforts would inspire others.
He hopes to inspire those who fly the flag to also take good care of the symbol.
“I know of a flag in Layton and it’s tattered, the edges have become frayed,” Ramos said. “One time, I stopped and told them, ‘You should replace the flag. You people are not taking care of that with pride.'”
Ramos also hopes to inspire younger generations to show respect for the flag.
“They don’t know how to show respect. It saddens me,” he said. “That symbol is worldwide, worldwide. … It is a flag that has been in all world wars. … It is there to help you gain freedom.”
He said the flag is a symbol for freedom of expression.
The son of Mexican immigrants, Ramos said his American citizenship has meant everything to him and he raised all of his children and grandchildren to respect the flag.
“Look up the word pride in the dictionary and you will see my picture,” he said.
Becky Wright, Standard-Examiner
A flag ceremony was held before the start of the Run for the Wounded benefit at the veterans home in Ogden, on May 23, 2015.
A flag ceremony was held before the start of the Run for the Wounded benefit at the veterans home in Ogden, on May 23, 2015.
Other veterans at the George E. Wahlen Veterans Home also shared similar sentiments about the flag.
Ollie Willoughby, 91, remembers fighting with the U.S. Navy in places like in the Pacific southwest or the Solomon Islands during World War II “like it was yesterday.”
During the war, he said service members put up “great big” flags during the battles.
Among Willoughby’s memories are fighting in the Battle of Guadalcanal, where his ship was sunk.
“We were nine hours in the water,” he said.
Then, he recalls being stranded on the beach for three weeks with the Japanese bombing them every day.
“I tell you, I can really run through those coconut trees,” he said.
He said the flag makes him feel good. “Sometimes, it even kind of makes me choke,” he said.
Having toured much of the world, especially in Europe, Willoughby said he believes the United States is still the best, but he’s hoping people will begin to take notice and reverse recent trends.
“We are still the best in the world,” he said. “I don’t know how we are going to make it the next 18 months. … It seems like a lot of what we fought for is going down the drain.”
Roy Tsuya can’t remember if he is 92 or 93 but he remembers exactly when the American flag became important to him.
“I was away in the military and I came back and I saw the flag. I started to cry,” he said.
Tsuya served in Italy and France for two years during World War II.
“It was Old Glory,” he said, still recalling that first sighting of the flag on American soil. “That was the only time I had a feeling of a flag.”
He said he is sad to hear about people who today say the flag doesn’t mean anything.
“But it does,” he said. “I fought for the flag. We died for the flag. It means something to you.”
You may reach reporter JaNae Francis at 801-625-4228. Follow her on Twitter at JaNaeFrancisSE. Like her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SEJaNaeFrancis.