Want to see my Grandpa’s War Medals?

Back in 1999 or so I was having a conversation with a few co-workers; the topic – World War II.  Then from across the room we hear, “Hey my grandfather was in the war.  He was a pilot.  I’ve got all his medals.  Wanna see em?”

It was Walt.  Normally a rather quiet guy, he was showing unusual animation.  He was so excited we couldn’t resist.  “Sure, bring em in.”

“Ok, I’ll bring em in tommorrow!”

I wasn’t really that interested in seeing the medals.  I figured they’d be some generic looking awards; like the kind you get when you compete in a boy scout jamboree.  Nothing special; just run-of-the mill – “you done your service” – type medals.  But, Walt was so enthusiastic, I felt he deserved an audience and – who knows – maybe they’ll be something special after all; something to talk about; something impressive.

The next day at work, sometime in mid-morning, Walt announced, “Hey I got my grandfathers medals from World War II.  Who wants to see them?”

I’d forgotten all about it.  I’d forgotten he was going to bring them in.  But, now that the medals were here at work, I answered his call, “Ok, Walt, I’ll have a look.”

Walt sauntered over to my work station holding a thin jewelry box in his hand.  He cupped the box so gently as he made his way across the room.  As he walked towards me a group of co-workers followed.  The scene made me think of geese flying in formation with Walt in the lead.  By the time he got over to my side of the room, he had a crowd; all circled around like kids at a schoolyard show-and-tell.

I watched closely as Walt lovingly opened the thin jewelry box.  As he lifted the cover I got a reflection from the metal.  Then I re-focused and it all looked very strange.  The medals – three of them – were strange looking; like nothing I’d ever seen before.  They looked odd.  They looked like medals you’d see on a Star Trek episode; something you’d award to a heroic Klingon.  They looked cool.  They looked serious.  They looked tough.  They looked old.  They looked foreign.

The more I looked, the more confused I became.  Thoughts raced through my mind, “Wow, they had cool looking medals back in WWII.  The ones nowadays look ordinary compared to these.  I wonder what squadron he was in?  I wonder if each squadron had their very own medals?  I wonder if these medals are for some secret bombing mission?  Yeah, maybe that’s why they look so odd, yet so cool!”

I should have been able to figure it out, but I didn’t.  My mind was focused on what I thought was the correct answer and therefore I kept looking for solutions that fit what I already believed.  Therefore I was confused.  Until Walt straightened me out.

“My grandfather was a pilot in the Luftwaffe!  He was in the German Air Force.”

I had all I could do to keep my balance as the shock from this reality hit whipped me back on course.  My mind had been working hard trying to figure out how to match up these “odd” looking medals with someone serving in the US Army Air Forces during WWII.  And, my mind couldn’t do it.  Walt’s declaration brought me back to reality.

And, then I let out an almost involuntary response, “YOUR GRANDFATHER WAS IN THE GERMAN AIR FORCE?”  I managed to say it in a low voice, but inside I was yelling!  I wasn’t upset; just surprised – pleasantly surprised.  Walt played it beautifully.  I don’t think he was trying to introduce a twist or a surprise – but he did.  And, he did it brilliantly – I loved it.

Walt was very proud, “Yeah, he was a good pilot.  He survived the war and lived a long life.  He was a good man.”

I’ve never forgotten Walt and his grandfather’s medals.  I thought it was the coolest thing; the coolest twist; the coolest surprise.