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Veteran's Day tribute to our Dads and Moms


Venturous Randy

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I have thought about doing this before and wish I had done it earlier, but I want to give a tribute to my dad and hope others will do this also of their family members.

My dad joined the Navy when he was 16 and not long after, Pearl Harbor was attacked. I remember looking at my grandson two years ago when he was 16 and could not imagine him doing that. Dad served on battleships and cruisers as a Gunner's Mate in the Pacific Theater. He was at Guadal Canal when Japan surrendered. He once told me about standing on the beach there looking out in the bay where a supply ship was in the distance. He said all of a sudden the ship turned cherry red and blew into a million pieces. He said body parts washed up on shore for weeks. I regret not encouraging him to share more of the experiences he had during the war.

When I joined the USAF in 1969, my mom was scared to death, but I knew my dad was proud of me. I think it mattered to him that I joined instead of just getting drafted. I remember my dad being so happy when I came home from Southeast Asia in 72.

I ran across some letters my grand mother had written to him during that time and even though she tried to be upbeat, it was apparent she was so scared for him. At that time communication took a long time and they could not have imagined something like the internet. My dad in now buried with my mom at the local Veteran's Cemetery.

Since my dad had joined instead of getting drafted, he had to serve the whole six years, so he did not get to come home right after the war like the draftees did.

I hope others will add to this and share their knowledge of their family in war.

RandyA

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