In Memory of Jimmy Michaels

Jean and I came to Gainesville in 1951 and the town was teeming with World War II veterans, back in civilian life, starting families, and trying to catch up from the years lost in the war. We were lucky enough to get a good apartment on Dyer Street, about a block off Green, and our next door neighbors were Ted and Lucy Michaels. Ted had been in Patton's army as it swept across France, and at one time had been point sergeant, point platoon, which meant he was lucky to be alive. This was early in the Baby Boom years, and we all had little tykes, but not much money, and one of the youngsters, the son of Ted and Lucy Michaels, was Jimmy Michaels. He was a great kid, all boy but polite and likeable, and he graduated with the Gainesville High class of 1967. Jimmy followed his Dad's footsteps and joined the Army. He served one tour of duty in Vietnam, then a second, and was on his third tour when he was killed. Jean and I were in Washington, D. D., earlier this year and went to the new World War II memorial and then to the Vietnam wall, which is in walking distance. There they have volunteers with handheld computers, and we asked one where James A. Michaels' name was. "You won't believe this," he said as he lifted his hand and put a finger on the wall, "but his name will be right here." And it was. This year Hall County's Chapter 772 of the Vietnam Veterans of America is again giving three scholarships to family members from that war, this time using money donated by the Gainesville High class of 1967 in the name and memory of James A. Michaels ... a local boy and an American hero.<br /> <br /> <I>This is Gordon Sawyer from a window on historic Green Street.</I>

http://accesswdun.com/article/2008/8/212266