Keeping up a (wife’s) family Mem Day tradition: visting Westgate cemetery west of Chicago, to flag the graves of veterans, starting with my wife’s grandfather, Elliot Berman (US Army), WWII.

According to his daughter Leslie (my MIL) he was rejected twice (too skinny, too small) by the military before they finally accepted him late in the war. Uncle Rich Berman (pic below) says he ended up storming beaches in the Pacific.

Rich told us an amazing story: every time he’s come here going back years he’s met an elderly man visiting his twin brother’s grave. The man said they were inseparable. Lived together their whole lives. Served in the military together. Never married.

The man pointed at his marker, next to his brother’s. “When you see a second date there, you’ll know I’ve joined him.”

And this year, finally, he wasn’t there; but the second date was. RIP Marvin Davis, and we hope you’re reunited with Jerome.