In late January of 1945, at the tail end of the Battle of the Bulge, a young draftee, Anthony Benedetto, was assigned to the 63rd Infantry Regiment. The unit had been assigned to fill in for heavy losses suffered during the Battle and Private Benedetto described his experience on the front as having a "front-row seat in hell." His unit saw heavy fighting -- at times going house-to-house -- narrowly escaping death. At the end of the war, Benedetto helped liberate the Nazi's Kaufering concentration camp complex near Landsberg, Germany (associated with the infamous Dachau Camp). Later in life, Benedetto would say, "it was a nightmare that's permanent."
As we approach the anniversary of the end of the Battle of the Bulge (officially, Jan 25th), and I reflect on this year's theme "Find a Way to Serve," the stories of so many Veterans like Private Benedetto remind me of the author Steven Ambrose. I have always felt that Ambrose has a unique ability for putting to words the complex emotions our Veterans experience in a way that honors the sacrifices they have made while showing the unmistakable human aspects of war. Since leaving the service myself, I personally have shared stories about complex topics like post-traumatic stress, moral injury, and survivors' guilt. While these issues have gone by many names throughout history, what is clear is that military service – especially combat service – has a life-long impact on those who serve. As Ambrose has said, "they gave the best years of their lives to the war, when they came back, they were determined to make up for lost time."
Last year Wreaths Across America hosted a series of roundtable discussions on Wreaths Across America Radio (available on the iHeart Radio App), which we will continue to host this year, focused on Veterans Healing. From the beginning, the intent of these discussions was to de-stigmatize the Veteran experience. One of the greatest strengths of Wreaths Across America is our ability to share the experiences of our service members, veterans, their families, and our Gold Star families – all who have sacrificed so much to secure the freedom we hold so dear. By sharing these stories and highlighting the many instances where these patriots have taken the emotions brought on by unthinkable loss or service-connected trauma and used it as motivation to serve in their own communities, it serves as a reminder that the source of American exceptionalism is our collective resilience.
Stories like those of Private Benedetto are truly a representative of that resilience. After the War Benedetto re-found his love of music and joined an Army Band. When he returned home, he used his G.I. Bill to attend the American Theatre Wing – the creators and sponsors of the Tony Awards – where he studied music. Like many veterans, his career had its ups and downs, including overcoming substance misuse issues. Ultimately, Private Benedetto's contributions to American culture are undeniable. Performing under his stage name, Tony Bennett won 19 Grammy Awards and multiple other recognitions including a lifetime achievement award. His final album was released on September 30th, 2021.
During last year's escort to Arlington, I was privileged to meet so many wonderful people. The words of Nancy Menagh, President Emeritus of American Gold Star Wives of America, continue to resonate with me, speaking to a group of young people about the legacy of our fallen, she said, "it is our every action that define their legacy."
Find a way to serve. As Emerson said, "To know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded." My best wishes to the entire Wreaths Across America family for a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2022 – let's all find a way to serve!
Joseph Reagan is the Director of Military and Veterans Outreach for Wreaths Across America. He has over 15 years experience working with leaders within Government, non-profit, and Fortune 500 companies to develop sustainable strategies supporting National Security, and Veterans Health. He served 8 years on active duty as an officer in the U.S. Army including two tours to Afghanistan with the 10th Mountain Division. He is a graduate of Norwich University, the oldest private military college in the country.
