WILKES-BARRE — Friends and family of Joe Barna will celebrate his 95th birthday next month, and he sure does deserve a celebration.
The invitation to Mr. Barna’s party has a photo of him when he was a young man — probably taken before he was deployed to Korea and came back a much different man.
Mr. Barna, of Freeland, is a proud Marine Corps combat veteran of the Korean War.
He always talks about veterans, and he especially remembers those who did not return from battle. Every Memorial Day, Mr. Barna stresses the importance of remembering our fallen heroes.
“Those who have passed away have already received something in return — a folded American flag,” Barna told me in 2020. “For all survivors of our wars, this is a sacred day. They will not forget those who stood together and fought — and died.”
Mr. Barna always visits cemeteries to pay his respects to fallen heroes. He likes to see all those American flags that are placed on the graves of America’s military heroes.
“If there is a slight breeze there, you can stand and look at all the flags waving gently,” Barna said. “There is nothing like this sight. Under each flag lies a veteran. If he could be heard from heaven, he may be saying, ‘Thanks, buddy, for remembering me — I knew you would not forget.’”
During his combat time in Korea, Barna fought in some of the most terrible fighting in places like Bunker Hill and Old Baldy.
Mr. Barna has always firmly believed in promoting the causes of all of our veterans, and he frequently writes and speaks about the common experiences of veterans in editorial letters and speaking engagements. He’s won several national awards and has been honored for his sincere advocacy on behalf of all veterans.
And he always can be found placing American flags on the gravesites of heroes.
“Someday soon, I may be getting a new flag myself,” Barna said. “But until I do, I will continue to serve my brothers with pride and honor. This is an honor that all fallen veterans should receive, wherever they lie. We don’t care who they are because we are all brothers. Of course, we don’t want to die, but someday, we will all be looking up and thanking those with the flags who don’t forget us.”
Barna said he feels lucky to have known so many veterans who also remember those who are now defenders in God’s heavenly army.
“Most Americans don’t understand what those old guys did for America,” Barna said. “These are the veterans you see around who wear those hats with Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard emblems on them. The veterans live part of their lives in hell. But they never complained because they knew their families at home were safe.”
Barna said veterans ask for little, but they all did so much for their country.
“In fact, many vets don’t ask for thanks, but they deserve all of our thanks,” Barna said. “Honor and pride are small words, but a veteran has so much of both of these qualities.”
Barna often talks about the pain of war and the difficult memories.
“The memories and the pain come home with the survivors,” Barna said. “The road back to their families is a long one. Sometimes, the journey takes years and years and lasts long after the veteran is already back home. They bring back some of what they lived through — the moaning of the wounded and the silence of the dead.”
Mr. Barna said when someone goes to war, he or she changes — the memories can’t be erased.
And don’t call Barna a hero — he considers himself a survivor.
“The Heroes are the ones with the small American flags waving over their graves,” Barna said.
Mr. Barna is like all veterans — brave, unselfish and patriotic. They have all put their lives on the line to protect us.
Celebrate all veterans. Wish them — and Mr. Barna on his 95th — a very happy birthday.
Where would we all — and our country — be without them?
The post Beyond the Byline: Celebrate Mr. Barna and all veterans appeared first on Times Leader.