Happy? Memorial Day Weekend Y'all
19I’ll kick it off by remembering my Mom, who passed away in 2017.
I was watching the The Office before the movie Joe Dirt airs tonight. There was an ad for the The Office marathon airing Memorial Day.
My first thought: “I need to call Mom to make sure she knows”
Remembering and honoring my people.
Have a Memorial Day y’all.
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I speak for my dead. I honor my brother, Mike, who fought in Desert Storm in the US Army. I speak for my best friend, Bob, who fought in Vietnam in the US Marines. I speak for my father, John, who fought in Korea in the US Air Force. None of them died in service, but they all served, and they have all died.
My grandfather (pop pop) lived to the ripe old age of 91, but when he was 17 he joined the army during WWII “because there wasn’t nothing better to do”. I’m one of seven people in the world with my last name (last male under 60) because his commanding officer spelled it wrong and pop pop didn’t want to correct him.
I honor my father, Bob, who passed away Feb 2017. He was a “lifer” in the USMC, served in Korea, Okinawa and Vietnam and married my Japanese mom at the embassy in Japan 62 years ago. I miss him immensely.
Hoorah Daddy
All the veterans in my family are from generations older than mine, except for a much much older cousin who was stationed in Korea after the war there.
For this weekend I hope all of them, Esp the ones I remember personally.
And most esp dad’s dad. Who ran away from home (bad situation) when he was in elementary school. And lied about his age and joined the Navy. I think he was 10-12 years old went he left home.
They did that back then. Kinda a Huck Finn thing I guess.
He fought in the Spanish-Amercan War.
By the time he was 20 he had been around the world twice on Navy ships.
He was the sweetest man and I loved him, but when I was a child I did not understand the value of personal history and personal memory.
And my Dad was a child of his middle age, so he was much older than my other grandparents.
So I never really sat with him and heard his stories at length. I now regret that more than I can say.
What a life he lived! We think we have adventures now … When he was young, the US Western frontier was still open.
I guess in honor of my husband who recently passed, who was 10 yrs military, I will post his writing on Memorial day that he wrote yrs ago. Originally it was a piece written for a newspaper. Memorial Day post is the second one. The military, all services, were near and dear to his heart.
Memorial Day
I first honor my dad, joined the service to followed his older brother, lied about his age. He was in WWII and the Korean War. He was the best man I have ever know.
I honor mom’s three brothers, all in the Army, WWII.
My dad’s brother, 31 years, worked from inlisted to a commander. True military, fighter pilot.
I honor my older brother, Army, Vietnam Nam.
I honor my little brother. He was my heart and soul. No service but a riverboat pilot. My best friend.
I of course honor my precious mom, Navy wife. All the years my dad was gone, she was the rock.
All the woman stuck together.
All of these people are gone. I miss my family and honor them everyday.
My deepest gratitude to all who served. My parents immigrated here with nothing but an education and a work ethic, and the firm knowledge that in this country, that’s all it takes for a fair shot. That privilege (all of our privileges) was bought and paid for by those who served (and serve now), especially those who gave their last full measure of devotion. It’s a debt that I can never repay, but in my career I have the opportunity to at least try every day. It’s the least I can do, and one of my greatest honors.
My dad was drafted into the Army in 1962, just a month after getting married. Were supposed to be stationed in Utah, but when they arrived the paperwork had been screwed up (‘Army intelligence’) and somebody else had been given his assignment. They ended up shipping him down to Panama and somehow my mom was allowed to join him. I was born there about a year later. My folks didn’t enjoy their time ‘in the service’ – back then the military had NO IDEA what to do with college educated enlisted personnel – but Dad is proud to have served our country.
Brother just retired from Air Force with 30 year career: from ROTC graduate/fighter pilot to colonel/Vice Base Commander. Might have made general in a couple more years, but had an airline pilot slot waiting for him.
I’m lucky that they’re both still with us. Though our gov’t can be embarrassing, I’ll be flying a flag.
/image mehmorial day
My college boyfriend who died in Afghanistan.