| The evening sun was a burnt orange ball sliding | | | | conflicts were obligated to put on a uniform and fight |
| beneath the horizon on Pensacola Bay. Various | | | | along side those they've sent in harm's way. We'd |
| aromas of hamburgers, smoked sausages, boiled corn | | | | probably have very few wars. |
| and barbequed ribs filled the park. Just across the | | | | The Pensacola Symphony Orchestra had now taken |
| street in the bay, a barge was anchored in the water | | | | the stage and was warming up. The crowd, larger |
| which would provide fireworks for the night. Even an | | | | than ever, quieted down as the musicians began the |
| occasional whiff of sweat and suntan oil from | | | | program with a brisk "Stars and Stripes forever!" John |
| hundreds of mingled bodies simmering in the late | | | | Philip Sousa would have been proud. The band and |
| afternoon evening sun added to the anticipation of | | | | music seemed to last only a few minutes before the |
| tonight's program. | | | | conductor announced that as a finale, they would play |
| Home of the Pensacola Naval Air Station, there was | | | | Tchaikovsky's "1812" overture. |
| very little standing room as the huge crowd listened to | | | | Having been in the band both in high school and |
| local and military dignitaries give mini-speeches about | | | | college, this was one of my favorite works by the old |
| America and the sacrifices our young men and | | | | master, even though according to musical historians, he |
| women had undergone in order to maintain Kuwait's | | | | didn't much like the way this great piece of music |
| freedom and ultimately our own. | | | | turned out. While it was written as a tribute to the |
| This Fourth of July celebration was a short time after | | | | Russian army for stopping the French led by Napoleon |
| the last gulf war; the one that officially lasted only a | | | | in a battle that occurred outside Moscow in 1812, it's |
| few days. The USS Saratoga had recently come | | | | now played at many Independence Day celebrations |
| home to a hero's welcome! My son, a naval corpsman | | | | here in the United States. |
| was one of those who had been on the ground in | | | | This was to be no ordinary performance. The overture |
| Saudi and Kuwait for almost a year. The Navy and | | | | as written was to have cannon shots and cymbals |
| the city of Pensacola were going all out on this | | | | crashing, depicting both the French and Russian armies |
| Independence Day weekend! It was an experience I | | | | fighting with swords and firepower. The fireworks |
| recall every year about this time, and hope that I'll be | | | | barge out in the bay provided that accompaniment! |
| able to experience that same sense of unbridled | | | | This was the first time I had seen a synchronized |
| patriotism that was so apparent that holiday weekend | | | | pyrotechnics computer program linked to the "1812 |
| over a decade ago. | | | | Overture", though I understand it's done quite often |
| The event was held in Pensacola's Veterans Memorial | | | | today. Gigantic rockets were sent up with resounding |
| Park, on Bay Boulevard and was open to everyone. | | | | booms and crashes as if cannons were blasting from |
| The festivities began by the presentation of | | | | just over the next hill. The clanging of symbols, ringing |
| meritorious awards of various kinds, to service men | | | | of bells and blaring of horns represented the joy and |
| and civilians alike. I recall eating a Bratwurst and | | | | happiness of the Russian people cheering their soldiers |
| chatting with a lady whose son had just returned from | | | | that had stopped the French invasion of their country! |
| the gulf. She had tears in her eyes as she spoke | | | | As each intricate part of the music was played, the |
| proudly of him and verbally thanked God for his safe | | | | fireworks exploded with perfect timing. For such a |
| return. He spotted her, waved and made his way | | | | memorable and boisterous piece of music, the crowd |
| through the crowd to her side. She introduced him to | | | | was strangely silent as the last strain of music was |
| my son and me. The two boys immediately it off and | | | | played and the last rocket made its way to the |
| excused themselves and headed to the beer tent. | | | | heavens. |
| Battles are fought by young men and women, but for | | | | The concert ended and I looked around for my son. |
| the most part are started by old men. I, like many | | | | He and the soldier he had met earlier were sitting on a |
| others through the ages, have wondered how many | | | | bench together, somberly looking out over the bay, no |
| wars we would have if the situation was reversed | | | | doubt reliving the sounds of battle from their own |
| and old men fought the wars instead of the young. It | | | | overture. |
| would indeed be interesting if those who initiated those | | | | |