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The legendary Budd Lynch is still a voice that I miss. Some of you remember that Detroit used recordings of his voice during games after the beloved broadcaster passed away.
Budd Lynch loved hockey, and harkened to an era of respecting the game. A passionate fan of the game, but one that wanted to call the game as it was and seek to elevate above being a home team voice. Budd was a voice of the moment, a voice of the action, a voice of the sport.
Budd was also a veteran. Many, myself included, were unaware that the voice of the arena had sacrificed an arm during his service in WWII as a member of the Canadian army. Today, Memorial Day, take time to read about (link above) the extraordinary life of a true hero.
A greater understanding of World War II was learned at
The Kalamazoo Air Zoo about a decade ago with my Grandfather. The main building is more interactive and modern. It was fantastic, but it was in the smaller building, which I now believe is called:
Flight Discovery Center
3101 E. Milham Rd.
Kalamazoo, MI 49002
As we walked in, it was much more like a museum than an interactive experience. However, my grandparents both came to life. Vintage aircraft were displayed on the floor, some with oil stains underneath. That sensory experience of the smells of steel, oil, and hydraulic fluid was transformative. It was then I saw my grandparents walk up into one of the old aircraft that your were allowed to explore. I walked in, it was all military green with two steel bench style seats, and not much else. It felt like 12-14 soldiers could be crammed into this craft and it was on this model that my grandparents met.
Grandma was a stewardess for the army, and apparently nearly killed Grandpa when she lifted a steel case and barely missed his head. Of course they fell in love and got married, right? But, that wasn’t the great lesson.
As I exited the craft I saw that grandpa was fixated on a small craft suspended from the ceiling. He put his arm around my shoulder and explained that the small craft above was where he did his most important work in World War II.
When troops would parachute into Germany, they were meant to land on the Swiss side of the Rhine River. However, there were times when troops would end up in Germany. “The soldiers were told to make it to a rendezvous point and wait for rescue”.
My Grandfather flew 9 missions. That small plane would get to the river, cut the engine and lights and use a hand held search light to try and find soldiers without being discovered. The danger level was incredible. After the gist of the story, my Grandpa became stoic. That was all he could say. It was the first time I realized that this was something he did not recall often. It was buried in his memories.
This day is one of mixed emotions. I thank family and friends who have served, but remember that look on grandpa’s face. The things that are seen by the young eyes of soldiers become a lifelong struggle. That is, if they return from that tour.
To all of you who stop by, thank you. If you served in any capacity, bless you and I hope you receive gratitude and recognition for that service. It is the smallest of gestures and cannot adequately compensate what you risked. I know that my grandpa made a life for me possible. A nobody who gets to blog about his favorite team. It is humbling, and I miss him. The love and admiration I felt in that moment in Kalamazoo will always be a potent memory. I am forever grateful for that trip and those few hours. May you all be safe and well today.
Detroit Red Wings Blogger • 
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