World War II, Korean War veteran prepares for 100th birthday with concert from students
World War II veteran prepares to celebrate milestone
A performance was held this morning at Sarasota Military Academy in Sarasota, and there was one special guest in the room: A World War II and Korean War veteran preparing for his own milestone. FOX 13's Kimberly Kuizon reports.
SARASOTA, Fla. - A performance was held this morning at Sarasota Military Academy in Sarasota, and there was one special guest in the room: A World War II and Korean War veteran preparing for his own milestone.
Lieutenant Bernard has been heavily involved with SMA and also the arts. The songs of the season brought a smile as students from Sarasota Military Academy performed.
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Memories of the past came alive for Lieutenant Bernard.
"I try to tell the young people, particularly if they don’t have music in them, find something musical you like, because music puts joy in your life. It really does. It did for me as a young person and then later as a professional, being a good violinist and an exceptional viola player," he told FOX 13.
The backstory:
Music carried him through life.
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"Music has been part of my life till the day my oldest brother wouldn’t practice. My father called me in and said, ‘Your brother doesn’t want to practice anymore. You will now be the family violinist,’" said Bernard.
Music brought not only joy, but comfort at a time when World War II brought uncertainty.
"I was drafted at 18 called in, but I absorbed what I could and learned what I could," he said.
Lt. Bernard served in the Navy on a destroyer in the Pacific. Less than five years later, he was commissioned as a medical officer with the U.S. Army in the Korean War.
"I learned a great deal in the Army, in particular for the Korean War. If somebody hollers down, you better be lying on your belly and your head down, and otherwise you won’t be alive. That taught me a lot," he said.
Dig deeper:
It was his family, Lt. Bernard's mother and father, both immigrants from Russia, that kept him fighting to get home.
"It's unique, strength of family of life carries you through even through the worst of war. It does. Because you know you will get to go back to them," he said.
Students and staff from Sarasota Military Academy helped him prepare for his greatest memory of all, his upcoming 100th birthday in February.
"I've been counting it, but there have been so many nice surprises," he said.
The Source: Information was gathered by FOX 13's Kimberly Kuizon through Lt. Bernard and Sarasota Military Academy.