(FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo., Dec. 7, 2016) -- Petty Officer 2nd Class Wayne Lynn Bandy, of Waynesville, Missouri, was planning to get engaged on his Christmas leave, but never got the chance to ask his sweetheart for her hand in marriage.
Bandy, a trumpet player for the U.S. Navy Band Number 22, was one of 21 band members killed in action aboard the USS Arizona during the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941.
Seventy-five years later, the City of Waynesville held a Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day ceremony Dec. 7, in the Parker Fine Arts Building at Waynesville Middle School, in honor of their hometown hero and the 2,400 Americans who gave their life in service that day.
"Today we are remembering a very unlikely hero, a young Waynesville boy, just 21 years old and a 1939 graduate of Waynesville High School," said Waynesville Mayor Luge Hardman. "He was the son of a preacher man who found himself stationed in Hawaii, in the middle of one of the most momentous events in the history of the world."
"I think often about our military neighbors and how fortunate we are in our community to live among such heroes every day," Hardman, a former history teacher, added. "Their sacrifice is echoed over and over throughout the history of our country and none more clearly than on Dec. 7, 1941."
Col. Heath Roscoe, Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort Leonard Wood chief of staff, attended the ceremony to represent the neighboring installation that was established in the 1940s to support the nation during World War II.
"More than 300,000 Soldiers passed through Fort Leonard Wood on their way to service in every theater of operation during World War II," Roscoe said. "We must remember those who died serving their country and those who reacted with great vigilance to save their comrades and protect our nation."
"Reflecting on the actions of our heroes at Pearl Harbor is critical," Roscoe added. "Heroes like Petty Officer Bandy show the character and dedication of this community. It is more than appropriate to take time today to recognize his sacrifice and duty and our greatest generation of war heroes."
The ceremony included a presentation of the "My Name is Old Glory" poem provided by a joint services team from the Army, Air Force, Marines and Navy, led by Petty Officer 2nd Class Randy Bacon, who is currently assigned to Fort Leonard Wood's U.S. Navy Detachment.
State Rep. Steve Lynch offered the invocation, and Rev. Dennis Crowder, the pastor of Waynesville's First Baptist Church, where Bandy attended services, provided the benediction.
According to Hardman, music and the JROTC flag detail for the 75th Pearl Harbor Commemoration, which was provided by Waynesville High School where Bandy was a band member, added an extra touch.
Attending the ceremony were Bandy's niece, Kathryn Boone, Boone's daughter, Jennifer Hargis, and Bandy's nephew, James Till. Although they never met Bandy personally, they learned of him through Family stories.
"My father and mother met through Wayne, so that is how my parents got together," she said. "He was a very outgoing, popular kid in high school. He was active with his music, both at the school and the church."
Boone said she heard stories about the day of the attack and how difficult that was for her Family, including Bandy's Father, who was a preacher at First Baptist Church in Waynesville.
"My granddad preached that morning, then heard the news and preached again that night, not knowing at that point whether or not his son was alive or dead," she said. "It was several weeks before they got official notice. I'm sure there was so much confusion. It wasn't like it is now."
The Family still remembers Bandy through his legacy, which originated with music.
"I have a brother named after him (Bandy), who plays the trumpet," Boone said. "One of my sons also plays the trumpet. So, the trumpet theme runs through the Family."
"The most significant experience was when I got to visit Pearl Harbor and saw the memorial there," Boone said. "To see his name on the trophy his band won the night before was a very meaningful experience. They also showed a video at the memorial and in that video I got to watch him play his trumpet."
"To realize you're in that place where he actually passed is quiet and sacred," she added.
Bandy is buried next to his parents at the Waynesville Cemetery and a baseball field is named in his honor, ensuring Waynesville, Fort Leonard Wood and the surrounding communities never forget the service and sacrifice at the birthplace of "The Greatest Generation."
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