Old Weird Ward
Unless otherwise noted, that which is posted here is opinion, which is protected by the First Amendment to the US Constitution. If you don't like my opinions, go somewhere else. Nobody is forcing you to actually read this drivel.
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Wednesday, November 10, 2004
- - - - - OWW's Thoughts on Veteran's Day - - - - -
This is a solemn day.
And also a day of humor.
We, as a society, remember and thank our vets. They sacrificed, at a minimum, 2 years of their precious time. In return, they got sub-minimum wages, lots of healthy outdoor exercise, and the the delights of getting shot at. And sometimes they got the "thanks" of a country that just didn't, at the time, give a damn.
Fortunately, things have changed. We now honor our vets, and I'm delighted to see it.
On the other hand, we (the vets amongst you all) remember some of the funny stuff about our service (OWW is USN, 1969-1973). Looking back, some of it wasn't really funny at all, although we laughed ourselves silly at the time.
On this day, I'd like to say an especially big "Thanks, Guys!" to all the members of the Greatest Generation. Especially my Dad.
Dad was an Infantryman in the 1st Infantry Division.
He joined up in December 1941, at 19, interrupting his college education.
He went ashore at D+3, and walked from Normandy to Germany, and got shot up along the way.
Thanks, Pop.
I'm proud of you, and all that you and your companions accomplished.
My Father-in-Law joined the Marines, and got sent to China at the end of WW2.
He spent some time trying to advise the Nationalist Chinese on the best way to defeat the children of Chairman Mao - to no avail, as it turns out, but he tried.
Don is one of the last living China Marines.
Thanks, Don.
Manuel was a guy I met shortly after I got out of the Navy back in 1973. A little guy, about five-five, and maybe 140 pounds on a heavy day. Very quiet, very polite. He smiled a lot, but didn't laugh much.
I was shocked when I learned that he was just forty years old - he had gray hair and didn't move around too well - I thought he was at least sixty!
Manuel was a veteran of Korea - all of it, from the first retreat down the Korean peninsula, then back up to the Yalu river, then right back down again, most of it in horribly nasty weather. Two Purple Hearts, two Bronze Stars with "V", and the Distinguished Service Cross.
Thanks, Manuel.
I could go on and on about some of the folks that I've met. But I think that this will get the message across:
A nod and a toast to Absent Friends.
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