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 

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