Image Up Advertising & Design

| LIFE IN SOLERA | JULY 2024 | 23 Today, June 6th 2024, is the 80th anniversary of the Invasion of Normandy. This day in 1944 marked the beginning of the end for World War II in Europe. Most of us in Solera have relatives who fought in that war. Both my mother and father were in the Army Air Corps back then. During 1942, Dad completed his tour of 25 missions over Germany as a waist gunner on a B-17, part of the 8th Air Force. He was wounded during one of them, recuperated a month, and returned to duty. After the War, he and Mom raised five children and contributed to the success of this great nation. They are now lying side by side in a Veteran's Cemetery near Carson City, Nevada. Nobody has to explain the Greatest Generation to me. On Wednesday mornings at 8 am I'm privileged to be part of the Coffee Group, overseen capably by Board Member George Vawter. A good number of the members are veterans. Our generation's war was the Viet Nam Conflict. This war didn't bring our nation together. It tore us apart. We weren't invaded by an outside enemy. We were thrust into harm's way by bureaucrats, politicians and military generals like Dwight Eisenhower who warned us about the "falling domino principal." In theory, each Southeast Asian country will fall to Communism like dominoes falling into each other unless we make a stand against the threat. Our battlefield was South Viet Nam. The veteran's meeting on Wednesday mornings didn't see or hear an immediate threat to our homeland as they watched college elites, fearing draft notices, rage against our country's involvement in a foreign war. What they heard was a clarion call from our government asking for military assistance. Some of us were drafted. Some, like myself, knowing draft was imminent, joined the Navy for four years. Also, there are those like Ernie Saunders who actually went out and joined the United States Marines, a guaranteed route toward combat action. Driving around the community in his Jeep Wrangler, he still looks like a boot camp drill sergeant. All these guys met the challenge when their country called. Ernie is the reason for the attached flag photo. We always begin our meetings with the Flag Salute. While George scurries around setting up, one of us will grab the Flag from another room for us to salute. Last week, coming to the meeting after swimming, I went to grab the flag and saw it was leaning over a table and the top clip holding the flag to the pole was broken. The only option at the time was to hold the flag to the pole during the salute. To my surprise, Ernie snapped the photo. This week, Ernie presented me with a framed copy of the picture. People who know Ernie realize the picture had nothing to do with me but everything to do with respect for our nation's flag. Back in my Navy days we'd call Ernie a "salty, squared-away jarhead." Let's pray as our nation faces the chaotic world we see today; there are enough people like Ernie and our Coffee Club Veterans when our country calls for help again. ~ Mike Ryan COFFEE GROUP

• Cover