JUNE 29 • 2023 | 21
Next generation steps up to honor our veterans.
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE:
Herman “Abe” Lash stands by
his Army truck.
Abe on leave in 1944, sur-
rounded by his young nephew
Harvey and his brother in-law
Herman Streit, father Irving,
and grandfather Louis.
Abe’s letter from the warfront.
Abe training for the war.
ABE’S LEGACY LIVES ON
I phoned Steve’s siblings, Harvey Lash
of Scottsdale, Arizona, Myles Lash of
Bethesda, Maryland, and their sister Sar
ita Bagdade of West Bloomfield. Each
vividly recalled the Memorial Day family
visits to Machpelah Cemetery.
“Our father amd my mother Rose made
sure we understood from a young age
Uncle Abe’s sacrifice and the importance
of us passing his memory onto future
generations of our family,” said Sarita.
Today that includes Irving’s 10 grand-
children and 22 great-grandchildren.
“I remember visiting my Uncle Abe’s
gravesite as a youngster in the 1950s,”
said Harvey. “He was a hero in our family,
someone to be proud of and respected,
and we always did. Growing up, there was
always a picture of Abe featured promi-
nently on our piano.”
Harvey informed me that his father,
Irving, worked at the Ex-Cell-O
Corporation in Detroit manufacturing
military supplies. While his brother Abe
was in harm’s way in Europe, he was sup-
porting the war effort at home.
Irving used to kid his son that a minor
injury he suffered on the job was worthy
of a Purple Heart. While tongue-in-cheek,
it serves as a reminder that Michigan was
the “
Arsenal of Democracy,” and how
homefront workers like Irving and Rosie
the Riveters, played an integral part in
securing victory in WWII.
Myles Lash is the self-appointed family
archivist. Hanging in his home are two
framed exhibits that display artifacts doc-
umenting his uncle’s wartime experience.
He counts among his precious posses-
sions his Uncle Abe’s Purple Heart that
was awarded posthumously. It’s in its own
frame along with somber and devastat-
ing correspondences the family received
from former Secretary of War Henry
continued on page 22