Although our nation’s veterans deserve to be recognized for their service everyday, Veterans Day provides citizens with a specific holiday to honor all U.S. veterans and victims of all wars. This Nov. 11, think of lifelong Medford resident, 94-year-old Col. James Roughgarden, a WWII veteran and fighter pilot.
Roughgarden still remembers June 6, 1944, when U.S. forces landed on the shores of Normandy, France, during World War II, a battle today known as D-Day. During this operation, he patrolled for six and a half hours flying a P-51 Mustang, America’s fastest fighter plane at the time, so German troops could not reinforce beachheads. Flying with the 357 Group, he escorted B-17 bombers during this 300 hour mission in 1944, and received notice that they had caused some confirmed damage on three aircrafts, but no confirmed casualties.
“I remember the lack of German aircrafts during that mission since we had carried out successful air missions prior to that day,” he said. “We were on missions most days or every other day.”
During his four years in the active duty Army, he flew over the cities of Berlin and Munich, and also parts of Poland. He remembers the missions being long, often with extended periods of quiet time between bursts of fighting. Much like in the 1942 movie, “Twelve O’clock High,” where aircrews in the United States Army’s Eighth Air Force flew in daylight bombing missions, he recalled there being many different aspects of flying.
After he got out of the military, Roughgarden was employed by the Air National Guard, where he worked for 30 years. He also married his girlfriend when he got back from the war, Natalie, who passed earlier this past year. The couple had three daughters and celebrated their 70th anniversary this year.
While D-Day had its 70th anniversary two years ago, past and present veterans who have served in this war are among the millions of total U.S. veterans. While each veteran may spend the day differently, many use this holiday to reflect back on their prior military experiences.
“On Veterans Day, I just think about my comrades and what we were all about. We were young kids fighting a war with a 50/50 percent chance of each finishing the tour,” Roughgarden said. “Some of my comrades returned, some perished, some were prisoners of war and some didn’t complete it for other reasons.”
After returning from the war, Roughgarden and his comrades were dispersed throughout the country. Although they were able to meet back up at a couple reunions, he has not seen any of them since the reunions stopped being held many years ago.
“On Veteran’s Day, I remember the sacrifices of a lot of my buddies who didn’t make it,” Roughgarden said. “Others should take the day to realize what the veterans have done for them, and what [people] are able to enjoy in life today because of it — freedom.”
For a list of ways to further express your appreciation this Veterans Day, visit http://www.military.com/veterans-day/8-ways-to-express-appreciation-on-veterans-day.html.
