From: Timothy Smith (timothy.smith1@worldnet.att.net)
Date: Tue Mar 12 2002 - 23:15:29 PST
Dave,
Speaking as a guy who wasn't there.....
All or None.....Black or White.....Rocket Scientist or Bonehead. One would
think that in this day and age when we think of ourselves as enlightened, we
could learn to think in the gray areas more often.
All reenactors are not moronic fat bodied sad sacks....but you can bet some
are. All military vehicle owners are not closet anarchists.....but there
must be a few our there. Everyone who wears a bomber jacket is not a
disrespectful jerk.....maybe only ignorant. Not everyone with an opinion is
well informed..... (...and by the way, not ALL policemen are overbearing
dick-heads....<I'm smiling>.....but we have a few of those to be sure.)
But last time I checked, poor form was not a crime......at least not in
Texas.
Some of us wear the historic uniforms to educate others and ourselves. I
won't belabor the topic with many fine examples of successful programs of
all eras across the country that educate the public using men in uniforms
and historic vehicles of the past. They do exist and their accomplishments
speak for themselves.
I will relate to you, an experience that I had that I really cherish. I
recall a day at the Nimitz Museum in Fredericksburg, Texas where a lot of
old Marines came in to our Pacific Combat Zone Living History Program with
their wives, and these men suddenly became young Marines again. (Most were
combat veterans of Iwo Jima, not REMFs. Do you consider REMFs as having
been "there"?) It is hard to explain just what caused the transformation
but it was a measureable change. I believe is was the fact that they were
in the presence of young men in the same uniforms they wore, carrying the
same equipment they carried. Some kind of fire was lit in these older men
as they stood just a bit straighter, squared their shoulders and spoke with
us as equals, not wayward or misguided children, eager to share their
experiences and knowledge. More than one wife came to us after their
husband had gone to some other part of the exhibit. They actually had tears
in their eyes as they explained that until that day (THAT day!) their
husbands had refused to speak of their war experiences at all. I see that
as a tremendous compliment to us and an indicator that we are on track with
what we do there at the Nimitz Museum. I'm sure many a Historic Military
Vehicle owner has had a similar experience.
Our being there was not some fancy parlor game designed to trick these men
out of giving up some part of themselves. They gave of themselves
willingly...to people they knew would understand and care for and hold that
part of them for posterity. Our purpose for being there was to honor them
by demonstrating that they and their achievements are NOT forgotton and that
we are eager to learn more about them while they are still around.
Speaking as a living historian and sometime reenactor, some (but certainly
not all) of us use our experiences as reenactors coupled with what
information we learn from veterans to put what we learn into CONTEXT. If
you believe it is to glorify war I am telling you straight out, you are
wrong. You won't get context from putting together a mannequin or reading a
Time-Life book on WWII or driving your military vehicle in a parade in a
plaid shirt and blue jeans and penny-loafers. I could write volumes on the
thousands of little things I've learned from these men but I don't have the
bragging rights....they do. I wear the uniforms because I have the time,
energy and wherewithall to become the vessel that carries what I've learned
from our honored veterans to the next guy.
My pedigree? Well, unlike Jim Burrill, I am not a veteran but I have served
my country and carried that miserable gun for a little more than 20 years
now, in uniform, nearly half my life, as a police officer. I have never
been in "combat" but I have been shot at and returned fire (and I thank God
the fellow had the good sense to give up) but that ain't combat in my book.
I have also taken a life in the course of my work and, while I must say it
was mostly chance that it turned out that way, I regret it had to happen at
all.....I have found these experiences sound familiar to most veterans, and
for that reason, I think that's dang close enough.
To preserve only the tools of the peace-makers and not the essence of the
peacemakers themselves would be a twisted travesty.
And you can quote me on that one.
My two bits.....and my apologies if I rambled on....
TJ Smith
Living Historian, Reenactor, MV Owner, Police Officer
MVPA 21162
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