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Tales of Valor:
  
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By Chris Michlewicz
For most people, Veterans Day is about stopping and thanking a service member for their sacrifice.
For those who served, it’s about honoring those who never got the chance to come home.
Thousands of Douglas County veterans recall stories of intense combat, horrific living conditions and the fear that gripped them day and night. Others choose to remain quiet, keeping the memories of fallen comrades and the moments they thought they might not make it out alive to themselves. But to most veterans, the incidents are still fresh in their minds, and have shaped the way some live their lives.
When they enter into military service, many men and women are in their late teens or early 20s. Castle Rock resident John Bodie is no exception. He was 22 years old when he graduated from flight school in May 1943, the height of World War II. Soon after, he was flying dangerous missions in a B-26 bomber over enemy territory.
Bodie tells detailed stories of close scrapes with German fighter planes, witnessing the instantaneous death of his flight instructor during a training mission, and narrowly escaping death after one of his two engines failed at 9,000 feet.
“This is a vivid story in my mind and if you get out of it, it’s the biggest thing that happened in your life,” said Bodie, now 88.
Flying the B-26 was a tough job, but the machine was instrumental in wiping out German bunkers, called pillboxes, along the shores of France on D-Day in 1944. Bodie did much of the same, clearing out advancing German soldiers in northern Italy and southern France ahead of American infantrymen.
When all was said and done, Bodie had completed 63 missions within one year and taken out numerous enemy airfields, railroad lines and shipping ports. He even opened up his 50 caliber machine gun on a German fighter plane that passed in front of his bomber. Through all of the turmoil, from nerve-racking training sessions to low-altitude bombing runs, Bodie still wished he could have done more to help his country.
That is a common theme among discharged service members. Even if they have faced the most extreme circumstances, they still insist that there are others who have sacrificed more. They often divert any heroic praise toward those veterans, especially the ones who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
Jason Murray, 26, of Castle Rock, was only 20 years old when he was deployed to Ramadi, Iraq, in 2004. As a Marine rifleman and radioman, he was in the thick of the war zone, and after just three weeks, his squad was hit by an improvised explosive device. Murray lost vision in both eyes and had to have his head reconstructed, but as soon as he regained consciousness in a Maryland hospital room, he had the urge to return and protect his squad members.
“I would’ve [gone back to Iraq] if I could’ve,” he said. “You develop a bond with these guys and put your life in their hands and vice versa.”
Murray lost a lot of friends and witnessed scenes that he likely will never be able to shake from his mind. But he has no regrets and is determined to control his own destiny, despite being permanently blind. He is now married with one child and going to school to become a counselor for the Veterans Administration.
Through his service, he gained a greater appreciation for living in America and for those who protected the nation’s freedom before him. Murray said he has a different view of Veterans Day than the average civilian because of what he experienced.
“It’s a day when you reflect back on what you’ve taken for granted,” he said. “As they say, ‘all gave some, some gave all.’”
Veterans are everywhere in Douglas County and come in all shapes and sizes. Castle Rock resident Amy Contreras, who was medically discharged from the Marines, is only 5 feet 4 inches tall, but carried heavy bags of ammunition for miles upon miles. She later served as a public relations specialist in Iraq. Contreras views Veterans Day as a time to remember the women served in the armed forces in World War II and paved the way for today’s female service members, as well as an opportunity to honor fallen comrades.
“The heroes are the ones who didn’t come home,” she said. “Those are the ones we should make a big deal about.”
Castle Rock councilman Joe Procopio was a Navy commander in the Vietnam War and served three tours of duty in combat zones. Ingrained in his mind are stories of surprise enemy attacks and numerous close calls. He is another veteran who took on monumental assignments, but shifts the focus to others.
It “was an honor to serve with those who served with such high honor and bravery and gave so much,” he said. “Some gave their all.”
No matter the size of the sacrifice, it is important to pay respect to all of those who serve now and have served in the past. Douglas County is working with local towns to make sure there are memorials that permanently show the public’s gratitude.
County commissioner Steve Boand said they are intended to be “thoughtful reminders of the people who have served our country.”
“This is a vivid story in my mind and if you get out of it, it’s the biggest thing that happened in your life.” -John Bodie, 88, a B-26 pilot in WWII.
For those who served, it’s about honoring those who never got the chance to come home.
Thousands of Douglas County veterans recall stories of intense combat, horrific living conditions and the fear that gripped them day and night. Others choose to remain quiet, keeping the memories of fallen comrades and the moments they thought they might not make it out alive to themselves. But to most veterans, the incidents are still fresh in their minds, and have shaped the way some live their lives.
When they enter into military service, many men and women are in their late teens or early 20s. Castle Rock resident John Bodie is no exception. He was 22 years old when he graduated from flight school in May 1943, the height of World War II. Soon after, he was flying dangerous missions in a B-26 bomber over enemy territory.
Bodie tells detailed stories of close scrapes with German fighter planes, witnessing the instantaneous death of his flight instructor during a training mission, and narrowly escaping death after one of his two engines failed at 9,000 feet.
“This is a vivid story in my mind and if you get out of it, it’s the biggest thing that happened in your life,” said Bodie, now 88.
Flying the B-26 was a tough job, but the machine was instrumental in wiping out German bunkers, called pillboxes, along the shores of France on D-Day in 1944. Bodie did much of the same, clearing out advancing German soldiers in northern Italy and southern France ahead of American infantrymen.
When all was said and done, Bodie had completed 63 missions within one year and taken out numerous enemy airfields, railroad lines and shipping ports. He even opened up his 50 caliber machine gun on a German fighter plane that passed in front of his bomber. Through all of the turmoil, from nerve-racking training sessions to low-altitude bombing runs, Bodie still wished he could have done more to help his country.
That is a common theme among discharged service members. Even if they have faced the most extreme circumstances, they still insist that there are others who have sacrificed more. They often divert any heroic praise toward those veterans, especially the ones who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
Jason Murray, 26, of Castle Rock, was only 20 years old when he was deployed to Ramadi, Iraq, in 2004. As a Marine rifleman and radioman, he was in the thick of the war zone, and after just three weeks, his squad was hit by an improvised explosive device. Murray lost vision in both eyes and had to have his head reconstructed, but as soon as he regained consciousness in a Maryland hospital room, he had the urge to return and protect his squad members.
“I would’ve [gone back to Iraq] if I could’ve,” he said. “You develop a bond with these guys and put your life in their hands and vice versa.”
Murray lost a lot of friends and witnessed scenes that he likely will never be able to shake from his mind. But he has no regrets and is determined to control his own destiny, despite being permanently blind. He is now married with one child and going to school to become a counselor for the Veterans Administration.
Through his service, he gained a greater appreciation for living in America and for those who protected the nation’s freedom before him. Murray said he has a different view of Veterans Day than the average civilian because of what he experienced.
“It’s a day when you reflect back on what you’ve taken for granted,” he said. “As they say, ‘all gave some, some gave all.’”
Veterans are everywhere in Douglas County and come in all shapes and sizes. Castle Rock resident Amy Contreras, who was medically discharged from the Marines, is only 5 feet 4 inches tall, but carried heavy bags of ammunition for miles upon miles. She later served as a public relations specialist in Iraq. Contreras views Veterans Day as a time to remember the women served in the armed forces in World War II and paved the way for today’s female service members, as well as an opportunity to honor fallen comrades.
“The heroes are the ones who didn’t come home,” she said. “Those are the ones we should make a big deal about.”
Castle Rock councilman Joe Procopio was a Navy commander in the Vietnam War and served three tours of duty in combat zones. Ingrained in his mind are stories of surprise enemy attacks and numerous close calls. He is another veteran who took on monumental assignments, but shifts the focus to others.
It “was an honor to serve with those who served with such high honor and bravery and gave so much,” he said. “Some gave their all.”
No matter the size of the sacrifice, it is important to pay respect to all of those who serve now and have served in the past. Douglas County is working with local towns to make sure there are memorials that permanently show the public’s gratitude.
County commissioner Steve Boand said they are intended to be “thoughtful reminders of the people who have served our country.”
“This is a vivid story in my mind and if you get out of it, it’s the biggest thing that happened in your life.” -John Bodie, 88, a B-26 pilot in WWII.
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