(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Remembering Sgt. Herbert Bilotta On This Memorial Day [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2024-05-27 Today I think of the short life of Sgt. Herbert Bilotta, 12th Armor Division, killed in action, early 1945 in Alsace-Lorraine, France. How he died and for what he died is central to this year’s presidential election. His U.S. Army nomenclature was Sgt. Herbert Bilotta, 12th Armor Division. To my mother’s family living in 1940s Brooklyn, he was just “Herbie,” the kid brother-in-law of my maternal Grandmother; a mischievous kid that tended to get himself into predicaments. Nothing serious, mind .you, just pranks that would often backfire. My Uncle Nicky told me of one time when Herbie laid down in the back of an unattended empty hearse parked on the street, he got in and mordantly pretended to be dead. But when he started to worry he would get caught by the owner in he act of the =off color act, trying to get out he realize he was locked in. Much to Herbie’s embarrassment, my uncle told me he had to call relatives had to extricate him from his predicament. But there are more important memories of Herbie. He was a kind, generous kid. His happy-go-lucky nature is fondly remembered. Everybody liked Herbie. In mid 1944 Herbie was drafted into the Army. Again, my Uncle Nicky recalled that before he went overseas to fight Hitler he told him that “I know I’m not coming back.” Sadly, it was a prediction that was to be borne out. Although a mere eighteen years old, he quickly rose to the rank of Sargent.. He was quickly assigned to the 56th Armored Infantry Battalion, brigade attached to 12th Armor Division. In early 1945 the 12th was sent to stop a desperate Nazi offensive in Alsace-Lorraine. While leading a patrol in that region it is believed his squad was overwhelmed by the 10th Wafen SS Division, fanatical Nazi soldiers that maintained a cultish loyalty to Adolf Hitler. He and his squad were forced to surrender. Herbie and his squad were found a few days later in the snow, stripped to their underwear and showing the signs of being executed by the SS enemy they had encountered. They all most likely were executed after laying down their weapons. A few years after the war my Uncle Frankie’s wife, Herbie’s older sister was sitting in a park watching her young son playing on the swings. A woman sat down beside her and somehow the conversation turned to the recently concluded World War. The woman went on to say that Hitler was misunderstood and that the dictator actually did some “good things” for Germany. Needless to say, this did not sit well with my aunt who almost had to be pulled away from violent reaction. There always seems to justify the authoritarian rule of a strongman by his very few, out-of character decent decisions. On this Memorial Day I think of all the young people like Herbie Bilotta who gave their lives to defend democracy from dictators. And then I turn my attention to what we are facing here in 2024 America. We would do well to remember that Hitler did not seize power but that it was handed to him on a silver platter by those that feared a German Left. Such things happen when we let overreaction take hold of our senses. Dictators do not easily give up power, even if they claim they will only be dictator for one day. If we as Americans vote to hand power back to a man who has an affiliation for dictators in Russia, China, Hungary and North Korea while being open to dictatorship himself we will dishonor Herbie Bilotta and all the boys who died fighting Fascism in the Second World War. Let us not let their ultimate sacrifices be in vain. And today we witness similar strains of loyalty to the very anti-democracy Donald Trump. There for all to see are the militias such as the Proud Boys and others all too willing to do violence in his name. There is also the blind obedience by his followers to his numerous unbalanced pronouncements. We hear their their threats of retribution and execution of political opposition. Sound familiar to you? It should. It was this mindset that Herbie fought and paid for with his life. Herbie Bilotta died defending American democracy. When you step in the voting booth this November remember his legacy. You do not have to make as great a sacrifice as him. In order to prevent dictatorship all you have to do is caste your ballot the right way and vote for democracy and not Donald Trump. [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/5/27/2243061/-Remembering-Sgt-Herbert-Bilotta-On-This-Memorial-Day?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/