It's been a week of tributes and fond remembrance --- in Iowa, specifically, for and of our south of Iowa neighbor, U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell, buried on Saturday after joint funeral services with his wife, Dody, at Lamoni's Rose Hill Cemetery.
Nationally, of U.S. Sen. John McCain, whose long struggle against cancer ended at his home in Arizona on Saturday.
Both were Vietnam veterans, Boswell a highly decorated assault helicopter pilot; McCain, of course, a U.S. Navy fighter pilot --- shot down over North Vietnam, a prisoner of war.
After their military careers ended, both men dedicated decades of their lives to public service, Boswell representing southern Iowa districts in the U.S. House and a familiar face in Lucas County; McCain, representing Arizona, first in the House, then in the U.S. Senate.
The best tribute to both that I could think of this morning is found in the words of Gene Scheer's "American Anthem," composed for Ken Burns' 2007 documentary, "The War."
All of us can learn much from these two American heroes and carry those lessons forward by letting our lives speak, as they did, with honor and civility.
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