Veteran, Father, Takes His Last Journey
This week, no politics. This week I want to give a public shout out to our area law enforcement personnel, and everyone who made a difference for the grieving family and loved ones of a recently departed veteran, my father-in-law, Jim Campbell. Allow me to tell you a little about Jim. He was born in 1928, the son of a World War I Army officer. The attack on Pearl Harbor occurred one month after Jim turned thirteen. And for the next four years, Jim yearned for news from the front lines. He wanted to be there, but was too young.
After turning 17, having recently graduated high school, and with his dad’s blessing and signature, Jim enlisted in the Army. Hitler was defeated. The bombs had already fallen on Japan. So Jim ended up shipping to Korea, where he would be assigned the job of general’s aid, essentially shuffling papers. But Jim wanted to be in the action, should there be any, and requested a transfer to the 38th parallel, where he became stationed. Eventually Jim’s hitch was up and he took advantage of the GI bill, attending college at Georgetown.
As events happen, while at college, in June of 1950 North Korean forces overran the 38th parallel and the fighting ensued. Once again, Jim found himself on the outside looking in. So when he graduated he took a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant, volunteering to return to Korea, a member of the 65th Infantry. As before, Jim requested a front-line assignment. He became a platoon leader. Night after night he would lead his troops on scouting missions in the valley between US and Communist Chinese forces. Jim once volunteered to take night duty from another patrol leader whose hitch was up the following day, eliminating the possibility that his friend might be killed mere hours before leaving for home.
In 1954, Jim’s commitment was complete and he decided to return to civilian life. He shipped back stateside where he began a career and family.
Jim was pure American…God, family and country. Justifiably proud of his military service, each time grace would be said before a meal, Jim would post an addendum, asking God’s protection over the American men and women in harm’s way around the world.
And so last week it was Jim’s turn to receive the military honors as he took his last ride on this earth. The service would be held at a wonderful place just West of Canton, the Georgia National Cemetery. Family and friends gathered at the funeral home here in Cumming and awaited the procession to begin for the 25-mile trek across two counties, and through two cities to Jim’s final destination. On either side of the hearse, the funeral director placed American flags to signify that the passenger was a veteran. To lead the procession awaited a pair of Forsyth County Sheriff’s finest, one on motorcycle and one in a patrol car. Then began a 25-mile journey no one in the funeral procession will ever forget.
The sheriff’s deputies carried out their responsibilities flawlessly. They knew exactly what to do, halting traffic ahead of the procession such that we never had to slow down. At the county line, Cherokee County deputies in three patrol cars met us, blue lights flashing, and seamlessly took the lead. As we crossed the city limits of Canton, two dark blue Canton police SUV’s took us to the other side of town. And as the procession approached the western city limit, more Cherokee County deputies waited to usher the final leg of Jim’s last journey.
The police escort was remarkable in and of itself. But equally astounding were the civilians in traffic along the way—cars, trucks, dump trucks, 18-wheelers, workers on the side of the road, and even school bus drivers. Virtually everyone driving or standing on the side of the road, for the entire 25-mile trip, stopped what they were doing for the couple of minutes it took for us to pass. Even a guy and his friend who were changing a tire stopped what they were doing, stood and placed their hands over their hearts…all for Jim, an unknown soldier to them, and for the countless American veterans who at one time put it all on the line, many making the supreme sacrifice so that we can live free.
As we were about to turn in at Georgia National, I will never forget the lead Cherokee County Deputy aligning his vehicle across both lanes of traffic, blue lights blazing, and stepping out to walk around his vehicle, where he stood at attention, removed his cover and placed it over his heart as we turned in. That one did us all in.
And so today I want to thank the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Department, City of Cumming police, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department, and the Canton Police for such an expert and dutiful procession. And I want to thank all the people along the route who were so kind, so respectful, to stop their day long enough to recognize a worthy veteran taking his last journey. It was a kindness this family and friends in the procession will never, ever forget.
After turning 17, having recently graduated high school, and with his dad’s blessing and signature, Jim enlisted in the Army. Hitler was defeated. The bombs had already fallen on Japan. So Jim ended up shipping to Korea, where he would be assigned the job of general’s aid, essentially shuffling papers. But Jim wanted to be in the action, should there be any, and requested a transfer to the 38th parallel, where he became stationed. Eventually Jim’s hitch was up and he took advantage of the GI bill, attending college at Georgetown.
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| Jim Campbell, Papasan Mountain, Korea 1953 |
As events happen, while at college, in June of 1950 North Korean forces overran the 38th parallel and the fighting ensued. Once again, Jim found himself on the outside looking in. So when he graduated he took a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant, volunteering to return to Korea, a member of the 65th Infantry. As before, Jim requested a front-line assignment. He became a platoon leader. Night after night he would lead his troops on scouting missions in the valley between US and Communist Chinese forces. Jim once volunteered to take night duty from another patrol leader whose hitch was up the following day, eliminating the possibility that his friend might be killed mere hours before leaving for home.
In 1954, Jim’s commitment was complete and he decided to return to civilian life. He shipped back stateside where he began a career and family.
Jim was pure American…God, family and country. Justifiably proud of his military service, each time grace would be said before a meal, Jim would post an addendum, asking God’s protection over the American men and women in harm’s way around the world.
Later in life, Jim felt honored to serve in various military honor guards, participating in the funerals of Georgia veterans too many to recall. And it always bothered Jim when the rifle volley would not be perfect. I expect he felt that the shots being fired in perfect unison represented a united nation thanking those who served.
The sheriff’s deputies carried out their responsibilities flawlessly. They knew exactly what to do, halting traffic ahead of the procession such that we never had to slow down. At the county line, Cherokee County deputies in three patrol cars met us, blue lights flashing, and seamlessly took the lead. As we crossed the city limits of Canton, two dark blue Canton police SUV’s took us to the other side of town. And as the procession approached the western city limit, more Cherokee County deputies waited to usher the final leg of Jim’s last journey.
The police escort was remarkable in and of itself. But equally astounding were the civilians in traffic along the way—cars, trucks, dump trucks, 18-wheelers, workers on the side of the road, and even school bus drivers. Virtually everyone driving or standing on the side of the road, for the entire 25-mile trip, stopped what they were doing for the couple of minutes it took for us to pass. Even a guy and his friend who were changing a tire stopped what they were doing, stood and placed their hands over their hearts…all for Jim, an unknown soldier to them, and for the countless American veterans who at one time put it all on the line, many making the supreme sacrifice so that we can live free.
As we were about to turn in at Georgia National, I will never forget the lead Cherokee County Deputy aligning his vehicle across both lanes of traffic, blue lights blazing, and stepping out to walk around his vehicle, where he stood at attention, removed his cover and placed it over his heart as we turned in. That one did us all in.
And so today I want to thank the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Department, City of Cumming police, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department, and the Canton Police for such an expert and dutiful procession. And I want to thank all the people along the route who were so kind, so respectful, to stop their day long enough to recognize a worthy veteran taking his last journey. It was a kindness this family and friends in the procession will never, ever forget.
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