Wesley Claridge Menzie

Today our Wesley is 6 months old. He's still too sweet for words and loved more than I can express. We thought we were done having kids after Caroline was born, but now we can't imagine our family without Wesley. What a blessing he is! Wesley's middle name, Claridge, comes from my ggg-gpa, Samuel Claridge. Books have been written on his life and we know he was a man of faith and service. We treasure his legacy. The name Wesley came from Wayne's great uncle, Wesley Brower. We really didn't know a whole lot about Wesley except that he was KIA in WWII and that Wayne's grandpa thought the world of his brother, Wesley. After our Wesley was born, and we decided on his name, both Wayne and I did some searching for information on Wesley Brower. Some pictures surfaced (thank you Ama!) and we learned about the dreadful battle he fought in Hurtgen Forest. Yesterday, being Veteran's Day, I was again feeling my thoughts turn to Wesley, but this time when I googled Wesley's name I found a wonderful tribute printed in the Carlisle, KY newspaper just 10 days after our Wesley's birth. This was written by Wayne's mom's cousin, Stephen Scalf, who is currently serving in the army. We were deeply moved by Stephen's words and I was thrilled when I checked my email tonight and found an email from Stephen giving permission to include his tribute on our family's blog. No doubt Stephen was inspired to bring to light the great man that Wesley Brower was so we can appreciate his honorable service and remember our servicemen and their tremendous bravery and sacrifice.
Thank you, Stephen for sharing this with us. May you continue to be blessed and kept safe as you give so much and serve so honorably for freedom's sake.

Love, the Menzies

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The Carlisle Mercury - Carlisle, KY
Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Wesley Brower was a Christmas baby, the second-born son of a farming family in rural Idaho. Over the years, he tended to fall in the shadow of his taller, more athletic, and better looking older brother. Wesley loved to make jokes, but often voiced them quietly, as if saying them only to himself. Still, he almost always wore his trademark smile.

He was a conscientious worker, completing all his farm chores on time and meticulously.

In spite of his quiet nature, Wesley served as a positive influence for his peers.

As often happens when a group of kids get together, somebody would suggest causing some mischief “just for fun.” Wesley invariably provided the voice of better judgment, suggesting an alternative that would still be fun but wouldn’t get anyone in trouble.

The attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 drew the United States into World War II. Shortly before his 20th birthday, Wesley was drafted into the Army.

He received training as an Infantryman and was assigned to the 8th Infantry Division. Private Brower adjusted well to Army life, demonstrating the same quiet commitment to completing his duties that had marked his life growing up on the farm.

Serving in the Army held its own rewards for Private Brower. In his letters home, he wrote of his new-found passion – his rifle. He had always wanted a rifle, but his mother hated the things and refused to have them on the farm.

Private Brower would spend hours caring for his rifle – carefully cleaning and lubricating it and polishing the stock until it was as smooth as glass. He loved marksmanship training and became an excellent shot.

After the D-day invasion and the initial successes at Normandy, the United States sent multiple divisions into Europe, hoping to quickly rout the German Army.

However, the Germans were firmly entrenched in the Hurtgen Forest in Belgium.

If they gained control of the Hurtgen Valley and its numerous dams, they would be able to flood the entire valley, delaying the American advance by months.

Additionally, the forest terrain was impassable to the Armor units, forcing an infantry battle, which allowed Germans to conserve their scarce petroleum supplies. And so America became engaged in the longest single battle the Army has ever fought - the Battle of Hurtgen Forest.

This battle involved elements of the 8th Infantry Division, including Private Brower’s unit. Soldiers who had been at Omaha Beach as well as Hurtgen Forest later said the latter battle was even bloodier – an even worse nightmare – than Normandy had been.

By Oct. 31, 1944, the Battle for Hurtgen Forest had been raging for nearly six weeks.

Americans continued to test the German lines, gaining ground inch-by-inch, foot-by-foot.

During one of these advances, the platoon leader asked for volunteers to low-crawl up a hill to take out a German machine gun nest.

Private Brower and two other Soldiers stepped forward. The three men began creeping up the hill with Private Brower in the lead. A German sniper, hidden in a well-placed tree stand higher up on the hillside, noticed the team’s advance, selected his target, took careful aim, and fired.

The others spotted the muzzle flash and returned fire immediately, killing the sniper. But it was too late.

The sniper had found his mark, hitting Private Brower between the eyes, killing him instantly.

And so, Wesley Brower died as he had lived, quietly and conscientiously performing his duty.

He joined the numbers of over 24,000 Americans who lost their lives in that battle - largely forgotten, because of the more famous Battle of the Bulge, which began shortly afterwards.

The face of war has changed dramatically since World War II. The war in Iraq does not compare with any previous war – including Vietnam.

The insurgency in Iraq would be more like Vietnam without the North Vietnamese Army.

The experts call today’s style of combat asymmetric warfare because it “includes threats outside the range of conventional warfare that are difficult to respond to in-kind (e.g. a suicide bomber).” – from the Dictionary of Military Terms.

We are not fighting against a foreign nation’s uniformed forces.

The enemy is not clearly defined and there is no single leader at the head of the insurgency who we can kill, capture, or force to surrender that can make the insurgency end.

In many ways, what I experienced in Iraq was different than what was experienced by Veterans of previous wars.

I was not an Infantryman. I have never engaged in trench warfare. I never had to use my weapon to shoot my way out of harm’s way.

Still, for the first time I feel a common bond to these warriors from the past. I know what it is like to have bullets striking all around me.

I have experienced being knocked to the ground - the initial shock and disorientation - from the explosion of powerful rockets. I know what it feels like to move from point A to point B, knowing there is a good chance I might not reach my destination.

And like those who went before me, I know the feeling of pride that comes from answering my nation’s call to duty, the willingness to sacrifice all, if necessary, in my nation’s service.

This is my first Memorial Day since redeploying from Iraq. Because of my experiences, I feel I can finally honor the memory of Private Brower:

Private Second Class Wesley T. Brower, I thank you for your quiet service, for your dedication to duty without thought of glory, and for your willingness to give your life for the welfare of your fellow Soldiers and for your nation’s freedom.

May I honor your sacrifice through my service.

Your nephew,
Stephen Scalf

*****Stephen expressed the experience he had that led him to publish the article on Wesley Brower....

In the article, I did not include the entire experience that motivated me to write the article. One evening while I was at Camp Slayer (just east of Baghdad International Airport, I was walking outside with a couple of other Soldiers when bullets suddenly started striking the ground nearby. I shouted out the order for everyone to get inside or seek cover and then started moving for cover myself.

A few seconds later, as I was skirting a cinderblock wall, a bullet struck just in front of my face. Fragments of the wall showered my chin and neck. The Soldier I was with looked at me, told me my neck was bleeding, and then said, "You just go yourself a Purple Heart!"

After the firing ceased, I took this Soldier back over to the wall, picked up a bullet and showed it to him. It was a 5.56mm round, meaning it came from an American M-16 rifle. Some Soldiers had gotten into a firefight some distance away, and what we were seeing were the stray bullets. I explained that you had to be injured by enemy fire to get a Purple Heart, and my very superficial scratches were caused by American bullets.

I then told him that our family already has a Purple Heart. That one came at the cost of my uncle's life. Accepting the same medal for a minor scratch would cheapen that award and be an insult to my uncle's sacrifice.

That experience is what brought to mind Uncle Wesley's experience. It inspired me to learn more about what happened to him, ultimately leading to the article which appeared in the paper for Memorial Day this year.

Once more, thank you for your kind words and support. It has been a tremendous honor to serve in the Army these past 24 years (as of 17 Nov this year).

Much love,

Stephen Scalf