John A. Flick
“I guess if you’re stupid enough to join the army without thinking about getting shot, you really are a fool,” said James Blunt. But John was no fool. He joined and served his country, and became a hero. All military men are. But what made John so spectacular? Were John’s thoughts or actions special? Or was the idea that he sacrificed his life for a beloved country he had known so great?
John was like any other child. He was born in Rudolph on November 19, 1915. He had a mom, a dad, and three brothers. One of his brothers was even an infantryman! He went to SS. Peter, Paul Catholic School, and the Lone Birch School. Before the army, John worked at a fur farm in Mosinee.
Evidently, John wanted to go into the army, like his brother. He trained in camps in the U.S. After that John went overseas to France. Somehow he was missing in action, or M.I.A. Then he was pronounced dead. The parents got the telegram of his death very, very close to what would have been his 29th birthday.
What is even sadder than that is he had no way to communicate during the war. Could you imagine going overseas and not being able to talk to your mother or father or siblings? He most likely did not see the changes in current events. During the war, the presidents changed from Franklin Roosevelt to Harry Truman! There were battles being fought in other places, like the Battle of Britain and British and Italian forces fighting in Egypt, he did not know about either!
Even though those things may seem major, John couldn’t hear about those events.
As John A. Flick is at rest, we know he served us well. He fought and bled for us. He traveled overseas just to make sure we were protected. Even though John did not and could not realize what was happening, he was still a part of it. Could military men, like John and his brother, be the biggest, bravest heroes of all?
Dani Sopiarz, Student
Marshfield Junior High
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