PAC Show Commentary provided by Dan Jackson, June 5, 2019
As we come up to June 6th, the 75th Anniversary of D-Day I encourage everyone to take sometime to remember those young men on that day…I had the honor of knowing one of those brave young men that landed that day. Dick Cade was a farmer in the Union Community where I grew up. He came back from WWII attended Teas Tech and became and Ag Teacher. He taught at Lubbock Cooper for years, farming too, along with teaching. Eventually he left teaching and farmed full time, and he and his wife Katherine started Cade Greenhouse along with their row crop operation. While this seems like a typical story of folks we all know, Dick was a shining example of the Greatest Generation. He came back from war and made a life, raising a family, teaching, a memeber of the Methodist Church, Lions Club, Gin Board, and a 32nd Degree Mason, Dick was a community man. Like so many of that group he came home and worked and made a life and a community. His example of service to the country and his community still stay with him. His smile, his singing voice, and his Love of County were all things that made him special to those that knew him.
Dick was also a cousin to my mom, and it was at a family reunion that I found out just what Dick did during WWII. I asked Dick that day if he’d seen Saving Private Ryan. His simple reply was “No.” But he then went on to say that he landed on D-Day and went all the way through the Battle of the Bulge. I was shocked! I mean I knew he served but to have landed D-Day and to have gone all the way through the Ardennes. He then said, “One of my buddies called and asked if I had gone to see the movie yet? I said no I hadn’t. his buddy replied, “Dick they’ve made lots of movies about that day, but this one, well they got it right. It was just like that day.” Dick replied to his buddy, “I don’t think I’m going to see the movie. I still wake up nights, seeing that day all over again in my dreams…” So many years later…some things you never forget…
In the movie Saving Private Ryan Capt. Miller while taking his last breath tells Private Ryan, “Earn this…Earn this…” Folks as we approach this 75th Anniversay of D-Day let’s all strive to earn what those that paid the ultimate price have given us…Strive to be the person and the American that pays tribute to their sacrifice every day…To all those who’ve served and especially to those who served in WWII Thank You and I hope we earn it every day…
