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Show bv ALAN ROSS urea Thanking Our A est Generation Something was missing from Roger Durbin's crip to Washington. D C; something from the dim yesterdays that cast long shadows of things unspeakable, never forgotten, across his well-worn path. Ilis sojourn to the nation's capital back in 1961 made a lasting impression on Durbin, though not in a way you would expect. Of all the historic marvels that dot the District, it was the lack or one that stayed ingrained in the mind of the Berkey. Ohio. (pop. - 2 resident. Durbin. a World War II veteran, had noticed no memorial in place to honor the men and women, at home and abroad, who served during the epic war that has been called the most significant signifi-cant event ot the 20th century. "He was very passionate about it," recalls Peter Durbin, the only child ot Roger and Marian Durbin. Tlie proud veteran's concern would gesrate tor more than a quarter ot a century before the first seeds sprouted. In a manner best described as simple sim-ple and direct, the elder Durbin helped bunch what would be, to date, a near-S 1() million effort, oilminating in his vision tor a national memorial memori-al to commemorate the victory ot freedom over tyranny 56 years ago. WWII vet Durbin. At a Jerusalem Township, Ohio, trustees fish fry in 1986, Durbin boomed a question across a crowded hall in the direction of fellow attendee, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur. "He said, 'Why is there no World War II memorial in Washington?'" remembers Kaptur, a 10-term U.S. representative from Ohio's 9th District. "I said, 'Well, sir, there is Iwo Jima.' He said, Wrong. That's to one service (Marines), one battle.' I walked across to him and said, 'Talk to me about this.' He said he had wanted to take his grandchildren to the memorial in Washington and when he got there, there wasn't any." Kaptur initially introduced legislation tor the World War II Memorial in 1987. Her attempts to get Congress to act on the proposal tailed repeatedly over the ensuing six years, but Kaptur a "champion of the people," says Durbin's granddaughter, Melis sa Growden refused to quit. Finally, in 1993, President Bill Clinton signed a bill that began the project's steady propulsion. "This is a memorial to the whole war effort," says Growden, a president-appointed WW II Memorial Advisory - r, 1 I I I j Doara memrjer. us to tne nome- f P I "i I Mi front; it's to those who gave the supreme sacrifice; it's to those who fought and came home. It s tor everyone. " "It's tor all the Rosie the Riveters and the people who raised crops," echoes Peter Durbin, 59, a high school English and humanities teacher in Blissfield, Mich. "It's for the schoolchildren who collected grease and tin and scrap iron." Roger Durbin's dream has become a hallmark for what the common man in this country can accomplish when vigor and fortitude complement restless passion pas-sion and unswerving commitment. "There wasn't a day that went by in the past 1 3 years that he didn't write a letter or make a phone call to somebody about the memorial,'' remarks Growden in amazement. "He was driven; extremely patriotic." notes Peter Durbin. "The project consumed him. It became everything." High-powered Help Bom in Sylvania, Ohio, in 1 920, Roger Durbin's pride in his follow veterans was nurtured nur-tured as a tank mechanic in the tamed 10th Armored Division. The 10th gained near-legendary near-legendary military status for its courageous defease at Bastogne during World War II. holding eight German divisions at bay until the 101st Airborne arrived. Later the 'Tigers" further distinguished themselves on the southern flank of "the Bulge" the famous Battle of the Bulge. Both Gens. Dwight D. Eisenhower and George S. Patron hailed the division's heroic achievements. War against the Nazis, though, wasn't the only enemy Durbin faced during that turbulent time. J "The bitterness of that 1944 December cold cannot be forgotten," he once said. "A wounded, bleeding soldier could be dead and frozen solid in just three hours. It was so cold that on Christmas night I had lain on top of the half-track t transmission in an effort to get warm." After "three years, one month, and 17 days" of military service, according to 1 Durbin's wife, Marian, now 82, the veteran returned stateside, where T-i V.- c cont'nue ms l'te 35 a public servant. For 32 years, Durbin ....... LI UIL tuifll Ul VIUU, lUllllg LUC U .fcJ. IUAU 111 A11WL11- er time-honored American tradition. The Durbin-inspired memorial project began to pick up finan- J cial steam in 1993, when the government, from the sale of gold commemorative coins, generated $4.8 million. Later in the decade, thanks to some backing by actor Tom Hanks and the f memorial's two principal fund-raisers, former Sen. Bob Dole f and Federal Express CEO Fred Smith, the ante was seriously raised and how! says Mike Conley, WW II Memor ial associate executive director. E. i' -t u r f 1 j 'TV |