NBC晚间新闻 神秘手镯背后的感人故事

For years Neil Ward¹ carpenter was haunted by a faded piece of metal with a mysterious name. Every day, every day for 31 years. A POW/MIA Bracelet² something his father bought on a whim³. It came in handy when Neil was born and his parents needed a name. My dad was wearing the bracelet at the time and sort of suggested it and they agreed and hence I'm the Ward carpenter. Itched⁴ into the bracelet lieutenant⁵ Neil Ward. Vietnam War Pilot posthumously⁶ promoted to major, shot down and missing in action. But Neil wanted to know more. He even found his name on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial during a great school trip to Washington.

It's incredibly eerie⁷ to see your name even a part of your name. But his knowledge ended there until a Google search led him here. And last month word that a skull⁸ fragment found in Laos in 2017 had been identified it was major Ward. A memorial 50 years overdue⁹ and Neil was there. And this elderly lady walks up to me and says are you Neil and it was his sister Cassie. I was so touched and honored to name their son after him. I thought that was awesome¹⁰. And for Neil a new meaning to Veterans Day. I appreciate so much not only the service that the members of the Armed Services have done and the sacrifice they've given, but also that their families and what they've had to go through.

多年来，尼尔·沃德·卡彭特一直被一块有一个神秘名字的褪色金属所困扰。31年来每天都是。它就是他父亲一时兴起买的一个战俘手镯。当尼尔出生时，他的父母需要一个名字的时候，这个名字就派上了用场。我爸爸当时戴着那个手镯，他建议我使用这个名字，他们同意了，所以我的名字就是沃德·卡彭特。手镯上刻着中尉尼尔·沃德字样。他是越战飞行员，被击落后失踪，牺牲后升为少校。但是尼尔想知道更多。在一次去华盛顿的学校旅行中，他甚至在越战纪念碑上找到了自己的名字。 看到自己的名字令我感到非常奇怪，即使只是一部分。他只知道这么多，直到一次谷歌搜索后他来到这里。上个月有消息称，2017年在老挝发现的一块头骨碎片已经被确认属于少校沃德。一个迟到了50年的纪念物，尼尔就在那里。这位年长的女士走向我说道，你是尼尔吗？她是沃德的姐姐凯西。我很感动也很荣幸他们会以弟弟的名字给他们的儿子命名。我觉得这太棒了。对尼尔来说，退伍军人节又有了新的意义。我感到非常感激，不仅是对于军队服役人员的奉献和他们的牺牲，而且也是对于他们的家人和他们经受的困难。

1 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

2 bracelet   

n.手镯，臂镯

参考例句：

• The jeweler charges lots of money to set diamonds in a bracelet.珠宝匠要很多钱才肯把钻石镶在手镯上。
• She left her gold bracelet as a pledge.她留下她的金手镯作抵押品。

3 whim   

n.一时的兴致，突然的念头；奇想，幻想

参考例句：

• I bought the encyclopedia on a whim.我凭一时的兴致买了这本百科全书。
• He had a sudden whim to go sailing today.今天他突然想要去航海。

4 itched   

v.发痒( itch的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Seeing the children playing ping-pong, he itched to have a go. 他看到孩子们打乒乓，不觉技痒。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• He could hardly sIt'still and itched to have a go. 他再也坐不住了，心里跃跃欲试。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

6 posthumously   

adv.于死后，于身后；于著作者死后出版地

参考例句：

• He was confirmed posthumously as a member of the Chinese Communist Party. 他被追认为中国共产党党员。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Her last book was published posthumously in 1948. 她最后的一本书在她死后于1948 年出版了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 eerie   

adj.怪诞的；奇异的；可怕的；胆怯的

参考例句：

• It's eerie to walk through a dark wood at night.夜晚在漆黑的森林中行走很是恐怖。
• I walked down the eerie dark path.我走在那条漆黑恐怖的小路上。

8 skull   

n.头骨；颅骨

参考例句：

• The skull bones fuse between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five.头骨在15至25岁之间长合。
• He fell out of the window and cracked his skull.他从窗子摔了出去，跌裂了颅骨。

9 overdue   

adj.过期的，到期未付的；早该有的，迟到的

参考例句：

• The plane is overdue and has been delayed by the bad weather.飞机晚点了，被坏天气耽搁了。
• The landlady is angry because the rent is overdue.女房东生气了，因为房租过期未付。

10 awesome   

adj.令人惊叹的，难得吓人的，很好的

参考例句：

• The church in Ireland has always exercised an awesome power.爱尔兰的教堂一直掌握着令人敬畏的权力。
• That new white convertible is totally awesome.那辆新的白色折篷汽车简直棒极了.