Veteran's Day

[eimarra]

I'm not exactly the first to post about this today, but it's a bit more acute for me this year.

My dad served in World War II. He was technically too young to enlist, but both of his older brothers had joined the Navy and he told his parents they could help hem or not but he was going to join, too. He it was who told me the Red Cross charged the military for coffee and other supplies. I'd thought maybe he was exaggerating until after Katrina. But I can't apologize now for not believing him.

He died September 13. Another one of the greatest generation gone.

I'd give anything to be able to call him up today and tell him how proud I am of him, how much I admire what he did. I'd like to apologize for not believing him about the Red Cross and to listen to his stories and ask him questions about his service that I will now never know the answers to. I can't.

I'll send e-mail and call my older brother, who did his stint in the Army, of course. That I can still do.

So if you know a veteran, smile, thank them, and maybe listen to their stories before they're gone forever.

Comments

[bonniers.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry. Major hugs.

--bonnie

[eimarra]

Thanks. You know, this holiday has never meant quite so much to me before. It was just some of the background of life. (And maybe that accounts for me forgetting that there would be no mail pick-up today.) Man I miss him.

[bonniers.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I remember after my grandfather died, I felt a lot of the same things about his World War I service. When the US didn't go into the war right away, he and his older brother went to Canada and lied about their ages to get into the Canadian army. He was 14 and his brother was 16. (And my parents wonder why my brother was so wild??? He inherited it :) ) He told us one time he went over on the same ship with Billy Bishop the Canadian flying ace, but my mother says he made that part up. I never thought to ask him about it. I never thought to ask him about what made him stay in Europe for several years after the war, or what happened that made him hate Italians so much (he had a barbershop beside the Spanish Steps in Rome).

Too late to brood about it now. But still.

--bonnie

[(Anonymous)]

Hugs, Erin. I know this must be tough for you today. My dad was also in WWII. He won't talk to me about life back then. He saw a lot of action including the Battle of Bulge. Oddly enough he'll talk to my husband about his army life. And for a school project, my son interviewed him over the phone. He couldn't believe grandpa went through all that and never said anything about it before.

Maripat

[eimarra]

Thanks, Maripat. My guess is your dad is trying to shelter you. His little girl shouldn't hear such things, right? I'm glad he's sharing with your husband and your son.