Reflections: The Greatest Generation

To walk in the footsteps of the Greatest Generation. How can it even be done? We look toward them with a strange yet compelling mixture of awe and disbelief. Amid anything and everything wrong with our society, the trails blazed by these men and women stand in stark contrast. In their late teens and twenties, they left their homes and communities to take part in one the greatest struggles between good and evil man has ever known. They faced immeasurable hardships, lived with death all around, and often hit their breaking point, yet rose to the challenge for a cause larger than any one of them. When it was over, they returned home and shaped the world. They’ve left an undeniable mark—a mark that today seems so out of reach.

As the lights slowly go out and the last of the Greatest Generation fade away, the question echoes: How can it be done? How can we come anywhere close to accomplishing what they did?

There are defining qualities that characterize each generation, for better or for worse. The Greatest Generation was no different. Anyone who's ever had the privilege to have known one of these men or women would very quickly be able to recall some of these qualities. It is in these reflections that we begin to find our answers.

As I sit in my office in the stillness of the night, I reflect on the life of my grandfather: Staff Sergeant Clyde Wayne Allen. Born in 1926 from humble roots on the outskirts of Joplin, Missouri, he entered into the Americal Infantry Division shortly after high school graduation. He served in the Pacific, specifically the Philippines, and when the war was over served a stint as bodyguard to General Douglas MacArthur. I have never personally known a man such as my grandfather. His moral character, work ethic, faith, love, and care shown to those around him stood second to none. From his life, five themes in particular emerge. They are themes that, though not universal, interweave with many of that Greatest Generation.

What are they, you ask?

1. The Greatest Generation understood what it meant to struggle and yet use the tools in front of them.

It was a generation born into the Great Depression. Hardship existed for all. My grandfather was no different. The son of a miner, he was three years old when Wall Street crashed. Money was tight and a good education at the country school was unavailable. Then when he was only a teenager, his father would pass away after becoming seriously ill. It was these experiences, as well as the understanding that nothing in life comes easy, which marked him and his generation. But down on their luck, they didn’t choose to wallow in self-pity.

They used the tools in front of them.

Need to earn money for your family once your dad dies? Walk eight miles to a bus stop to take you into the city on the weekends for work. Can’t afford a radio? Build one. That’s exactly what my grandfather did. Crafting a crystal radio from scratch, he would first hear of the bombing of Pearl Harbor this way (if you're curious how they operated, see Masters of the Air). It’s that go-getter attitude, always looking for a way to make it work, that helped shape this generation before the hour came when the world would need them most.

2. They did not hesitate to answer the call.

It boggles the mind in a post-Vietnam world just how many men enlisted following the attack on Pearl Harbor, as well as those who were drafted and went without protest nor hesitation. 

In his memoirs, my grandfather wrote about the difficulty and hardship of being eighteen and nineteen years old, going into a war zone. The things you see and experience—destruction, chaos, civilians suffering without food, disease, wounds, death—will stay with you all your life. It’s a scar that remains with them all. Despite all that, he and millions of others rose and met the challenge. Afraid? Absolutely. Able to summon the courage? Without a doubt. They understood what was at stake. Youth, sweethearts, the beginnings of their careers, they left it all behind. There was a job to be done, however, and they would not rest until it was finished. They stormed the beaches of Normandy, trekked through far-flung jungles in the South Pacific, braved the coldest of winters in the Ardennes, and flew high in the skies against Zeros and Messerschmidts, all to answer the call.

It should be noted that those in uniform were not the only ones who stood tall. Those at home did their part rationing for the war effort, buying war bonds, and stepping into roles they’d never before considered. Many women went to work in the defense plants, helping build the aircraft, ships, and tanks needed to win the fight. A consistent theme is true both for the servicemen and women and the citizens on the home front: selfless sacrifice.

3. They had faith in God.

The words of legendary Major Dick Winters ring true: “Every man who has ever been under fire has learned how to pray. I guarantee it… Today’s society prays for personal achievement… We prayed for strength and guidance and leadership. Our first thought was to win the war, our first thought was for freedom for all. For all of society. Second, we were asking for divine help.”

Many understood the odds they and their band of brothers faced each day on the front lines. Many, coming to terms with what mattered most in the midst of death surrounding them, gave their lives to Jesus Christ. That was the story of Staff Sergeant Allen. Accepting Christ as his savior during a service at camp in the Philippines and baptized in the waters of the Pacific, he placed his hope in the One who gave him both a compass to live his life by and a peace that surpasses all understanding. This faith was not a running through the motions or a throwaway cliche for many of the Greatest Generation. It was the well that sustained them in both their hour of need and forever more.

Staff Sergeant Allen (third from left) getting baptized along with several others in the Pacific Ocean

4. They dared to leave a legacy.

Every proceeding generation alive today has benefitted from the fruits of the Greatest Generation’s labor. It goes beyond, however, victory over Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan.

Returning home, my grandfather chose a path that would be incredibly challenging and rewarding: becoming the first in his family to attend college. He worked multiple jobs while taking as much as twenty-two hours a semester. Finally, he graduated from the University of Arkansas with a degree in Business. He would later take a job with Exxon where he worked for over thirty years. Along the way and during retirement, he got married, raised a family, served as a deacon in his church, and played an active role in his grandchildren’s lives. The choices he made left a profound positive impact on both his community and successive generations that cannot be measured.

The same can be said of other WWII veterans who left their mark. The prosperity and achievement of the 20th century we owe to them. They made significant contributions from space travel to improving the standard of living to building strong families, all while seeking to make the world a better place for us all. Resting on their laurels was not an option. A legacy worth leaving was what mattered.

5. They were humble.

They didn’t brag. They didn’t seek fame or recognition. In many cases, they remained silent. 

My grandfather told many stories regarding his time during the war and wrote quite a few down. Our family had thought we’d heard them all, including his time spent guarding General MacArthur. He’d always played down this particular role, though, saying he merely stood guard outside the building and didn’t really speak to him. It was to our surprise, after his death, that we learned his role went further: he’d also been MacArthur’s driver. That’s the way it was with his generation. They knew what they did yet felt no need to obtain recognition.  

The Greatest Generation’s humbleness stands in stark contrast to today’s generation. The constant need (often via social media) to one-up our friends in order to puff up ourselves has become chronic. If only we would emulate our fathers and grandfathers. It’s a lesson we must learn: dare to do great things yet walk humbly.

A Final Reflection

“I cherish the memories of a question my grandson asked me the other day, when he said, “Grandpa, were you a hero in the war?” Grandpa said no, but I served in a company of heroes.” - Major Dick Winters 

Major Winters got it wrong. Both he, my own grandfather Staff Sergeant Allen, and the rest of their fabled generation that sacrificed and selflessly accomplished so much were heroes. To their generation do we owe our gratitude and the privilege to carry on their legacy forevermore.

J.D. Narramore is the author of Cold War spy thrillers Chief of Station and

The Nameless Height. When not writing, he enjoys spending time with his wife, playing golf, eating good BBQ, studying history, and rooting for Texas A&M (Class of '15).