For Memorial Day -- Quiet Sacrifice
By Tom Purcell
Ida Ayres never served a day in the armed forces, but she knows a thing or two about the sacrifices of war.
When we think of war and conflict, we think of the men and women who put themselves in harm's way, as we should. But what about the parents, children, siblings and spouses who are left behind to worry and pray?
"Through four wars, I have been the daughter, sister, wife and mother of men who served their country," Ida explained to me.
During World War I, Ida's father, Sam DiRenna, fought for the Italian army. DiRenna, who was born in a small town near Naples, was captured by the Germans and spent four years in a concentration camp. He survived by eating potato peels and garbage scraps. The Germans branded his forehead -- a scar he retained for the rest of his life. .....
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