Reflections of Father's Day

YukonRon

My father passed on a few years ago. He was part of the Greatest Generation as defined by Tom Brokaw.
He was born into poverty, quit school at 13, to help his single parent mother, whom he adored, make ends meet in some of the most difficult times in the shadows of the Appalachian South.
at 15, he tried to join the service to fight in WWII. He was taken home to his mother by the recruiting officer, because of the fight he had put up trying. He kept trying. Finally, on his 17th birthday, the struggle to join was over, his mother have in. She put on her Sunday best, and walked hand in hand with her son to the recruitment office and signed the papers to let him join the Navy, underage.
He did this for several reasons, 1) to send home to his mother, all of his pay, 2) to reduce the burden on his mother, and 3) fight for our country.
He got his basic training at Great Lakes, and immediately shipped out on a flat bottom converted landing carrier, the smallest ship in the Navy to navigate the ocean under its own power, and went right into the South Pacific island hopping campaign. 
His ship was converted into a missile launcher, which was able to deliver more ordinance on the beach head, at close range, than 5 destroyers could together at once.
Their job was to draw fire from enemy bunkers on shore, call them in as targets to the destroyers sitting out of range from enemy fire, to launch shells onto the beach and knock out the big guns prior to the invasion. Basically canon fodder on each campaign. In the first invasion, Guadalcanal, his ship lost half it's crew. 
It never got better for him until the enemy capitulated and surrendered on the Missouri.
Not only did he survive, he refused decorations of service. He was wounded, and he just wanted nothing. He just wanted to be sure his mother was taken care of. I too served in the military. I understand what it takes. I can only imagine his fear as a young boy, having to deal with what he saw. It is so much more different today. (It is still pure hell, but I think less so in an odd way)
He was buried with full honors. His rank and time served is on his memorial stone, his love for his mother, his dedication to his wife, is noted there too. He also had "Proud Father". It was at the top.
Wherever I am, whenever I think I am having a bad day, I think about him. 
Thank you father. I am a better person and our nation is free because of you.

northGAcock

Ron, Just read this. and all I can say is WOW! I am a better person for having read this. We all take for grated where we are in life....and this is further reflected in today's entitled youth. I can say this as I have two young adult kids. Thanks for sharing this tribute to your dad.

mgd_egg

What a good man. Proud Father and Proud Son.

NPHuskerFL

Salute. Great story!

RiverDoc

Fantastic read! Thank you for sharing this. It is obvious how proud you are of him as you should be! That generation was just cut from a different cloth.

xiphoid007

I had the honor of treating vets at my local va while in training. I had the privilege of treating several WWII vets. I took it as an honor to treat all those who served our country, but there is something different about WWII vets. They are simply a special group of folks. I say all the time that if you've never had the pleasure of meeting one of these members of the greatest generation, you are missing out on something special.

Your story is something similar to many I've heard from WWII vets. They were a special group and you had a very special man as your father. 

Thanks for sharing!!

Focker

xiphoid007 said:

I had the honor of treating vets at my local va while in training. I had the privilege of treating several WWII vets. I took it as an honor to treat all those who served our country, but there is something different about WWII vets. They are simply a special group of folks. I say all the time that if you've never had the pleasure of meeting one of these members of the greatest generation, you are missing out on something special.

Your story is something similar to many I've heard from WWII vets. They were a special group and you had a very special man as your father. 

Thanks for sharing!!

I couldn't agree with this more.  They are different, and the greatest.

Like this post, one of the best parts of the job is taking a seat and just listening to their stories.

 

YukonRon

Thank all of you for your kind words. I think we all know folks, of which,the word "sacrifice" was not considered something to complain about, rather an honorable duty that needed no "thanks."
We are parents. We all know.
Again, thank you for the kind words.
Happy Father's Day to all.