Lest We Forget
Carl Bacon
Education Conference ·
June 05, 2009
Carl Bacon, a longtime member of the executive committee for America’s Freedom Festival in Provo, focused his remarks on the need to remember the past.
Bacon grew up in Hollywood during World War II. With threats coming from across the Atlantic and the Pacific, it was a scary time, he said.
He recounted some of the wartime practices to which people in his community were subjected and mentioned things like war propaganda, searchlights, air sirens and bomb drills. He also showed photographs of the elaborate camouflage built by Hollywood movie set designers to hide California airports in case there was an invasion from bombers intent to destroy airports and airstrips.
In his ward, the bishop would announce every week the number of ward members who were injured, killed or missing in action. The hardest to experience for him was when he learned that his brother, a pilot, had been shot down and was missing in action. He was a returned missionary and had a six-month-old baby.
“I never told him that I loved him,” he said.
Bacon has sought every occasion in his life since then to share his love and appreciation with family members and also those who have served in the military.
Of his 35 years of involvement with the Freedom Festival he said, “I wanted to be sure I did something to never forget those who gave their lives for us.”