A Veterans Day Remembrance of Someone I Never Knew
I went to see "Letters Home" at the Wilson Center Wednesday night. A touring production of the Griffin Theatre Company in Chicago, "Letters Home" is a compilation of actual letters, mostly written by service members who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, to their loved ones. Actors played the soldiers, real soldiers, men and women like Second Lieutenant Leonard M. Cowherd, III and Specialist Michelle Witmer; in all, around a dozen. One at a time, taking center stage, the actors portrayed the soldiers' fears, frustrations, joys, loves and occasionally humor; but also the compassion, humanity, selflessness, bravery and patriotism expressed in their letters, stepping in and out of the spotlight, revisiting each soldier as their stories progressed. As the play approached its end, audible sighs of relief--and sighs of sadness--came from the audience as it was revealed who came home alive, and who did not.
The play was followed by a question-and-answer session between the audience, the cast and the show’s writer/adapter William Massolia.
The person seated behind me, a lovely white-haired woman with a refined and elegant British accent, asked several questions. A few more questions from other audience members. Then the woman behind me asked Massolia, “Have you met any of the families?” Yes, said Massolia.
The woman is Auriel Rundle. She is an usher at the Wilson Center. She was a teacher years ago in Virginia. She had a student named Leonard Cowherd, III. She thought, from the name, he was probably the same, the soldier portrayed on the stage that night. She saw, projected on the large screen, familiar handwriting on the Happy Mother’s Day letter sent from Leonard Cowherd, III, to his mother in May of 2004. But she needed confirmation.
She asked if the Cowherd family was from Virginia. Yes, they live in Culpeper, said Massolia. Yes, Leonard was a twin.
Second Lieutenant Leonard M. Cowherd, III, of Culpeper, Virginia, died May 16, 2004, in Karbala, Iraq, from sniper and rocket grenade fire. He was 22 years old. He was Auriel Rundle’s student.
It was a sobering moment, not that it needed sobering. Some of the cast members came down off the stage, some of them with tears in their eyes. Actor Nick Goodman, standing in fatigues with the name Cowherd patched on the pocket flap, talked with Leonard’s teacher as if they were old friends. They hugged, talked some more; cameras appeared, smiles appeared, more hugs.
Much too soon, it was time to say good-bye.
Leonard Cowherd wrote a series of columns for the Culpeper Star Exponent. You can read them, and learn more about him at http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/lmcowherd.htm .
Veterans are veterans every day of the year. Thank them.
Iraq War Veteran Clint Van Winkle, author of the memoir “Soft Spots,” will speak at Florida State College at Jacksonville’s Wilson Center, South Campus, on Feb. 28, 2012 at 7 p.m. His memoir tells of his tour of duty in Iraq, his assimilation back to civilian life, his struggle with PTSD and the struggles many veterans face today.
The Guilt: a documentary film by Clint Van Winkle, Nov. 16, 2011, 2-3:30 p.m., Florida State College at Jacksonville, Deerwood Center Theatre, Old Baymeadows Road at Southside Blvd., Jacksonville. Van Winkle's documentary focuses on his friend who struggles with survivor's guilt and PTSD-related issues. Discussion follows the film.
More Florida State College coverage of Veterans and Veterans Day recognition at http://www.floridastatecollegenetwork.com/video. and http://www.floridastatecollegenetwork.com/video/view/mpss-training-the-people-who-keep-you-safe. and http://www.floridastatecollegenetwork.com/video/view/student-spotlight-getting-your-education-back-on-track.