It's that time again to pause at 11:00 a.m. on the 11th Day of the 11th Month and pay our respects to our Veterans. I never tire of this. I've mentioned before that my dad, Ross Johnson, served on the USS Mississippi in WWII. He and three of his Harlingen buddies joined and intended to serve on a submarine. Only one of them made it to submarine duty and he lost his life when the sub was hit by a "trash can" I believe Daddy called it. The other three served on the battleships and returned home when the war was over.
Dad used to tell the stories of being on the ship, of being attacked, burials at sea at sunset. He never mentioned being scared, but I can't imagine that he wasn't. He did his duty anyway, scared or not. So did the men and women in the European Theater. So did the military in WWI, Korea, Viet Nam, and the more recent conflicts. I'm blessed, we're blessed that our nation has never run away from hard times because of fear. We buckle down, we make sacrifices, we pray...but we don't run.
May God richly bless those who have served and those who continue to serve. I salute you all!
2 comments:
I was a little girl the last time I saw your father. I remember what he looked like but even more, I remember his wicked sense of humor. There is no question where you and "baby sister" get yours from.
I remember your father and his sense of humor which was like my Dad's. In fact I credit Dad with having taught me to pretty much laugh my way through the bad times. He always spoke of your dad fondly! I get so nostalgic, especially around Veteran's Day. I miss our parents' generation in my family and on the planet in general, and I especially miss their patriotism and love of this country.
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