A huge thank you to all our veterans for their service, and–as I say every year–for me personally an especially big thank you to my sister who retired from the Air Force after 25 years of active duty.
Thanking Vets for their service should be done daily. I had something on facebook recently it was 2 pictures of the same man, One in fatigues, probably in Viet Nam, the other as a homeless person. The caption was anyone who lived like this (Nam) should never have to live like this (homeless) Wish it were true
Maggie, you’re right. We need to take better care of our veterans. I have several veterans taking my College classes and I try to help them as much as I can. Most people have no idea about their struggles.
Too true. My father volunteered at 17 after Pearl Harbor (I know I’ve mentioned this before) and spent most of four years in Britain keeping the Army Air Corps planes flying. He and my mother were very involved with the Jewish War Veterans and other groups.
Jeff, my Dad enlisted in the Navy after Pearl Harbor and serviced in the Pacific. A kamikaze plane hit my Dan’s destroyer and my Dad was injured. He was awarded the Purple Heart.
my dad enlisted, not sure when. He was tested to be a pilot, but didn’t pass the physical as he had nerve damage in his arm. (He used to work at a “straw board” where they made pulp out of newspapers, etc. Wish he’d saved all the comic books he brought home to his siblings!!) He trained as an electrician and airplane mechanic and was stationed in Cuba and New Mexico.
Maggie, when my father enlisted he wanted to be a pilot. But when he didn’t make it, he said they wouldn’t get him in a plane so he became a mechanic. He was always good with his hands, which he didn’t pass down to his sons. He had plenty of stories of Generals who wanted couches put into their planes. Strangely, sometimes they’d “forget” to put a key bolt or two back and the General had a near miss.
Jackie’s father was drafted and ended up with Patton’s Army.
I had an uncle who was wounded at Pearl Harbor. It wasn’t a severe wound from what I understand (never met him). Alas, be became a drunk and died it the gutter one winter night in the sixties. My father and several uncles served in WWII. My father was a medic who went ashore with the Marines when they were island hopping across the Pacific. He was wounded and received a Purple Heart. He served 20 years in the Navy so I became a Navy brat as our family traveled mostly along the Eastern Seaborad, following his assignments. New York, Louisiana, Rhode Island, Maryland, Virginia.
I joined the Army in September 1966, went to Nam in July 1967 as an operating engineer. I extended my tour for six months but came home after doing only six weeks of that because of a death in the family. I had minimal combat experience. Once in a while Charlie would lob some rockets at our base and I was there for the big Tet offensive in ’68, but otherwise it was mostly long days and lousy weather.
I saw that show, Rick. We should not have given Iwo back.
Saluting all my fellow vets.
Bob, I appreciate your service.
A huge thank you to all our veterans for their service, and–as I say every year–for me personally an especially big thank you to my sister who retired from the Air Force after 25 years of active duty.
Deb, I feel the same way about our veterans. We’re fortunate they’re there to protect us.
Bravo Zulu to all from 25 year veteran of U.S. Navy.
Rick, we all appreciate what you’ve done for us.
Thanking Vets for their service should be done daily. I had something on facebook recently it was 2 pictures of the same man, One in fatigues, probably in Viet Nam, the other as a homeless person. The caption was anyone who lived like this (Nam) should never have to live like this (homeless) Wish it were true
Maggie, you’re right. We need to take better care of our veterans. I have several veterans taking my College classes and I try to help them as much as I can. Most people have no idea about their struggles.
Too true. My father volunteered at 17 after Pearl Harbor (I know I’ve mentioned this before) and spent most of four years in Britain keeping the Army Air Corps planes flying. He and my mother were very involved with the Jewish War Veterans and other groups.
Jeff, my Dad enlisted in the Navy after Pearl Harbor and serviced in the Pacific. A kamikaze plane hit my Dan’s destroyer and my Dad was injured. He was awarded the Purple Heart.
I agree with Maggie. We should be thanking our veterans every day.
Thank you, vets, for your service. America wouldn’t be the same place without you.
my dad enlisted, not sure when. He was tested to be a pilot, but didn’t pass the physical as he had nerve damage in his arm. (He used to work at a “straw board” where they made pulp out of newspapers, etc. Wish he’d saved all the comic books he brought home to his siblings!!) He trained as an electrician and airplane mechanic and was stationed in Cuba and New Mexico.
Maggie, when my father enlisted he wanted to be a pilot. But when he didn’t make it, he said they wouldn’t get him in a plane so he became a mechanic. He was always good with his hands, which he didn’t pass down to his sons. He had plenty of stories of Generals who wanted couches put into their planes. Strangely, sometimes they’d “forget” to put a key bolt or two back and the General had a near miss.
Jackie’s father was drafted and ended up with Patton’s Army.
ps the arm injury was when his arm got caught in machinery
Good program last night on PBS on the Iwo Jima battle Reunion with both Japanese and American vets.
Rick, I’ll have to check it out ON DEMAND.
I had an uncle who was wounded at Pearl Harbor. It wasn’t a severe wound from what I understand (never met him). Alas, be became a drunk and died it the gutter one winter night in the sixties. My father and several uncles served in WWII. My father was a medic who went ashore with the Marines when they were island hopping across the Pacific. He was wounded and received a Purple Heart. He served 20 years in the Navy so I became a Navy brat as our family traveled mostly along the Eastern Seaborad, following his assignments. New York, Louisiana, Rhode Island, Maryland, Virginia.
I joined the Army in September 1966, went to Nam in July 1967 as an operating engineer. I extended my tour for six months but came home after doing only six weeks of that because of a death in the family. I had minimal combat experience. Once in a while Charlie would lob some rockets at our base and I was there for the big Tet offensive in ’68, but otherwise it was mostly long days and lousy weather.
I saw that show, Rick. We should not have given Iwo back.