Eulogy for Those That Served

» LER - Some Thoughts

I am also a veteran and the son of a WW II/Korea veteran. My father and one of his brothers also joined the military before WW II for equal reasons of adventure/someplace to get a square meal. My uncle was taken prisoner in 1942 and endured the harsh "hospitality" of the Japanese Emperor for the rest of the war. My father fought every day of WW II, in combat, in the Pacific. The colors of his Asiatic/Pacific ribbon were hidden by battle stars. He met my mother on leave in San Diego in 1945 and married her. He had established a civilian life for himself when he was recalled to serve in 1950, from the Inactive Reserve. He did not wish to go, but he went. That is the experience of most men of his generation, the letter carriers and insurance salesmen and college professors. Don Conroy's contribution was that, when the country wasn't at war, when people debated the dollars spent on the military, he got into his aircraft and flew off the tossing carrier decks,putting his life on the line. His family, Pat included, paid a lot of that price too. My father did not wish me to serve in the military, or to go to Vietnam, but he was proud that I did.
Thanks to all the Dads and sons who served. That's the respect I want to see in movies.

-- posted by LER

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» HvyGunner - To take it down another generation...

I'll tell you stories of my Grandfather, who had his battleship blown out from underneath him (USS OKLAHOMA), and of MY dad, who served aboard the steel sharks of the Submarine Force.
I'll tell you of the times that things weren't too smooth at home, because a bunch of proud warriors were doing their best even when inflicted with contradicting directives, screaming Admirals throwing temper tantrums, and a hostile public.
I'll tell you of the fear that filled our house when we knew Dad wasn't in Subic, but was in Cambodia, or Viet Nam, and we knew that the enemy wasn't going to recognize the Geneva Convention.
I'll tell you about the pained look in his eyes as we faced the first war we had "lost" (according to the great unwashed), and the frustration written on his face as he had to deal with the tangled mess that followed Viet Nam.
Somehow we made it, but life wasn't easy.
Today, Dad's doing fine, and my 1 year old brother (yeah, you heard right) is going to grow up in a world where at least we understand that things change, and you've got to be able to change with it.
After fifteen years away from home, I don't just respect my dad... I love my dad.
Semper Fi to my Dad too,

Bill

-- posted by HvyGunner

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