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May 2008 |
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Celebrating a long distance Christmas |
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Monday, 24 December 2007 |
By KAREN CAMPBELL
Staff Writer
For the second time in recent years, Wapakoneta High School graduate Micheal Cramer will celebrate Christmas in a Middle Eastern desert.
The 23-year-old staff sergeant with the 82nd Airborne Division spent the Christmas of 2005 in Afghanistan. He deployed for 15 months in Iraq in June. The turret gunner with the U.S. Army does not talk much about his missions or about his feelings. He prefers instead to stick to the routine conversation about how his family is doing and weather reports.
His grandparents, Barbara and Carl Cramer, who raised him, say they worry any time he is gone.
But Carl Cramer retired from the military, so they understand the lifestyle well.
The family communicates mostly via e-mail and telephone calls every few weeks. They try to talk a lot online, but with eight hours difference between Ohio and Iraq, sometimes they miss each other.
“Every day I send a note out to him,” Barbara Cramer said. “I miss him so much. He’s such a special person. The holidays just make it that much harder.”
For Christmas, the Cramers, friends and church members sent boxes of home-baked goodies, including peanut butter and chocolate fudge and pistachio bread, along with requested favorites, such as a Rubik’s Cube. There were other needed items, including cans of tuna and chicken, deodorant, T-shirts, socks, nuts, candy, and oatmeal, which he sprinkles on top of his coffee.
The boxes arrived earlier than expected, so the soldier has already opened them and shared them with comrades.
When he gets home, he’ll get what he really wanted for Christmas — a bug catcher for his truck — and most likely dinner at his favorite restaurant — Texas Roadhouse.
Micheal hoped to take his two weeks leave during the holidays, but lists filled up quickly and there wasn’t any room. He is guessing it could be May before he is home now.
The family took a trip to Sandusky to spend time together before Christmas, but it was not the same without Micheal.
“He misses everyone, too,” his grandmother said, of the eldest of the four grandchildren she helped raise.
Of course, he also misses his football games, especially the Ohio State Buckeyes and Tennessee Titans.
Barbara Cramer said Micheal is family-oriented and trips home from his Fort Bragg, N.C. base have always been important.
The family keeps Micheal’s pictures prominent throughout the house — above the computer, on the fireplace, and desk. Several pictures from throughout the years hang from the Christmas tree.
Some he colored and cut out when he was in elementary school. A new one was added this year with a spot for his military picture to signify his service.
Outside the family’s North Rauthland Avenue home in Wapakoneta, red, white and blue lights adorn the porch.
“We just miss him,“ said Carl Cramer, who decorates their home patriotically every year. “I like having him around and it’s hard not having him here all the time, not just during the holidays.”
Twenty-eight year old Tyson Knotts’ family is without him for the first time this Christmas.
The Army private 1st class tank maintenance mechanic deployed to Iraq in October. He also is expected to be gone for 15 months.
He did not know what to expect spending Christmas overseas, but his family is trying to keep him well supplied with boxes of home-made buckeyes and seven-layer cookies. They also have sent comics and telephone cards, and made a special DVD video of the family in front of the Christmas tree sending their best wishes.
In the next box, they expect to ship out after Christmas, they plan to send scrungies to clean off the sand and other supplies he needs.
His family does not send a lot of letters, because the computer makes communication so much easier.
His mother said while she knows it is possible, she hopes he does not see a lot of action.
Tyson’s mother, Becky Johns said with her husband, Danny Johns, helping to build tanks in Lima, she feels a little better about the job he has to do.
Knotts, originally of Cridersville, enlisted in 2006, after not being able to find a good job with benefits in the area. With some mechanics background, he serves as a tank maintenance mechanic. With a stepfather, uncle and grandfathers who all served in the military, it was a family tradition he was proud to continue, especially after 9-11.
Based in Fort Stewart, Ga., Knotts biggest motivation to get through the holidays is a planned leave in February to hopefully see his wife, Linda, give birth to his first child, a baby girl.
“It’s harder because I know what’s going on over there,” said Tyson’s mother. “It’s not that I don’t want him to serve, but you don’t ever want to think about the worst and it is harder at the holidays cause it’s a time for families to be together.”
The Johns said they are proud of what he is doing. They say extra prayers when they need a little help and keep in touch with Tyson’s wife often.
The family celebrated Christmas this weekend. There was obviously a void without Tyson’s ornery personality and a little food left over without his hungry appetite.
“I don’t think he’d ever tell us he was homesick, but I know he is,” Becky said. “We just keep praying until he comes home.”
Tyson’s father, Charlie Knotts, said they hope to have him present for the Christmas festivities at his house via Webcam.
“At least we would be able to see him that way,” Charlie Knotts said.
For Christmas, he sent his son a big box, which included a pillow, tools and handheld games, and a few extra items for his buddies serving with him.
“We sure miss him,” Charlie Knotts said.
He said it won’t be the same without him on Christmas Day but the feelings of missing him remain present all through the year, whether it’s the holidays or not.
“We support him 365, 24-7. He’s doing a job over there,” Charlie said. “I wish we didn’t have to have war, but I support him and what he’s doing.
“God bless America. God bless our troops.” |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 26 December 2007 )
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 | I love the fact that our town is growing so fast! Every time I come home from college, there is a new business opening! Katherine Brown - Wapakoneta, OH
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