Bond of Honor
I did not serve in the military. I’m not sure anyone in my generation of my extended family did. However, we were very aware of those who did serve. As a family from the South, many of my ancestors served, and some died, during the Civil War. Both of my grandfathers served during the First World War, one during the St. Mihiel campaign and the other stateside.
My father served as a turret gunner on a B-29 crew in the Pacific during the Second World War. His brother served in Korea during that conflict.
Six months before my father passed away, we traveled together to Dayton, Ohio to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base for the reunion of the 19th Bomber Group of the US Air Force. I wrote the following account of our time.
Honor
Published October 27, 2009
Last week I spent several days with my father at a reunion of the men and women who served in the 19th Bomb Group of the US Air Force. My father served on a B-29 crew in the Pacific theater during World War II. Almost one hundred people met in Dayton, Ohio at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, which is located at Wright Patterson Air Force base. They came together for their annual reunion to dedicate a memorial monument to the men and women who serve the nation as members of this 19th.
A gathering like this automatically makes one think of scenes from films like Band of Brothers, Saving Private Ryan, and Memphis Belle. I went with video camera in hand, hoping to get some epic stories of heroic feats of courage and daring-do. Instead, I heard simple stories of friendship and the challenges of war.
Those of us who did not serve in the military may think of these men and women as heroes for their courage and sacrifice in the face of violent death. They don’t see it that way. Instead, they view their service as a duty to their country. And at the heart of their dedication is a lifelong principle of living with honor. They live to remember those with whom they served who lost their lives in battle or those through whom their own lives were saved through the heroism of others.
One man told me that his dedication to the 19th Association is partly due to his childhood friend with whom he enlisted. His friend became a pilot, and he was an engineer. His friend lost his life in a Japanese POW camp as he was beheaded in the aftermath of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima.
Another man, well into his 90’s, did not serve in the US military, but was a Dutchman working in Java, Indonesia at the outbreak of the war. He and his family were evacuated to Australia by the 19th, thus saving them from spending the war as prisoners. He joined the 19th Association to honor those who saved his life and the life of his family.
Also present was a legendary figure in the 19th, Ed Whitcomb, former governor of Indiana, who three times escaped Japanese capture. Once as a POW on Corregidor, he escaped by swimming ten miles across shark-infested waters to the island of Bataan.
They have been called The Greatest Generation for their service and sacrifice in World War II. While true, after spending several days with them, I came to my own understanding. I believe they are the greatest generation because they understand the principle of honor.
Honor is an ancient virtue that has two aspects. The first and most important is that of being a person of honor. Wikipedia describes honor
as the evaluation of a person’s trustworthiness and social status based on that individual’s espousals and actions. Honor is deemed exactly what determines a person’s character: whether or not the person reflects honesty, respect, integrity, or fairness.
The second kind of honor is one of dedication to a person or an ideal that has meant something to us. To honor someone as we live is an act of gratitude. It is the recognition and appreciation of another person’s influence and impact on us. It is this kind of honor that I saw in the people I met.
Now, imagine with me for a moment what it would be like if honor of both kinds were present in your organization. What would the work ethic, the decision processes, and the leadership be like? What would happen if people were honored for their service to the company? Not honored at retirement, but honored randomly so that it had meaning and impact?
If this topic seems far off and unfamiliar to you, find someone who served in the military during the Second World War, and talk with them about the importance of their friendships. If that is not an option, rent the Band of Brothers series and watch the last segment, which is the documentary on the actual unit the story is about. What you’ll discover is that the bond of friendship is the foundation for a life of honor.
Does friendship have a place in the world of business and organizations? Of course, it does. Then honor has a place too.
Code of Honor
Maybe we need a Code of Honor to ritualize the recognition of honor in our society. This code will differ from person to person, family to family, company to company, and culture to culture. But this code, by focusing on remembrance and recognition, could provide a way for honor to become a greater part of our daily lives.
The code could look something like this.
Honor those who serve.
Remember those who sacrificed for the greater good of the group, the company, the community, and the nation.
Study their sacrifice and emulate it where you can.
Tell their stories to younger generations.
Treat those who serve with respect when you meet them.
Ask Yourself:
How Can I Serve Now?
What am I willing to sacrifice for my community and Nation?
What does Honor mean to me?
How can I live as a person of honor?
How can I recognize those who do live with honor?
To Live with Honor, To Serve Others
… is to be willing to make the sacrifices to strengthen and sustain our communities and nations during times of transition. If you recognize that we are in a great global transition in the world, then it is important that you understand how important your contribution of service is needed for securing a strong future for our communities and future generations.
When you hear me say, “HONOR,” know now what I mean. May each of us be worthy of the gratitude of remembrance to honor our lives of service and impact.
This: "Now, imagine with me for a moment what it would be like if honor of both kinds were present in your organization. What would the work ethic, the decision processes, and the leadership be like? What would happen if people were honored for their service to the company? Not honored at retirement, but honored randomly so that it had meaning and impact?"
Thank you for this referential tutorial. Present day culture needs the inoculation.