Another WW2 Hero Dies

The world lost another hero when George “Bud” Garvin passed away on April 15. But like so many who served in World War ll, Garvin shunned the label. “I’m no hero,” he’d say. But how else do you describe a man who quit school and got a job to provide for his mother and younger brother when his father abandoned the family? What other word fits a man who survived the attack on Pearl Harbor, landed on the beach at Normandy, endured the Battle of the Bulge and helped liberate a concentration camp in Germany as the war in Europe ended? According to statistics released by Veterans Affairs, World War II vets are dying at a rate of 492 a day. There are about 855,070 veterans remaining of the 16 million who served our nation in World War II. I feel so fortunate to have been able to spend time with many of these veterans – including Garvin/ Cindy Hval , SR Front Porch. More here . (SR photo: Pearl Harbor Survivor Bud Garvin lays a floral lei at the base of a newly installed memorial stone Dec. 7 during a ceremony at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena)