SETTLING A DEBT WORLD WAR II VET PERSONIFIES MEMORIAL DAY.Byline: DENNIS McCARTHY Dennis McCarthy may refer to:
In so many ways, Ben Berger is Memorial Day. He's its heart and soul, its reason for existing. To make us remember. This 80-year-old Reseda man lives alone now, a widower widower n. a man whose wife died while he was married to her and has not remarried. WIDOWER. A man whose wife is dead. A widower has a right to administer to his wife's separate estate, and as her administrator to collect debts due to her, generally for in a small house on Belmar Avenue he shared with his wife, Dolly, for more than 40 years. He's been packing for a long trip he'll take this week to pay off an old debt he wants to settle before it's too late. A debt of respect he feels he owes all the men he served with on D-Day in World War II, men who never had a chance to come home and have the kind of long, wonderful life he's had. So Ben spends his Memorial Day weekend packing and repacking his bags, anxiously waiting for Tuesday, when he will leave for France. The last time he came to Normandy he arrived on Omaha Beach  Omaha Beach was the code name for one of the principal landing points of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on June 6 1944, during World War II. by boat at dawn - a scared, young 24-year-old naval officer NAVAL OFFICER. The name of an officer of the United States, whose duties are prescribed by various acts of congress. 2. Naval officers are appointed for the term of four years, but are removable from office at pleasure. Act of May 15, 1820, Sec. 1, 3 Story, L. . He returns this week, 56 years later, by tour bus and on the arm of his daughter. An 80-year-old man paying his last respects Noun 1. last respects - the act of expressing respect for someone who has died; "he paid his last respects by standing quietly at the graveside" deference, respect - a courteous expression (by word or deed) of esteem or regard; "his deference to her wishes was very . < The letter next to the Silver Star Medal hanging in the shadow box on Ben Berger's den wall tells you all you need to know about this proud man. It is signed by Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal, on behalf of the president of the United States The head of the Executive Branch, one of the three branches of the federal government. The U.S. Constitution sets relatively strict requirements about who may serve as president and for how long. . ``For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in·trep·id adj. Resolutely courageous; fearless. See Synonyms at brave. [Latin intrepidus : in-, not; see in-1 + trepidus, alarmed. in action as Naval Gunfire Liaison Officer attached to the Fifth Ranger Battalion during the assault on the coast of Normandy, France, June 6, 1944,'' it begins. ``Landing with the initial waves in the face of extremely heavy enemy fire, Lt. Junior Grade Berger immediately proceeded to direct cruiser cruiser, large, fast, moderately armed warship, intermediate in type between the aircraft carrier and the destroyer. During World War II, battle cruisers operated as small battleships, combining in one vessel maximum qualities of gun caliber, armor protection, and fire in support of the Rangers and, mindful of grave personal danger, remained with the forward patrols to provide the maximum naval fire support In naval operations, fire support provided from warships. See also fire support. for the landing forces. ``Later, upon making juncture junc·ture n. The point, line, or surface of union of two parts. with the Second Ranger Battalion, he found no officer with their shore fire control party and, taking charge of this party in addition to his own, organized successful communications, thereby contributing directly to the highly effective fire support which accompanied both groups during the advance on Isigny and Grandcamp. ``His courage, initiative and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. Naval Service The Naval Service is the naval branch of the British Armed Forces, which includes civilian agencies under the control of the Navy Board. According to the Queen's Regulations for the Royal Navy, it consists of:
``The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Bennie Berger.'' < It's a tough day for a lot of combat vets, Memorial Day is, Ben says. The feelings of guilt start coming back. The why me's? Why did I make it back and not them? ``So many of us have been blessed with good lives, with wonderful wives and children and grandchildren GRANDCHILDREN, domestic relations. The children of one's children. Sometimes these may claim bequests given in a will to children, though in general they can make no such claim. 6 Co. 16. ,'' he says. ``These guys had no chance at that. They were 21, 22 when they died. They never had wives to love and grow old with, or kids to watch grow up, and grandkids to play with in their old age. ``It's like the world's just forgotten them,'' Ben says. He was invited back to Normandy six years ago for the 50th D-Day ceremonies at the cemetery at Omaha Beach, but Dolly was ill and it just didn't seem right making the trip without her. After all, she had been right there with him on D-Day, he says, right next to his heart. When he hit the beach that morning and the bullets spit at the sand all around him, it was Dolly's face that gave him the courage and strength to keep going. He saw her clear as day in his mind, sitting at home pregnant with their first child, a daughter. Praying and waiting for her husband to come home. No, it wouldn't have been right to go back to Normandy without Dolly, so he didn't. When she was better, stronger, they would go back together to pay their respects, he told her. But Dolly didn't get stronger or better, Ben says. She died of a stroke in November 1998, leaving a big void in his life that his daughter, Elise Canter canter a gallop at an easy pace. The rhythm is three-time, first one hind, then the opposite hind with the diagonal fore, then the opposite fore, the leading limb. collected canter , and son, Steve Berger, have been trying hard to fill. And now the time has come to fill a big part of it. If her father couldn't pay his final respects at Normandy with her mother, he would just have to pay them with the baby who was in her belly on D-Day. < She finishes Tom Brokaw's book, ``The Greatest Generation,'' and says now she understands. Her father wasn't different from a lot of World War II combat veterans whose bravery changed the course of this world, Elise says. He tried to shield his family from the ghosts he has been carrying with him since June 6, 1944 - the faces and names of young men who never had a chance to grow old and have what he had. ``Dad never talked about the war while I was growing up,'' she says. ``Oh, I knew he was in the war, but I never knew what he did. ``I'd ask him questions, and he'd sort of answer them, but never in any detail, always in general terms,'' she said. ``It wasn't until the 50th anniversary of D-Day, when it was all over the news, and Dad was invited back to be part of the ceremonies at Normandy, that I found out exactly what he did.'' Ben Berger finally took the medals and pictures from Normandy out of storage and put them up on his den wall - making every day in his house Memorial Day. And now, at 80, he finally returns to pay his last respects - on the arm of his daughter and with his wife's spirit close to his heart. CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- color) Ben Berger, visiting the L.A. National Cemetery on Friday, will return this week to Normandy, where he landed in 1944. Charlotte Schmid-Maybach/Staff Photographer (2 -- color) With help from his father, Cub Scout Clint Rosser, 8, of Westchester, places an American flag on the grave of a veteran at the Los Angeles National Cemetery The Los Angeles National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery in West Los Angeles, at the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Sepulveda Boulevard. The cemetery was dedicated in 1889. in Westwood in preparation for Memorial Day. Eric Grigorian/Special to the Daily News |
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