Molly C.

This is my Great-Grandpa Carl Clemens’ seabag from World War II. He was a Marine who fought in the war from 1944 to 1945 and was honorably discharged in 1947. He carried the bag from a small town called Randalia in Iowa to California and then to Japan, where he fought in battles like Okinawa and Saipan. 

After the war ended, he was stationed in Nagasaki, where he helped with the clean-up efforts from the atomic bombs. This bag was painted in Nagasaki by another soldier—a prisoner who was being dishonorably discharged from the military. Once he returned from the war, my great-grandpa brought the bag home, where he then married his childhood sweetheart, Lucille.

This bag is important to me because it reminds me of my great-grandpa, who passed away at the age of 91. I miss him, and I am proud of him for defending our country. I hope that I can pass this bag on to my own kids one day and that his memory will stay with us forever.

This prize-winning story was submitted via a Civic Leadership Foundation project contest.  The Civic Leadership Foundation partners with schools and organizations in communities impacted by violence and poverty to teach young people critical lifelong leadership skills, preparing them for college, career, and positive engagement in their communities.  To learn more visit: https://www.civicleadershipfoundation.org