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A war veteran remembers
By Holly Becker
At age 85, Allen Stephens has had a front row seat to some of history's greatest events and tragedies.
"My 85 years have covered the time of the horse and buggy to the space leap to the moon and beyond," said Stephens, who moved to Charlotte's Hunters Gate neighborhood in 1993 after spending 27 years in Alexandria, Va.
Born in Atlanta, Ga., in 1916, this war veteran has changed and grown just as America has changed and grown through the years. But, the one thing that has not changed over time is his love for his country
Like many people in America, Stephens' life took a drastic turn on Dec. 7, 1941. Prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, he lived in Jacksonville, Fla., and worked as an advertising manager for A&P supermarkets.
Though 60 years have passed, he still vividly remembers hearing the news about Pearl Harbor on what seemed like a typical Sunday afternoon.
"I was in a theater that afternoon, and they flashed the news on the movie screen that the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor," he said.
"War makes young people grow up fast. We were facing potential death every time we went out, and we saw our friends get shot down."
After that fateful day, Stephens decided to join the military, leaving behind his advertising job to help defend U.S. and allied forces in Europe. "I decided to make my own choice to join the military I knew I would eventually be drafted," he said.
After joining the service in 1942, it didn't take long for Stephens, who entered the Army Aviation Cadet Program, to fall in love with flying.
He loved the adventure and excitement of soaring in the air. Recalling what it was like to dance among the clouds, he said, "You get a feeling of freedom from ordinary things on earth when you are flying up there."
Throughout his home, Stephens' love for flying is still evident, with pictures of airplane replicas on the bookshelf and mantle and a painting of a B-26 bomber hanging on the wall.
At age 26, he was older than most of the aviation cadets who were 21 and 22 year olds. As a pilot in a B-26 twinengine bomber in 397th Bomb Croup, he participated in combat missions over Utah Beach on D-Day, June 6, 1944. The combat missions on D-Day, which lasted from 2 a.m. until almost 9 p.m., made for a long and exhausting day.
From a diary entry, he reflected on what happened on D-Day and weeks prior saying, "As fascinating as the D Day scene was from our vantage point in the air on our several trips along the coast on June 6 and 7, it occurred to me that the battle had already begun for our B-26 group earlier in April.
"We had been exposed to enemy fire day after day. We had lost several planes and crews. We suffered a number of casualties, people who lost their lives in combat exposures. And so D-Day itself, while not exactly anti-climatic, was, for us, more of a culmination of battles we had started fighting before D-Day."
Stephens understands what it is like for the young service men and women fighting in Afghanistan today. He says war makes young people grow up fast. "We were facing potential death every time we went out, and we saw our friends get shot down. You could say we had a bit of a fatalistic attitude. We never thought it would happen to us as individuals," he said.
A military family
During the war, Stephens began dating his late wife, Arline, in England. A U.S Army nurse, Arline spent nearly three years overseas taking care of wounded troops. The two met in July 1944 on a train in Stowe, England, just one day after a German bombing knocked out railroads on their normal route from London to south Hampton. They later married in 1954 and had two children.
With Stephens and his wife both havng military backgrounds, it's no wonder others in the family have followed in their footsteps to military service. And, the love for flying also appears to be passed down. Stephens' son served in the Air Force for 20 years and retired as a master sergeant, and he has a grandson who is an F-15 fighter pilot stationed in Florida. Another grandson briefly served in the Army. Although Stephens, who has five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, says he does not know for sure if he influenced his grandson to become a pilot, he says he likes "to think it's in his blood."
Since World War II ended, Stephens has returned to Europe on several occasions to visit the past. His most memorable trip was the 40th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. "I visited all the bases we were stationed at in England and France, and I was on the beach for the special event honoring the anniversary All the nations who were involved were there," Stephens said. The Queen of England and former President Reagan attended, along with other heads of state.
Pentagon days under the Eisenhower Administration
After Stephens returned home from the war, he continued his military career. Some of his most treasured memories are his five years at the Pentagon.
"The highlight of my career was the time I spent in the office of the Secretary of Defense," he said. Working under Secretary of Defense Charlie Wilson, Stephens participated in several presentations at the White House during the Eisenhower Administration.
Stephens and Wilson gave briefings to the president and his staff on the Defense Department's military benefits program. Stephens said he always had great admiration for President Eisenhower, having served under his leadership during the war when Eisenhower was commanderin-chief.
"Eisenhower is my favorite out of all the presidents. I've always had great respect for him. I guess having been exposed to him briefly was part of that," he said. During his tenure at the Pentagon, Stephens also worked closely with the Armed Services Committees on Capitol Hill.
Following his stint at the Pentagon, he spent time at Vandenbiirg Air Force Base in California, serving as chief of staff of the 1st Ballistic Missile Division. He was also commander of the 565th Strategic Missile Squadron at F. E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming before retiring from the military in 1963 as a full colonel.
Quoted by author Steven Ambrose
Several years ago, best-selling author Steven Ambrose, whose book "Band of Brothers" was recently turned into an HBO miniseries, asked Stephens and other World War II veterans to tape record their combat experiences on D Day. Quoted in Ambrose's book "D-Day June 6, 1944: The Climatic Battle of World War II," Stephens took great pleasure in recalling his days as a bomber pilot. He says completing the project was 'a labor of love."
A self-proclaimed history and geography buff, Stephens says he is an avid reader. History books about former presidents, wars and the military line the wall in a large bookshelf in his home. "I've been a reader all my life, but I know some of my interest in reading has emerged from my military and Washington experiences," he said. He credits authors like Ambrose for renewing people's interest, young people in particular, in World War II history.
The importance of Memorial Day
Officially proclaimed in 1868 by General John Logan to commemorate the sacrifices of civil war soldiers, Memorial Day has evolved into a day honoring the brave men and women who have served this country or given their lives for this country.
This Memorial Day will no doubt be a special one as heavy hearts and vivid reminders from Sept. 11 still linger fresh on the minds of Americans. Despite all his war experiences, Stephens could not help but be shocked, like most Americans and the world, when the terrorist attacks on America occurred last year.
Again, he was witnessing one of the worst days in American history. He could hardly believe what was happening as he watched the television that terrible September morning.
"I was sitting here in my home when my grandson from Illinois called and told me to turn on the TV" he said. "It was unbelievable to watch those airplanes fly into those beautiful buildings." Watching the devastation to the Pentagon, a building with a sentimental place in his heart, was especially difficult.
Though Stephens is pleased to see the recent resurgence in patriotism and interest in American history following the terrorist attacks, the 60th anniversary of Pearl Harbor, and the plethora of books and movies centering on wars, he hopes Americans will begin giving more reverence to Memorial Day.
For Stephens, Memorial Day has always been about more than a holiday from work, big sales at the mall and neighborhood and family cookouts.
"The fact that Memorial Day is set aside to honor people who have served in the military makes it more meaningful. I wish the country would pay more attention to it," he said.
Stephens said he doesn't regret serving his country and the sacrifices he made doing it. "I have great feelings and memories about serving the country. I feel like my military service was the biggest thing in my life."
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