Well the day started off like any other day DAVE related…Ed, I and Bertha prepared the house for the days events, it was going to be a hot one. We had better turn on the air…Oh if only the air would work. We had a few short hours and no air conditioning. Quickly Bertha was on the phone to the repairman… To help heat the house, I was baking chicken wings, I had checked them numerous times, but I bent down to see if they were sizzling and woosh …steam flew up hit me in the face. Burnt my eyes my nose I thought my face melted off…but thankfully, I recovered with only a slight burn. So the repairman comes fixes the air, I survive the steam and head home…about 4: 30 I decide I better get the video camera ready. Brand new cassette in hand I get the camera turn it on and wait for the little door to open. I waited and I waited…didn’t work. Finally, after about 12 tries I get it open place the cassette inside...nothing. It doesn’t record. The zoom doesn’t work. Nothing works. It worked yesterday. But it was broke today. I look up to the heavens and say, "Dave… c’mon don’t mess with me like that." I quickly got on the phone to Michelle, "do we know anyone with a camera?" Stacey… our long time family friend our adopted blondie came to the rescue. All was well …or was it.

Arriving at the cemetery, a beautiful day a little hot but I was not complaining, (remembering the steam from before…88* was nothing). Time ticked along people arrived, Colonel King arrived, but where was the Navy. Again I looked to the heavens and said, "Dave…don’t toy with me today." Tick tick tick…NO NAVY. The jokes started to surface…"The Navy’s always late, Well, the Army’s here that’s all you need." "They probably couldn’t find a space for their ship"…Well the Navy did not show. I was a little disappointed, they were going to have a detail present fold the flag and play taps, but things would work out nonetheless. It began raining, I looked up again to the heavens, smiled and shook my head when I heard Toby say… that’s Dave he’s happy and those are his tears…People were saying how they were Ethel and Dave’s tears and Aunt Betty’ Uncle Bill’s all the family’s who had passed on. It was a gentle rain, it felt good.

The rain …stopped

The ceremony started off with Eddie greeting everyone." Thank you all for coming to this honorable occasion, and I would also like to thank Colonel King who is going to help us with the ceremony today. I would also like to give a very special thanks to my sister Tone., who worked so hard on this.. Janice and Carmen ..its just really something. I also have something that Tone asked me to read, that Grandma Brooks had written many many years ago about her Dave.

"Now Janice you were going to present some flowers to Grandma Brooks. (Janice places white roses on Grandma.)"And with that I’m going to turn it over to Colonel King."

Colonel King made the day unforgettable. Did this man mesmerize anyone else? I know I was, wow we he something. Polished and humble and touched. I was quite overwhelmed. I don’t think we could have asked for a better man to present Dave’s flag. I am sure Dave was touched to have a Full Colonel do the honors…

Clutching the flag, Colonel King addressed the family.

Colonel King then walks to Laura, carefully holding the flag, his hands on the top and bottom, leans down and presents the flag…"On behalf of the President of the United States and a Grateful Nation…"

Stepping back, Colonel King salutes.

He then presents Shirley and Gaylord with flags and memory books.

It was incredibly moving to see this. After 60 years, a validation from the military and the country. A long deserved acknowledgement of Dave’s sacrifice, Ethel’s sacrifice, and finally their children’s.

John wrapped up the ceremony, saying, "I’m just like all the other grandkids, I never knew my Grandpa…but Grandma kept him in our hearts.

Ed steps in, "If anyone else would like to say anything you’re free to come up…"

Carmen steps up, "I just want to say how happy it makes me to see you three finally…get something from your Father. And I want to THANKYOU for keeping him in our hearts all these years. If he was a reflection of you three, He had to be a hell of a man."

Tone is left center stage, laughing I realize, it must be time for me to speak?… "Is it time for me to speak? (crowd laughs)…Well it’s quite overwhelming, I have thought about this for a while, even back when I was a kid…and I just couldn’t finish the speech.

Carmen calls out, "Don’t crack now Tone, you’ve worked too hard." However, the words just weren’t going to come that day. An amazing feat to happen when John and I are concerned haha.

David saves the moment by catching my dropped ball, and says, "I never knew my Grandpa, but I hear I look a lot like him with all my tattoos, named after him and I’m proud of the name David. I just want to say I am proud to be part of your family.

John wraps the ceremony up, "Before I forget I just to say there will be a reception after this at Eddie’s and again I want to again thank Colonel King for being here today and making today even more special, than we thought. We really appreciate it. (crowd applause).

Tone calls out, "I worked really hard on that speech, I just wanted you to know!" (crowd laughs)

Pictures are taken, three balloons, red white and blue are released, and as we look up…there’s a rainbow right behind where Mom, Shirley, and Gaylord sat, I think a most fitting ending to a most treasured day.

I know I will not forget that day as long as I am here, …The day Dave finally got his flag…

One more thing… the Navy did show up. The Chief just had the day wrong. He called from the cemetery on Wednesday. To say he felt 2inches tall would be an under statement. He apologized countless times, I thought he was going to burst into tears. I told him we missed them, but it was a really nice ceremony. And that Army showed up.haha. But the poor guy was just distraught I assured him we still loved the Navy. He told me if I ever need anything, to not hesitate to call him. And with my search for Dave still on, you bet I will J .