I’ve spent the past two weeks with family back in my hometown area. Much of that time was with my father, who is now ninety. One of the topics that came up was his years of service during World War II, during which he served on a frigate in the North Atlantic as a member of the Coast Guard. Some of his stories were funny ones–you know, the adventures of a young guy out in the big, wide world for the first time. The few he’d share about actual combat action gave me a whole new perspective of my father and what his generation went through. He still has his uniform, and we also found his service metals.
So today, I hope we all take the time to think about those who have defended our country in the past and those who continue to do so today. Keep those folks in your thoughts and prayers–they deserve far more thanks than we can ever give them.
Alexis
Amen.
And your father is 90! My father was 93 when he passed 9 years ago. He’d seen two centuries, just like yours. He went from a Model T to a Stealth Bomber in technology. It awes me. I don’t think my DDs generation will ever see those kinds of advancements.
My dad tried to enlist in WWII. But he’d had polio as a baby and didn’t walk until he was three, close to four. The government wouldn’t take him. Every six months, he went to the draft station, and every six months, he got another rejection though close to the end of the war, his classification started creeping up. I think another year and they would have taken him.
I’m not sure if that’s where I get my overwhelming appreciation of our servicemen and women. Maybe it’s my mother’s brothers who returned from that war, wounded and no longer physically whole. Or my father-in-law, who served in the Navy in the Pacific during the Korean War. Maybe it’s the high school friends I lost during Viet Nam, the boy who I was sure was the love of my life, but wouldn’t marry until he came home. He never did. Or the friends I lost during the Gulf War, or now, with the current turmoil.
But I do know I owe my freedom, my family and my life to each and every one of them, ‘past, present and future’.
Thank you.
And next time you see your dad, give him a hug from me and tell him Thank You. It doesn’t say enough, but there aren’t any words that do.
Welcome home, Alexis…and today I remember that my grandmother sent her eldest to WWI and her youngest son (my father) to WWII even though by then he was her sole support and could have claimed an exemption from service. They both came home, but to go through it twice as a mother…the sacrifices and fear… she was a strong woman. (I look just like her, too which is very cool.)
My dad spent his time in the Battle of Britain, on the big guns aimed at the sky during the bombing. He never spoke of it much, very little in fact. I think it was seeing civilians bombed out of their homes and the massive destruction but I’ll never know now. He’s been gone for years. He never actually talked about friends or fun, either. To hear the bombs whistle down, not knowing where they’d land must have been a special kind of hell.
I wonder if your Dad would remember the passenger ferry that was sunk by a German sub as it headed for Newfoundland in the Gulf of St Lawrence? I would imagine he’d recall it. Maybe he even chased it or joined the rescue effort.
And my son-in-law who served in Afghanistan is in town for our parade (he’s still in the Reserves). So, we’ll head down later to the Cenotaph and watch the ceremony. DD2 is here too and may be asked to march with the RCMP, since her hubby will be with his reserve unit. Better take my camera.
I’m glad you’re home, take care of you. Travel and stress can be a challenge.
Bonnie
Alexis, if you have a chance, and any of you really, for the next two or three days, Ancestry.com is opening to everyone, their millions of military records:
http://landing.ancestry.com/military/collections.aspx?html=main&URL=military%2fcollections.aspx%3fhtml%3dmain&o_iid=31731&o_lid=31731
You have to register if you don’t already have an account, but you can do the free one. Then you can search military records by last name for every branch.
It would be kind of cool, I think, to copy some of them to give your dad when you see him again
And I owe you a huge apology. I have no idea what I was thinking, other than I got caught up in your post, but yes, Welcome Back! Missed you. :hug:
Welcome back Alexis! We missed you.
I posted something to the Veterans on my blog. Maybe it’s because we have Veterans in our immediate family – but like you I always remember this day.
NM thanks! I may go and check that out myself.
And there’s a really cool post up at http://www.aphrodisiaauthors.com/blog/ today on how to help those in the service…starting with: find a Boy Scout.
Simple and effective ways to show appreciation.
Take care all,
Bonnie
I don’t know how many of you besides Alexis watch NCIS, but today, Call of Silence is on. It stars Charles Durning and is about a Medal of Honor winner who keeps trying to turn himself in for ‘murdering’ his best friend during WWII.
This episode always tore at me anyway, until I read Durning’s bio on IMBD. Now, I start crying at the beginning of the episode and by the time the end comes, the tears are streaming down my face.
I have to wonder how much of this episode was “merely acting” on his part:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001164/bio
Anyway, if you have a chance to watch it, do.
A simple thank you to all who serve and to those who support them. It doesn’t seem nearly enough, but it is all I have and it is truly heart felt. Thank you.
Alexis, I’m glad you are home and all is good in your world. We did miss you.
NM, I have the dvr set to record that episode of NCIS as I close tonight and thus will be at work. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the welcome home. I’ve missed you all, and it’s a relief to back home and getting things back to normal.
NM–I cry every time I see the Charles Durning episode. He reminds me of my dad, and it really hits home.
I’ll round up DJ in the next day or so and see what the dear boy has been up to.
Alexis
We’re very glad to have you back Alexis. And we missed you just as much and were very worried about you and your family.
I remember that particular episode of NCIS. I love watching it because it reminds me of my own grandfather.
My grandfather passed away when I was no older than 10, barely able to remember him now. My father was speaking of him on Tuesday, speaking of how he served in WWII. It was the first time I have ever heard him speak of him. It is sad that I never really go to know him. He was talking about how he loved to tobacco and what he used to tell him about the war and where he worked in one of the Chicago factories when he grew up. He…he also spoke of how he beat the odds given him when he was diagonosed with Lung Cancer. How he lived a year longer than what the doctors had given him.
I wished that I could of known him better, but I feel lucky I knew him at all concidering my brother and sister (both younger than me) don’t remember him at all.
*wipes away tears* I think about him every now and then and wonder what he would be like now if he had lived longer.
Dani
Glad you are back Alexis. I hope the boys didn’t get into too much trouble. did you get a chance to hit a Steak-n-Shake?
At least you were back here when the weather was nicer than it’s been in a while. I think October got confused with November.
If you ever wonder what you can do for our Veterans, please check out Soldiers’ Angels. They have such a wide range of coverage, there’s bound to be something for everyone. They help with everything from homemade blankets for injured troops at Landstuhl Hospital to laptops with voice-activated software. For the Ft Hood tragedy, they’re gathering stuffed animals for the children affected and gift cards for the families. If you don’t have any money to spare, become a penpal with a soldier who doesn’t ever get any mail. Soldiers’ Angels is a truly wonderful volunteer organization. Its motto is “Let no soldier go unloved.’
Thanks guys.
Thanks for the suggestion, PM, I’ll check into it. I was a penpal to a soldier back in the Vietnam war. It was a nice connection to someone who needed something to look forward to.
Alexis
PM–
Okay, about Steak ‘n Shake–Alexis dragged me there at least four times in two weeks. Granted, their burgers are great and the mocha shakes even better, but there are other places to eat, you know.
Seriously, it was a nice touch of home for her.
DJ
I have to admit that I love the final countdown until one of my books is released. Fresh Fiction just posted Defeat the Darkness on their list of books scheduled for review. Here’s the link, if you’d like to see the back blurb/summary–I love all my guys, but Hunter ranks right up there with Trahern with me. (Don’t tell DJ–you know how he can get!)
http://freshfiction.com/book.php?id=34708
Alexis
Went and looked at the back blurb… I think Hunter will have some ‘splainin to do! That should be fun… too bad I have to wait 4 months.
Sigh. . . . . . 4 months. . . . I remember this feelling, when I was a small child and Christmas was 4 months away. . . . It sounds wonderful! And, I’m looking forward to it.
DJ, I’m glad you had a few days to get away and enjoy some sunshine. We are very glad you are back!