By Dr. James Thrasher
Institute for Faith and Freedom
I had to go to show my respect. I felt compelled to watch the motorcade escort this warrior to his true and final resting place. Army Air Forces Cpl. Glenn Herbert Hodak of Cambridge Springs, Crawford County, came home last week.
As the motorcade passed by me, I was filled with both emotion and overwhelming gratitude. My dad, a Seabee Construction Battalion Navy man, served in Guam in World War II, as did Hodak. My dad came back home to his family; Hodak did not, until now. His military service exemplifies the sacrifice experienced in the horrific happenings of war.
Hodak served in the 93rd Bombardment Squadron, 19th Bombardment Group, which flew out of North Field Air Base in Guam (now known as Anderson Air Force Base). On March 10, 1945, he served as a tail-gunner on board a B-29 Super-Fortress, nicknamed “Tall in the Saddle.” The bomber was shot down on that mission over Tokyo. He was reported as missing in action. It was later learned that three out of the 12 crew members survived the crash and were initially engaged by Ina, Japan villagers.
Japanese villagers, including children, were trained with bamboo spears to kill U.S. soldiers. It has been documented that the villagers were keenly aware of the destruction, devastation and casualties that these bombers were inflicting on the Japanese people.
And yet, it has been shown that even with this awareness, they took the three American crash survivors to a shelter and cared for their wounds. They buried the nine airmen of the crew and secretly placed wooden crosses over each grave, though none of the villagers were Christian. The three survivors were then captured, brutally treated and tortured by enemy officers and imprisoned at the Tokyo Military Prison as prisoners of war.
One of the largest U.S. military air raids of the war was launched on the night and early morning of May 25 and 26, 1945, setting flight to about 300 B-29s. These airstrikes leveled the military prison. Friendly fire killed the American POWs, and their remains were not identified or recovered at that time.
The American Graves Registration Service and the Army Quartermaster Corps searched for and disinterred 65 POW remains. Several attempts were made to reveal the identities of the POWs back in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Utilizing new technology by the Army’s Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Operation, Hodak’s remains were identified in September 2024 and returned this May. A U.S. military funeral detail provided full honors for him at his interment.
Hodak died on May 26,1945. Fittingly, exactly 80 years later to the day, is this year’s Memorial Day.
How will you observe Memorial Day this year? Will it be just another holiday barbecue and a day off from work, or will you pause to truly remember?
Will you consider Hodak’s sacrifice and the many others who have paid the utmost price with life and limb?
The nation should be incredibly indebted to all those who have gone before us or who are currently serving in the armed forces who have heeded the call to protect and defend our constitutional democracy, our way of life, and our freedoms.
Welcome home, Cpl. Glenn Herbert Hodak. The long journey home is finished.
It is not enough, but we say thank you. Thank you for surrendering it all, for all of us.
Dr. Jim Thrasher is the senior adviser to the vice president for student recruitment at Grove City College and coordinator of the school’s Institute for Faith & Freedom’s working group on calling.