Happy Memorial Day

My father was a United States Marine.  In 1945 he was stationed in China.  He was 23 years old and from a small farm in Indiana.  The world was at war.  I can't imagine how that must have been for him.  I wish I had asked more questions.

I asked him once if he had killed anyone.  Before he could respond, my mother whirled around and pointed her finger at me and said sternly, "That is NOT a question you ask of a soldier.  Do you understand?"  I never asked him again.  He never volunteered the answer.

He talked of that time of his life some.  He enjoyed China.  His brother Juke, in the United States Navy, shipped in once and they were reunited for a day or so.

He had good stories of his time in WWII like the time he was checking out a girl as she walked past and he turned his head to follow her as he walked around a corner and bumped right into General MacArthur.  Terrified he saluted and awaited his punishment for knocking into a general.  Instead MacArthur said, "I would have have been looking at her too soldier."  And he walked past my Dad.

I wish I had listened more to the stories.  I wish I had recorded him talking about the war.  I wish I had thanked him for his service to our country.

Today we do thank them.  Each and every military person who defended this country.  Thank you to all those who fought, sacrificed, and died for our freedoms.  Thank you to those who still do fight for us today.  Thank you too to my Dad who did.