It's Memorial Day ...almost.
I feel compelled to write; not about MY time in the service, but about those that have come before me. My family has a rich history of service to this country. Although, I don't think they necessarily intended for future generations to continue it in the way we have, they embodied the very foundation of what makes a military person great ...putting others before themselves. And in doing so, they've inspired quite a few people along the way.
Unfortunately, I don't remember my dad's dad, Grandpa John. I was just a kid when he passed away, but I was fortunate enough to grow up with some amazing stories about him. Not only did he serve at the Battle of the Bulge. But, one of my favorite stories about him was when he acted as a Polish interpreter shortly after the concentration camps were liberated. He was a first-generation American, his parents immigrated from Poland in the 1900s. I can only imagine what life was like for him.
Oh, fun fact by-the-way! ...Candlebox frontman Kevin Martins own father served at the Battle of the Bulge too; just makes me wonder if they ever ran into each other ...he was from Chicago!
A certain Vietnam-era Marine, who shall remain confidential is another person I'm especially reminded of, and proud of during this time of year. When I was still in Catholic grade-school, before I flunked out ...lol, this Marine wrote me a letter telling me about his experience in combat and who his hero was, Corporal Joe Thomas Hunt:
"...Corporal Joe and I went to unload ammunition off helicopters on Jan. 27th [1968] about 2:00pm. The North Vietnamese fired many rockets at us. We didn't hear them going through the air, because of the engines on the helicopters. Corporal Joe stood between me and the explosion. He died instantly. He saved my life. He's my hero."
Last year I got to visit the Vietnam Memorial and finally paid my respects to Corporal Hunt.
There are so many other veterans that I would love to write about. And they represent just about every branch of the Armed Forces. From James Cornell in 1917 with the Allied Expeditionary Force, to recent operations (my own father;) my family still continues to serve.
It is truly a privilege to be a part of this brotherhood. I'm so glad I wasn't ready for college after high school and decided to enlist myself!
The intention of this post isn't to romanticize war, because war is horrible! It is simply a reminder that all the blessings we have today wouldn't be possible without the men and women who gave their lives.
Stop just thanking veterans and do something worthwhile!
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