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- Tribute to Fred Lieber
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(From time to time we post guest blogs. Richard Freeman is a local historian who is one of our guest writers. He portrays Abraham Lincoln’s Secretary, John Hay, in private and public performances and writes on historical topics of current interest. We always invite your comments on anything we publish on our website and hope to add other essays by historians and interested individuals as time and space allow.) ~ BPA Tribute to a Member of “The Greatest Generation”
A Tribute to a Member of “The Greatest Generation”
On July 25th, this country lost one of its treasures and I lost a dear friend. For on that date, Fred Lieber passed from this life and joined his Savior.
America is rapidly losing those who are now accurately identified as “The Greatest Generation”. These are the people who survived the great depression, fought for freedom loving people around the world in WWII, then came home and rebuilt this country into a super power.
In the case of Fred Lieber, he flew C-47 transports all over the ETO and was flying on 6 June 44. He airlifted paratroopers across the western part of Europe and dropped them behind enemy lines. He had regrets about that day. The regrets were that he dropped those boys off, then turned his plane around and went home.
I came to know Fred as my boss when we both worked for Equifax (now Choice Point) some 37 years ago. We hit it off right away – he was a strong willed, candid man. And I responded in kind. He brought to this life values such as honesty, a strong sense of ethics, earn your way up and always finish the drill. He reminded me of my own father, who was also a member of “The Greatest Generation”. Fred grew from being a boss to a good and dear friend over the years.
As Fred’s generation passes into the mists of history I have to wonder what they think what is becoming of our great country today. The issues are . . . do we as a nation, have the same sense of personal responsibility, accountability, honesty, and ethics that helped to make this a great country? Are we committed to the same ideals of those of our Founding Fathers? I am confident that if called on again, Fred and those of his generation would step up and do it again.
I am going to miss “breaking bread” with Fred. As my Dad would say of Fred, “He walks mighty tall today.”
Respectfully,
Richard Freeman
2 Responses to “Tribute to Fred Lieber”
I certainly remember the name Fred Lieber. I hope we have the same sense of personal responsibility, accountability, honesty and ethics as our Founding Fathers. I think we do….we’ve just become complacent and that is sad. I’m sad for my kids…they will have to fight to keep the country I grew up in. Then again….doesn’t every generation have to fight to keep our freedoms? We have a big fight on our hands now as our freedoms have not been challenged this way in a mighty long time!
I see a lot different people where I work and I wonder how they would answer those questions you wrote about. I’m afraid of the answer. I don’t see the “working together” that I used to see. I am afraid of the direction this country is taking.