My weekend as the Voice of God

I got to spend the weekend as the "Voice of God."

What else is new, right?

Actually this time I really was the Voice of God, at least in terms of the Media Theatre and their current production of Monte Python's "Spamalot."

I got to sit in the production booth Friday and Saturday and take part in one scene, in which God comically gives King Arthur his quest - to find the Holy Grail.

My wife pretty much summed it up when she said it's a role I've been preparing for all my life.

I got to the theatre about a half-hour before showtime Friday night to go over the script, meet Arthur, talented actor Scott Langdon, and get into my spot on the booth.

I also arrived early Saturday night, but for a different reason.

Media Theatre PR guru Roger Ricker had tipped me off to the fact that they had a packed house for the Saturday night show, in part because of a special night with a very special group of people.

If you don't know it, Media takes their "Everybody's Hometown" designation pretty seriously.

Nowhere is that more evident than in their reverence and respect for veterans.

Media is the home of the Pennsylvania Veterans Museum; every Nov. 11 the borough puts one one of the biggest Veterans Day parades in the region.

Media Theatre also has a close association with veterans groups. Saturday night they held their annual night dedicated to respecting those who served.

Special guest was Tom Werner, a World War II vet from Marple, who was saluted by family and friends. They held a reception in his honor in the upstairs balcony before the show. I wandered up there to take in some of the festivities. Media Mayor Bob McMahon, one of the stalwarts behind the success of the museum, served as emcee. He introduced Werner's daughter, who lovingly talked of her dad and other family members who had gathered for a very special night.

Before the show, a special color guard from the United State Marine Corps League assembled on the stage for a rendition of "God Bless America."

It was a very special night.

My thanks to Media Theatre for the invitation. I had a blast.

And my own personal thanks to Werner and all the men and women like him, who put their lives on the line to defend a way of life that is epitomized in "Hometowns" like Media all across this nation.

Here are the remarks presented to honor Werner Saturday night, courtesy of Ed Buffman of the Veterans Museum:

WORLD WAR II WAS RAGING WHEN TOM WAS DRAFTED INTO THE UNITED STATES ARMY ON APRIL 3, 1944. TOM WAS SENT TO FORT REILLY, KANSAS, FOR 5 MONTHS INTENSIVE TRAINING, RECEIVING GRADE PRIVATE FIRST CLASS. TOM WAS THEN TRANSPORTED TO CALIFORNIA, WHERE HE BOARDED TRANSPORT USS ANDERSON FOR A MONTHS JOUNEY TO BOMBAY, INDIA.

WHEN THE GREEN TROOPS ARRIVED, THEY BECAME ACTIVATED WITH MARS TASK FORCE WHICH WAS THE SUCCESSOR TO MERRILL’S MAURAUDERS, WHO WERE DESIGNED AS A LONG RANGE PENETRATION FORCE NEEDED TO DESTROY THE JAPANESE SUPPLY LINES AND COMMUNCATIONS AND TO PLAY HAVOC WITH ENEMY FORCES.

MARS TASK FORCE WAS ABLE TO PROFIT BY EXPERIENCE OF THE MERRILL’S MAURAUDERS’ BURMA JUNGLE OPERATIONS. THEY WERE A MIXED GROUP, THE 124TH CALVARY, AND SOME VETERAN JUNGLE FIGHTERS, AND THE 475TH INFANTRY.

MARS SOLDIERS, MULES AND FIGHTING EQUIPMENT WERE MOVED THROUGH THE JUNGLES DURING MONSOONS AND OVER MOUNTAINS IN BURMA. THEIR GOAL WAS TO KEEP THE MUCH NEEDED BURMA ROAD OPEN.

TOM WAS PUT ON THE POINT WHEN SENT ON PATROLS BECAUSE OF HIS KEEN HEARING AND EYESIGHT. HIS GROUP COMMUNICATED BY HAND SIGNALS THROUGHT THE CAMPAIGN. TOM’S FEET WERE NEVER DRY DUE TO THE MANY WEEKS THEY SPENT IN THE SWAMPS.

TOM PARTICIPATED IN THIS CAMPAIGN FOR NINE MONTHS, MOVING THROUGH INDIA AND BURMA. THROUGHOUT THE CAMPAIGN, AIR DROPS WERE THE ONLY SOURCE OF SUPPLIES, DURING THEIR MISSION ON THE BURMA ROAD. THE JAPANESE WERE WELL ENTRENCHED AND HAD TO BE CLEANED OUT TO KEEP THE BURMA ROAD OPEN. THE RATIO OF ENEMY NUMBERS WAS SIX JAPANESE TO EVERY AMERICAN.

THE TWO UNITS, MERRILL’S MAURAUDERS AND MARS TASK FORCE, WERE THE ONLY AMERICAN INFANTRY COMBAT UNITS TO SERVE ON THE MAIN LAND OF ASIA IN WORLD WAR II.

TOM WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED FROM THE US ARMY ON JULY 12, 1945, AT INDIANTOWN GAP, PA.

AFTER HIS DISCHARGE, TOM OPENED HIS OWNED CARPENTRY BUSINESS, AND MARRIED HIS LOVELY WIFE, RITA, IN 1950. TOM AND HIS FAMILY HAVE LIVED IN THE BROOMALL AREA SINCE 1951.

TOM IS A MEMBER OF AMERICAN LEGION POST 805 AND VFW POST 7890. AS A MEMBER OF THE POSTS’ FUNERAL DETACHMENT, HE HAS PARTICIPATED IN OVER 200 FUNERALS HONORNING OUR DECEASED VETERANS. TOM IS THE RECIPIENT OF THE FOLLOWING AWARDS: QUALIFICATION BARS: M-1 RIFLE EXPERT – SHARP SHOOTER MACHINE GUNNER COMBAT INFANTRY BADGE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL ASIATIC PACIFIC CAMP MEDAL WITH 2 BRONZE BATTLE STARS WORLD WAR II VICTORY MEDAL WORLD WAR II RUPTURED DUCK PIN LADIES & GENTLEMEN, TOM WERNER. ONE OF OUR GREATEST GENERATION.