Memorial Day 2020

Memorial Day brings out all the patriotic feelings for me! It's also the perfect way to kick-off summer. I feel so blessed to come from a rich heritage of ancestors who valued and fought for our American freedoms. Seeing our flag wave proudly is something I never tire of and hope future generations feel the same. Here's a short tribute to some of my veteran ancestors:

Guy Cloyd Chamberlain

WWII U.S. Navy Veteran

As a senior in high school, Grandpa Chamberlain took a 4 hour military aptitude test. Right before his 18th birthday in July 1943, he received word from the Navy that he passed the test and was wanted at the naval base in San Diego. However, with two brothers already in the war, Grandpa needed to stay home and help on the family farm. He received a six month deferment but was then off to Salt Lake at the start of 1944 and then to basic training in Farragut, ID.

While in Idaho, Grandpa excitedly organized a basketball team which won all their games and proudly earned pennants for each win. Another perk of playing basketball meant no KP duty (kitchen duty) and eating steak dinners each night in the officer's mess hall. From Idaho, Grandpa went to Treasure Island, CA for three months. While at Treasure Island, he became extremely sick, possibly with the mumps (which he'd previously contracted as a child) and then scarlet fever. The night his sickness came to a climax turned into the night, he described, changed his life.

That night he laid alone in a hospital bed, overcome with a severe fever and swollen throat. He couldn't talk or breathe and thought he was going to suffocate! There was no buzzer or way to communicate with anyone for help. All he could do was plead with the Lord, through prayer, to help him. As he suffered through the night, Grandpa felt like someone was in the room with him. That was a night that changed his life! In the morning an attendant found Grandpa, but he was still unable to talk and had a fever of 104 degrees! Even during his physical suffering, Grandpa felt peace and knew the Lord heard his prayer. The Lord comforted him during the night and he received the help he needed in the morning.

Shortly after this experience, Grandpa received word that he was accepted into the Navy officer's training program at the University of Colorado at Boulder. At the University he studied electrical engineering and also played football. But as the war ended, he decided to leave the University and joined the fleet with an assignment on the USS Ticonderoga. Electrical engineering wasn't his first choice of study (he enjoyed civil engineering more) and he also wasn't interested in signing up for 4 extra in the service. While on the USS Ticonderoga, Grandpa traveled to Okinawa to help bring troops home from the war. Grandpa proudly wore his USS Ticonderoga hat throughout the years and had many great experiences from his military service.

Paul Eugene Dahl

WWII U.S. Army Air Force Veteran

Grandpa Dahl enlisted in the Army on March 26, 1946, after finishing his first year of college at the University of Utah. He first trained in Amarillo, TX and then Lowrey Field in Denver, CO before a final transfer to the Roswell Army Air Force Base in Roswell, NM. As part of the RAAF, Grandpa worked as a clerk in the engineering office, keeping records of the B-29's at their base. During Grandpa's service, the United States Air Force was created as a separate service branch. He technically enlisted in the Army, but at the end of his service he was discharged from the Air Force. Since this branch of the military was so new, his discharge was still on Army forms.

While living in Roswell, he received a letter from his mom, asking how he was doing. Her letter mentioned that Grandpa hadn't told her about church lately and she hoped that everything was OK. The nudging from her letter helped Grandpa refocus his priorities. Spending time with friends that weren't influencing him in good ways was having a negative affect on him. He needed to change. Grandpa went back to church the next Sunday and was welcomed with open arms. In fact, he was called as a counselor in the branch presidency and immediately went to work in the branch. He was always grateful for his mother's letter, and knew his parent's influence and prayers guided him to stay on a good path in life.

Grandpa served in Roswell during the supposed UFO crash and alien sighting. He even attended church at the mortuary where the aliens were taken. But Grandpa never saw or heard of the incident until years later (1994) when it became a nationwide sensation.

As his term of enlistment came to a close, Grandpa was asked by his squadron commander to consider re-enlisting. He praised Grandpa on his excellent record of service and stated that he had the qualities they were looking for in building the Air Force branch of the military. Grandpa was flattered by the invitation, but did not have a second thought of re-enlisting. Grandpa Dahl was honorably discharged from the Air Force on October 2, 1947 after serving 18 months.

Grandpa said this about his military service:

"The air force experience was very good for me. It helped me to build a lot of confidence in myself and helped me to develop leadership skills. It also qualified me for the World War II G.I. Bill of Rights that paid for my Bachelor's Degree and most of my first Master's Degree as well as making it possible to purchase our first home in Cedar City. These educational opportunities truly changed my life and opened up opportunities of which I never could have dreamed. Overall, it was one of the most productive periods of my life."

Harold Williams Johnson

WWII Draft Card - 39 years old