Like other museums of its type, the Truman Library takes the visitor on a trip back in time to HST's presidential years. Starting with the end of World War II through the US involvement in the Korean War, the exhibits show the many facets of President Truman. One particular display really struck home with me, though.

In the section on the Korean War there is a Purple Heart medal on display, in its original presentation case. Next to the medal is a letter addressed by the father of a young man who was killed in that war. Clearly bitter over the loss of his son, Mr. William Banning wrote President Truman, enclosing the medal awarded to his son posthumously.

Here is the text of the letter:

Nursery Rd.

New Cannan

Conn. Mr. Truman As you have been directly responsible for the loss of our son's life in Korea, you might just as well keep this emblem on display in your trophy room, as a memory of one of your historic deeds. Our major regret at this time is that your daughter was not there to receive the same treatment as our son received in Korea. Singed (sic)

William Banning

A card posted next to the display states that the medal and letter were found in Mr. Truman's desk at the Library when it was cleaned out after his death in 1972.

Mr. Truman kept that letter and medal with him after leaving the White House, taking it back to Independence with him when the library opened in 1957. Clearly it made a significant impression on him. This man, who was a veteran of World War I, a Freemason, Judge, United States Senator and Vice President of the United States. As President, he made the decision to drop two atomic bombs on Japan, began the Cold War struggle with the Berlin Airlift, struggled to convert the US economy from its wartime footing back to peacetime productivity, integrated the US Armed Forces, and, finally, turned the Cold War "hot" by invading the Korean peninsula. I'm not going to judge his deeds and decisions--that process continues to this day. What's important is that this man spent almost twenty years with that Purple Heart and letter in his desk.

While looking at the exhibit, it's no surprise that my mind drifted to consider what the current occupant of the Oval Office would do with a medal sent to him by the father of a soldier killed in Iraq. Without resorting to the numerous snarky comments I could make here, the logical conclusion I came to was that he'd most likely never see it.

Truman's staff would never have considered for a moment that they should withhold such an item from their boss.

Harry S Truman was far from a perfect man. Still, he was a man of honor.

It's truly a shame we can't say the same for the current occupant of the White House.