R and J in the USA

June 6, 1944

Julie does not intimidate easily. She could meet a rock star, head of state, movie star or Fortune 500 CEO and not blink. But put her near what she considers to be the biggest rock stars of all time, World War II veterans (or really any veteran – but especially World War II Veterans), and she turns to mush. While waiting in line at the gift store at the National D-Day Memorial at a ceremony to honor the 80th anniversary of D-Day, there was a WWII veteran standing in line a few folks in front of us. Julie practically broke out into a cold sweat.

“Go say hello!” Ryan urged. Julie froze. 

“Nope. Can’t do it. I wouldn’t know what to say.”

“Just say the usual stuff. Hi. How are you. Where are you from. Thank you for your service. No big deal.” Ryan light-heartedly encouraged.

“I literally cannot do it.” Julie said in an uncharacteristic surrender to intimidation.

Ryan walked over and struck up a conversation. Julie stood by and said nothing and smiled in awe. The conversation was brief and congenial and Julie was grateful when it was over. Not because she didn’t want to talk to him, but because she didn’t want to be in a cold sweat anymore!

The one time Julie had had the courage to walk up to a World War II veteran and strike up a conversation was at her dear friend’s sister’s wedding. The grandfather of their half brother, Frank DeVita, was in the Coast Guard during World War II and ended up being one of the men driving the Higgins boats filled with young soldiers up to the shores of Normandy on D-Day. He drove up to that shore of horrors 14 times and had nightmares about it until the day he died. You can see an interview with him here. During that conversation, the family connection only made it 1% easier to walk up and talk to him. But she forced herself to, completely, well not starstruck, per se, but herostruck. 

Now here we were where a handful of the still living World War II veterans were gathered. There had now been two World War II vets Julie had stood agog next to in what barely constitutes a conversation.

Then we saw another World War II veteran, Henry Lawrence Mason Jr. He had a certain glimmer in his eye that lured us towards him. Ryan walked up once again and this time introduced Julie right off the bat.

This is when Henry turned on the charm. As if he hadn’t done enough for the world already, he went right ahead and put Julie completely at ease. Cranking the charm up to 11, he put Ryan on his toes with Julie quickly falling a little bit in deep smit with Henry.

“I used to have one as pretty as her in my day.” Henry said to Ryan. “You make sure you don’t let her go!”

We don’t know if Henry could tell that Julie was nervous or was just that charming all the time, but the conversation carried on. Julie was absolutely enamored and got a picture with him.

Thank you, Henry, for putting your life on the line to save that which is good in this world, and also for putting a herostruck gal at ease.