Sunday, November 10, 2019
Veterans
Like many families, my family has a lot of people who served in the Armed Forces. Most of them came home and went on to have families and decent lives. Some were 'lifers' and some only served as long as necessary. I am proud of each of them and I thank them all for keeping our freedom.
My father was in the Navy during World War II. He was wounded but still made it home and had a large loving family. He did not talk about his time at war.
My oldest brother served in Korea on the DMZ as an MP. Things were not as peaceful as we are led to believe. It is, after all, still an active war zone. He came home and eventually married. He and his wife divorced and had no children. He did not talk about his time in a war zone.
My second brother served in Vietnam. He wrote letters to us. Many had tears on them as he told of buddies who had been killed.
He told us before he left that he would not be back alive. He made arrangements for the dispersal of his things. He was right. He did not come back alive.
My brother did not have a chance to marry and have a family. He was unable to continue his life. He was not much more than a child himself.
As the saying goes 'War is hell'. It hurts so many. Most of all it hurts those who served. They seldom speak of experiences. Usually, the most they will say is that they served and where.
They may have physical wounds that we can see. All of them have inner wounds that they do not often share.
Thank you to all the veterans.
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You are so right. My father was army, so was my uncle. Way back in WWII. My father's grandfather and great uncles served in the Civil War. Two of three did not survive. My brother and bil were Vietnam. I wonder if we think about how many have served.
ReplyDeleteToo many.
DeleteThey never speak of those days. My father and gr-father didn't speak of the war until the later years.
ReplyDeleteMost do not. They may have funny stories about their buddies antics but never talk about the war itself.
DeleteI agree, thanks to all the veterans. The ultimate sacrifice too to give one's life for the country's freedom. My dad was in the Polish army during WW2. He died when I was 18 months old; he was 39, so I didn't know him but I do remember my mom saying on numerous occasions he didn't talk about his war experiences. I wonder if he had lived would he have as my sister, brother and me got older.
ReplyDeletebetty
I am sorry you did not have yhe chance to know your father. My guess is that he would have kept his awful memoties to himself.
DeleteMy father served in WWII also.
ReplyDeleteEvery war is the same. Somebody's father or mother served. Everybody knows somebody that never returned. I have no hope that it will ever be different.
And that is so sad. But true.
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ReplyDeleteMy father was in the Navy in World War 2. From my childhood perspective (which may be wrong) he semmed to talk about it every day of my life. He was older and would not have had to go in the draft. He enlisted at 36 years of age. He was older than the captain of his ship (32). Many of his shipmates were 18 or 19 and they called him "Pop"...my theory is that they were young, did their duty, went home and tried to forget about it, married, raised families. But for my Dad it was a big chunk, four years out of the middle of his life. He was 39 when he was discharged. I got so tired of hearing about his Navy days. Now I wish I could hear about them again and again.
ReplyDeleteMy father lied about his age so he could join. His home life was not great. I think the war was worse for him.
DeleteI am so sorry for the loss of your brother. My brother and husband both served during Viet Nam but were never deployed. I read recently that the US has been involved in war and combat 93% of the time since we became a country. Bless all that have served.
ReplyDeleteYes bless them all.
DeleteI remember that you have written about your brother on other posts, but I am sure his loss is more keenly felt on holidays like Veterans Day and especially Memorial Day. My husband served in the U.S. Navy as did his uncle, but sadly another uncle was killed in WWII. In my family, 2 uncles served in the U.S. Merchant Marines and returned home safely.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry to hear about your husband's uncle and happy that the others survived. I am grateful to each of them.
Deletedear Emma tears falling my eyes !
ReplyDeletesorry would be not enough for such young death of your beloved brother !!!
this is pride that your father and brother served in army and father and one brother returned safely and lived natural life
l
war is always devastating for all whether who fight or who wait for them at home
this seems relief that now there we feel less chance for such terrible wars as technology has brought new shapes of it
wishing you much peace in your heart my friend!
hugs!
Thank you. I wish technology could stop war. Unfortunately it is a game for people in powerful positions to play with people who are not.
DeleteThinking about your brother breaks my heart. There were so many that shared his fate.
ReplyDeleteWar leaves many scars, not all of which are on the soldiers.
The wounds never completely heal.
DeleteMy mother's first husband died in Korea. I might have mentioned it on my blog, I grew up seeing his Purple Heart and carefully folded American flag. As an adult I was at a church homecoming in small town Toccoa, Georgia and a woman walked up to me and told me her maiden name, saying that the name must not mean anything to me. " Are you related to Roy?", I Asked her. Her reply, "He was my only sibling and we were 18 months apart." I agree with the comment above, war leaves many scars.
ReplyDeleteThat must have been quite a moment. I hope you were able to have more of a conversation with her. It seemed to be important to her.
DeleteThey never talk about those days. It wasn't until later that my father and grandfather talked about war!!!
ReplyDelete