Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future: A Veteran Reflects on the Power of Remembering

At the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg, Texas, stories of sacrifice and service echo through the halls daily—but for Al Spangler, those stories are more than history. They’re family.

Spangler, a U.S. Air Force veteran and current staff member at the Museum, recently joined the newly revamped Society of Sons and Daughters of WWII Veterans, a program dedicated to preserving the legacy of those who served during World War II. For Spangler, the decision was deeply personal.

“Joining the Society of Sons and Daughters gives me the opportunity to honor my father and preserve not only his legacy, but the legacy of all those who served in World War II,” Spangler says. “A lot of times, people don’t look back in their family tree to realize there’s someone who paid a price for the freedom they enjoy today.”

Spangler’s father served in the Navy as a baker, a role that mirrored his civilian work in a bakery alongside Spangler’s grandfather before he later became a welder at Bethlehem Steel. One of Spangler’s earliest and most vivid memories is visiting his father’s former base in Bainbridge, Maryland.

“I was five years old, and I’ll never forget standing in that massive mess hall, staring over the edge of those enormous kettles used to cook meals for hundreds of sailors,” he recalls. “My mom even bought my brother and me matching Navy outfits so we could be just like Dad.”

That connection to his father’s service eventually influenced Spangler’s own path into the military. Inspired by his father’s example and driven by a childhood dream of flying, he and his brother both joined the Air Force.

The new iteration of the Society offers more than symbolic recognition. Members can create digital profiles to share photographs, stories, and documents—helping preserve a veteran’s memory for generations to come. “It’s not just for me,” says Spangler. “It’s for my family, and for future generations who may not know they had an ancestor who served.”

As an educator who regularly interacts with student groups, Spangler sees firsthand the power of storytelling to connect young people with history. “When you frame the past as a story—not just dates and facts—it resonates,” he explains. “I always encourage kids to check their family tree. You may be honoring someone you didn’t even know you were connected to.”

One moment in particular stays with him. While walking students through the history of the Battle of Okinawa and the end of the war, he notes that the first atomic bomb—dropped on Hiroshima—fell on his father's birthday. “If the war hadn’t ended then, my father might have been deployed and may never have come home. That’s not just a fact. That’s personal.”

Spangler sees his membership in the Society as both a tribute and a duty. “Their generation preserved our most important possession: freedom,” he says. “If we value that freedom, we need to remember their legacy—and do our part to carry it forward.”

Want to preserve your own family’s story?

The Society of Sons and Daughters of WWII Veterans invites descendants, relatives, and friends of WWII servicemembers to help safeguard the legacy of the Greatest Generation. Membership includes a personalized certificate, a secure online profile to upload photos and stories, and access to a community committed to remembrance.

To learn more or join, visit www.pacificwarmuseum.org/sons-and-daughters.