Penalty shots: Thank you to our veterans

Yes, I know this column is a week early for Veterans Day, but sometimes a good column topic can't wait.

I've been reading a lot of history lately. Usually in the hour between 1 and 2 a.m., when I am trying to get my mind to wind down enough for a few hours' sleep.

I minored in History at SIU-Carbondale and in the journalism profession, it's rare that I get to use it with the exception of historical assignments.

So I satisfy my curiosity about past events at night. The topic varies and is sometimes spurred by an assignment I may be working on, which leads to additional research and analysis.

Last week, I read about Operation Downfall, the U.S.S. Indianapolis and Johnny Appleseed. I challenge you to find and read the corresponding articles in this week's edition.

History is full of "what ifs," usually involving the specific juncture when a decision is made that brings about a specific result. The fun part for theorists is adjusting the variables in the equation and seeing how things play out.

I am speaking specifically about "Operation Downfall," the proposed military invasion of Japan in 1945-46. In reading about the planned attack, I couldn't help but be in awe of the sheer amount of resources being devoted to a strategy that - while likely to force Japan to surrender - could have cost hundreds of thousands of American lives.

Casualty projections of Operation Downfall vary widely, but Allied losses of 500,000 to 1 million were the most reported. Some experts estimated higher amounts due to the possibility of a fanatically hostile civilian population willing to do whatever necessary to defend its homeland.

Thankfully, the invasion never happened. The atomic bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, resulting in Japan's eventual surrender, scrapped that plan.

Private First Class Norman Fraembs, of Chester, was training for the operation with the U.S. Army's 19th Infantry 24th Division. His unit was to be the first on the southern Island of Kyushu, one of the main projected landing points of the Allied forces.

When you lay your head down to sleep in a warm bed tonight, thank a veteran. When you walk to the grocery store, thank a veteran. When you get to choose what to eat, wear and drive, thank a veteran.

We've all seen the photos of the conflict-torn areas of the world, where people live in fear and unsure of where their next meal comes from.

Our veterans went to war so that war wouldn't come home. Thank you for all you have done and continue to do for us.