Family of soldier killed during World War II honors him every Memorial Day weekend

Molly Guthrey, Pioneer Press
·5 min read

One of Peter Silva Sr.’s earliest memories is of a telegram.

It was 1945; his oldest brother, U.S. Army Private First Class George Silva, was stationed in Burma.

“When Western Union showed up in those days, you knew what it meant,” Silva remembers. “So when Western Union came to the door, my mom just collapsed and started screaming. I was 5 years old and I was clinging to her and crying too, even though I had no idea why my mom was crying.

“Yes, I remember that,” says Silva, now 82, of the notice arriving of his brother’s death. “I remember that.”

This Memorial Day weekend, about 100 of his family members remembered with him at the 75th Annual Silva Family Memorial Day Picnic, which also included prayers at the graveside of the fallen soldier and his parents.

It’s become both a celebration of family and a tribute to service.

“How cool is this? 75 years!” said Peter Silva Jr. to those gathered at South Valley Park in Inver Grove Heights. “And all because of Uncle George Silva.”

JOINING THE FIGHT

George’s parents, Martin and Gregoria Silva, were seeking the American dream when they came to St. Paul from west-central Mexico. For a time, the growing family lived in a boxcar in Swede Hollow, a makeshift neighborhood of immigrants on the city’s East Side. George — the oldest of the couple’s seven surviving children — was born in 1924, the same year as President Jimmy Carter. Calvin Coolidge was president, F. Scott Fitzgerald was writing “The Great Gatsby” and a gallon of gas cost 11 cents.

George attended Lincoln Elementary in Swede Hollow, later worked at a meatpacking plant in South St. Paul and was known to enjoy jazz music, but the war interrupted his youth. After the United States joined World War II, Silva joined the fight and was on Burma Road — in what is now Myanmar — on Feb. 14, 1945, when tragedy struck.

“He was part of a hospital crew,” says Peter Sr. “They were moving camp that day, from one camp to another.”

“He traded seats with somebody,” says Ruth Silva, wife of Peter Sr.

“He was shot by a sniper,” Peter Sr. says. “He was killed the day before his 21st birthday.”

That Memorial Day, still in shock and deep in grief, the family gathered informally. The world was still at war, although victory had been declared in Europe.

“My mom and dad and sisters and brother and me, it was just us,” Peter Sr. says. “So we went to a park.”

Due to war-related delays, the family would not have a cemetery to gather at until 1948, when George’s body was returned and laid to rest in Minnesota.

As time went on, George’s siblings — Alberta, Antoinette, Lucy, Mary, Michael and Peter — grew up and began having families of their own, but no one every forgot George and his sacrifice.

“Every year, the picnic got a little bigger,” Peter Sr. says.

‘SO MANY PEOPLE’

On Sunday, Resurrection Cemetery in Mendota Heights was dotted with small groups of mourners for Memorial Day weekend. Three people sat on a blanket in front of one gravestone; a larger group posed for a photo in front of another.

And then there were the Silvas.

“So many people,” said Rickie Axtell, 3, one of George’s great-great-nephews, as he looked around.

He was right: Near the exit, the cars lined up in two rows. From babies in the arms of their parents to the family elders, Ruth Silva, 83, and Peter Silva Sr., 82, seated in chairs, about 70 people gathered around one of the Silva family markers located within section 60. On a stone shared with his parents and one of their grandchildren, the soldier’s portion of the stone is inscribed simply:

George

1924-1945

Son

As the family placed roses and flags and other mementos around the grave, the sky began clearing after a morning of rain.

Here, even as the Silvas prayed for their departed family members — Peter Silva Sr. is the only sibling left of the seven — their thoughts were also focused on the nation’s grief.

“I know we’ve all been watching the news,” said Victoria Silva, one of George’s nieces, to her relatives. “And when you think of family, you think of all these children and these grandchildren … if you wouldn’t mind to say the ‘Hail, Mary’ for those families that are suffering down in Texas and Buffalo, New York, and on and on and on … we’ve got to do something.”

In this moment, what the Silvas could do was pray:

“Hail, Mary, full of grace …”

FOOD AND FAMILY

After the visit to the cemetery, the Silvas set up their annual picnic, which has been held for more than 30 years at South Valley Park in Inver Grove Heights (although they skipped 2020 due to the pandemic). One year, a long time ago, there was a snowstorm. Some years, there are tornado warnings. But often, there is sunshine. And food — lots of food — from enchiladas to rhubarb bars. This year, there were also custom T-shirts and banners, celebrating the 75th year of the gathering. And speeches, too, to a gathering of more than 100.

“Once you get a little older, you start to understand why we’re here,” Peter Silva Jr. said to the kids before the meal.. “It’s not just because of the fun picnic and the baseball diamond. This is all tradition, started with Uncle George … we hope that 25 years from now, we can say — you all can say — ‘This is the 100th year.’ ”

The official remarks closed with George’s great nephew, Anthony Silva Jr., introducing his son, Anthony Silva III., 14, to lead the group in a prayer before eating.

“It’s an honor,” said Anthony III.

And then he began:

“Our father …”

George Silva died young, but it’s clear his legacy continues to bring his family together.

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