Dedicated to the men and women who fought on our country’s behalf in World War II.

Thomas Paul Cassiday

Born on January 11^th in the year 1920.

First Lieutenant of the Army Air Force.

Bomber in the 376^th Bombardment Group.

Activated on October 31^st in the year 1942.

Inactivated on November 10^th in the year 1945.

Forever changed by war.

A member of the Liberandos.

Awarded the American Campaign Medal, the Air Medal,

and the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal ribbons.

I can still see you on the front porch

with a cigarette in one hand and a flaming

Chartreuse green liqueur in the other.

There, but not there. In flight. Somewhere else.

Hour after hour, year after year.

Maybe you’re watching the bombs drop from your B-24,

falling over and over again in your head.

Thomas Paul Cassiday

Died on January 27^th in the year 1994.

Your last breath taken rocking, alone

in your La-Z-Boy chair.