From its conception, the Veterans Museum at Heritage Park in McDonough has been the home and showplace for veterans and their loved ones – given the opportunity to share memorabilia and personal belongings in an effort to establish a larger than life personal and meaningful connection with the museum.

Veterans Museum curator Jim Joyce shared an interesting story of sealed cards and flowers being left each Memorial Day over the past 8+ years in remembrance of Sgt. Soltow. The envelopes have the handwritten words “My Precious Daddy” and remain sealed to this day.

“Not knowing the words written on the cards inside will remain the mystery,” says Jim. The death of a soldier killed in action is indeed a sacred and somber event. The soldier gets deployed to a place far away and is going to be placed in immediate danger. His family is left behind to deal with the anxiety of the life they now have apart from one another. This emotional rollercoaster suddenly turns to the hardened truth that their life has been permanently altered by the words ‘killed in action’…. and this loss of life will be full of what could have and should have been if only this hadn’t happened. The Soltow family tree will be forever altered, and future generations will be challenged.

It certainly makes sense these cards are from his daughter, who only knew him for a short while, or perhaps not at all, before he was killed in action November 17, 1965. Perhaps the message inside is simply a thank you for being her daddy and love for the life she has because of him. His blood will flow in some measure for generations to come. A simple reminder to her precious daddy that he is still with her every day and always. It is moments like this that help us understand more clearly the value of honor, pride, devotion, sacrifice and endless love.

Veterans Museum
Heritage Park
101 Lake Dow Rd
McDonough, Ga 30252

By Terry McAfee