Memorial Day
05-23-2009, 05:13 PM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location:
Posts: 478
Memorial Day
So I went out to the local food store this evening and outside was a Vietnam vet collecting donations for the VFW. It struck me that if it werent for the hat I never would have known that this man was a veteran. I stood there for a moment and remembered when I was a child meeting my grandfather for the first and only time when he came over from England for my sisters wedding. Sad that the two things I really remember about him was a comment he made to my mother that the next "big war" would be in the middle east (that still sends shivers down my spine) and the horrible scars he had on his belly that he brought home from the trenches in WWI which I caught a glimps of while he was putting on a shirt. (I found out much later that he also brought home a certain STD from France as well, much to my grandmothers irritation 
). That memory was instantly replaced by one of my Father. A quiet, hard working, and well loved man whom was deaf in one ear. Seems that he was a bombadier on a B 17 in England during WWII and a 17 crashed landed on the field after heavy battle damage. Apparently my Father crawled onto the burning plane and dragged out the co-pilot. As he was carrying him away from the plane it exploded beside him...rupturning his ear drum and effectivly grounding him (he spent the rest of his tour loading bombs.) As a side note the co-pilot died from his injuries...from what I was told my Father took that very hard. I remember a friend of mine who was in Vietman as well as this man in front of me. One day he came into the store I had at the time and he did not look too good. Seems he had watched a Vietnam war movie and there was a tunnel scene in it. For those who do not know, the NVC used a huge network of tunnels, many booby trapped, and the only way to get to them was to go into these tunnels. Seems that was one of the things my friend had to do during his tour there and though he seemed fairly at peace with his experience this obviously shook him and it took several weeks for him to regain his composure. Another friend came back from the first Gulf War a very angry and self destructive man. Seems the "things I had to do" haunted him and I had feared for him till one day he "found God" and to his credit completely turned himself around. I then really thought that many of my colleagues, customers, and friends are probably veterans as well. All of this crossed my mind in a matter of seconds and I walked up to the man, smiled, put a few bucks in his can and thanked him. He thanked me back and gave me a small red silk flower. It was a small gesture on my part, but I guess the object of the day is to remember our veterans and I like to think I have done at least that. But since I have this venue to use I would however like to personaly thank all of the members of these forums that have served our country for your service and sacrifice and as I type this and look above my computer to the photo of my Father and of the photo of the B-17 I have next to it know that with me at least Veterans day is all year long 
). That memory was instantly replaced by one of my Father. A quiet, hard working, and well loved man whom was deaf in one ear. Seems that he was a bombadier on a B 17 in England during WWII and a 17 crashed landed on the field after heavy battle damage. Apparently my Father crawled onto the burning plane and dragged out the co-pilot. As he was carrying him away from the plane it exploded beside him...rupturning his ear drum and effectivly grounding him (he spent the rest of his tour loading bombs.) As a side note the co-pilot died from his injuries...from what I was told my Father took that very hard. I remember a friend of mine who was in Vietman as well as this man in front of me. One day he came into the store I had at the time and he did not look too good. Seems he had watched a Vietnam war movie and there was a tunnel scene in it. For those who do not know, the NVC used a huge network of tunnels, many booby trapped, and the only way to get to them was to go into these tunnels. Seems that was one of the things my friend had to do during his tour there and though he seemed fairly at peace with his experience this obviously shook him and it took several weeks for him to regain his composure. Another friend came back from the first Gulf War a very angry and self destructive man. Seems the "things I had to do" haunted him and I had feared for him till one day he "found God" and to his credit completely turned himself around. I then really thought that many of my colleagues, customers, and friends are probably veterans as well. All of this crossed my mind in a matter of seconds and I walked up to the man, smiled, put a few bucks in his can and thanked him. He thanked me back and gave me a small red silk flower. It was a small gesture on my part, but I guess the object of the day is to remember our veterans and I like to think I have done at least that. But since I have this venue to use I would however like to personaly thank all of the members of these forums that have served our country for your service and sacrifice and as I type this and look above my computer to the photo of my Father and of the photo of the B-17 I have next to it know that with me at least Veterans day is all year long
05-23-2009, 06:07 PM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: No.MN
Posts: 1,053
RE: Veterans Day
That's mighty nice of you, Dave. I really appreciate the gesture. I can vividly recall being spat on as a 'baby killer' when I returned...and, having been drafted, I had no option to being there. Fortunately our country has learned from the way we were treated and recognizes the contributions that those that serve now have made.
05-24-2009, 03:42 AM
#3
Banned
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: N46° 27.914' W90° 10.614'
Posts: 383
RE: Memorial Day
David, thanks for remembering. It's nice to have somebody say good things about us Vets rather than call us vile names!
Salute to all Vet's; past,presentand those who made the ultimate sacrafice!!
It is the VETERAN , not the preacher,
who has given us freedom of religion.
It is the VETERAN , not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the VETERAN , not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech
It is the VETERAN , not the campus organizer,
who has given us freedom to assemble.
It is the VETERAN , not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the ! VETERAN , not the politician,
Who has given us the right to vote.
It is the VETERAN ,
who salutes the Flag,
Salute to all Vet's; past,presentand those who made the ultimate sacrafice!!
It is the VETERAN , not the preacher,
who has given us freedom of religion.
It is the VETERAN , not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the VETERAN , not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech
It is the VETERAN , not the campus organizer,
who has given us freedom to assemble.
It is the VETERAN , not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the ! VETERAN , not the politician,
Who has given us the right to vote.
It is the VETERAN ,
who salutes the Flag,
05-24-2009, 06:53 PM
#4
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: PA.
Posts: 5,195
RE: Veterans Day
ORIGINAL: Cossack
That's mighty nice of you, Dave. I really appreciate the gesture. I can vividly recall being spat on as a 'baby killer' when I returned...and, having been drafted, I had no option to being there. Fortunately our country has learned from the way we were treated and recognizes the contributions that those that serve now have made.
That's mighty nice of you, Dave. I really appreciate the gesture. I can vividly recall being spat on as a 'baby killer' when I returned...and, having been drafted, I had no option to being there. Fortunately our country has learned from the way we were treated and recognizes the contributions that those that serve now have made.
i said, THIS IS LAST TIME I AM GOING TO BE NICE TO ANYONE THAT GETS NASTY WITH ME.
he did not like me one bit after that.
