Page 21 - San Diego Woman Magazine Digital Version

UNDER THE C OL ORS

Honoring Our Veterans

Read How This Vietnam Vet Came to Appreciate His Veteran
Father and Other WW II Veterans.

grew up in rural Ohio. He taught me respect. a “band of brothers”. about the Veterans Admin-
Every kid I knew had a Every Veterans Day and Tom Brokaw got it right. istration. If you served in a
father who served during Memorial Day we would go to They were the “The Greatest foreign war join the Veterans
W
I orld War II. Some might the cemetery to pay homage Generation.” of Foreign Wars (VFW). But do
criticize this: we played war to our relatives, and never I serve three tours in Viet- not just join…be an advocate.
almost every day. Weather, missed going to the graves of nam. A total of 40 months as Get involved. If not the VFW,
of course being a factor. We our fallen heroes. I know my an electronic counter mea- join another service organi-
played with BB guns and wore playmates did the same with sures specialist and later as zation. Our fathers taught the
our father’s combat uniforms. their fathers. a combat Aviator. I was a mus- principles for all that, includ-
Some of us looked ridiculous Our dads did not talk tang. I rose through the ranks ing the need for teamwork.
with sleeves hanging down to much about the war. Occa- and was at the right place I wish we had listened
our knees, and helmets that sionally at our neighborhood at the right time to receive a more to our World War II vets.
would roll down the street barbecue, when the beer was commission as a Naval Officer. Now it is the Korean and Viet-
when we tripped. We hid in flowing you might hear words The things that I learned nam vets who teach us. Soon
a stand of woods nearby. We like Amsterdam, Normandy and benefited from my the veterans of the middle
fought over who would wear and the Pacific Island. No father’s generation was to east wars will guide us.
what. The prized possession details, but we knew they always pay respect to your I read that fewer than a
was a fatigue shirt with the were there. Frank Sinatra, fellow veterans. Be a veteran million of the men and wom-
screaming eagle patch. It rep- Tony Bennet, Dean Martin who helps veterans. When en who fought and won the
resent the 101st Airborne. and the McGuire sisters’ music people say “Thank you for great conflict are still alive;
My father was a soldier would play from someone’s your service” let them know they are dying at a rate of
in Airborne. It made me very Motorola. the honor you feel. Be a nearly 500 a day, according to
proud to know that. I still car- They were quiet patriots. proud American. Serve in any the Veterans Administration.
ry that pride with me today. Even at the town’s American way you can. Right now, there Soon they all will be gone.
He died a few years ago at the Legion. They only said things are millions of veterans who It saddens me.
age of 86. I wish I could talk to that showed appreciation for need help getting their veter- Those are my thoughts for
him this Veterans Day. one another. They were truly an benefits. Educate yourself this Veterans Day 2020.

21