Memorial Day: Remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice
By Murray Montgomery - Staff Writer
From the time of its inception, brought on by the Civil War, Memorial Day has been a time for Americans to come together and honor those who have died in the name of freedom. Sadly, it was the Civil War that saw the largest number of people die, and they were all Americans. Records indicate that approximately 620,000 died; more than any conflict in our history, and this number does not include civilian deaths.
Texans are no strangers when it comes to serving in the military. More than 22,000 from the Lone Star State died in World War II. Audie Murphy, the most decorated soldier in that war, was from a family of sharecroppers in Hunt County.
I would like to share with you the story of a young man who had family in Gonzales County and died fighting for our country; this hero died to save lives when he could have actually survived. Below, is an updated version of the article I wrote about him many years ago.
He was young, only 26 years old, when he gave up his life to save others.
An honored member of a group known as "The Greatest Generation," 1st Lt. Loye James Lauraine, Jr. made the ultimate sacrifice during World War II. He was a hero and was posthumously awarded this nation's second-highest honor, the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC).
Lauraine had roots to Gonzales, his parents Lt. Col. and Mrs. L.J. Lauraine lived there. And on May 31, 1945, The Gonzales Inquirer contained an article that described the courageous exploits of Lt. Lauraine, and how he came to be awarded the DSC.
Young Lauraine was a member of the 487th Bomb Group and frequently flew his B-17 Flying Fortress, named "The Tweacheous Wabbit," on missions into Germany. According to information found on the internet, the 487th, its men known as the "Gentlemen from Hell," was based at Station 137 in Lavenham, England. As part of the famous Eighth Air Force, the 487th flew 185 missions from May of 1944 to April of 1945.
According to the Inquirer article, Lt. Lauraine's plane had just finished dropping its bombs on an oil refinery in Merseburg, Germany, when it was hit by a burst of flak from enemy anti-aircraft guns. My research found that Merseburg was one of the most dreaded targets for American bomber crews. This was towards the end of the war, and the Nazis were desperate for oil. As a result, they heavily fortified the refinery by placing some 400 anti-aircraft gun emplacements around the place.
Although badly damaged, Lauraine got his plane back to England before it crashed. The newspaper piece contained the following: "With masterful airmanship, the Texan piloted the crippled bomber back to its base and ordered his crew to bail out." But as Lauraine prepared to bail out, the plane went into a steep dive and was headed toward a densely populated military installation.
Instead of jumping out, which he could have done, the brave pilot went back to the controls and regained altitude. According to the American Air Museum (Britain), Lauraine’s last words to his crew were: “If I don't make it, good luck to you.”
This young man did not go to war to earn medals; he wanted to serve his country and return home to his loved ones. The newspaper article contained some background information about Lt. Lauraine. It said that he was married to the former Miss Evelyn Francis McKinney and her residence was given as Mount Calm, Texas. The story also stated that Lauraine was a graduate of the Schreiner Military Institute at Kerrville and he joined the Army Air Force in 1942.
In conclusion, first known as “Decoration Day” to honor fallen Union soldiers in the Civil War, Congress made May 30 a national holiday in 1889. After World War I and World War II, Memorial Day became the occasion to honor those who have died in all U.S. armed conflicts, including The Vietnam War, The Korean War, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Remember, honor, and never forget all those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.