“Never was so much owed by so many to so few”

Roger Ewing, Elmo Maiden, Art Sherman, Cindy Libonati (Left to Right)
By: Cindy Libonati
Many of us recall the infamous Winton Churchill speech during the Battle of Britain as the United Kingdom awaited the German invasion. But today, in a society that has largely forgotten about the debts we owe our very own soldiers, a famous WWII B-24 pilot subtly reminded me of an era that sacrificed nearly everything in the name of democracy.
Step into the West Hills Wendy’s on any average Monday morning and you’ll stumble upon a group of veterans, who, by the looks of things, appear to be rather absent in terms of cognition. But spend a moment introducing yourself and be prepared to step into a time warp, back into the beginnings of WWII. Elmo Maiden, assigned to battle in Attlebridge, England as a B-24 pilot was quick to share his thoughts about WWII.
“The whole country mobilized, we put people on rations, everybody made a sacrifice,” Maiden said. “It was a completely different philosophy. If we are not willing to do that, why sacrifice 50,000 people like we did in Vietnam and not finish the job? Anything that is worth doing, you either do it completely, or you don’t do it.”
Elmo proposed an interesting idea regarding war and the sacrifice of our country. WWII brought about an entirely different approach to war – the sacrifice spread into every aspect of society. It once again reminded me of the debt we owe these veterans.
If you’re looking for a way to say thanks, visit Operation Gratitude. Or, just stop into the Wendy’s at 6430 Platt Avenue in Canoga Park on any Monday morning between 9 and 10. A simple thank you goes a long way.













