November 9, 2008

National Veterans Awareness Week - A Remembrance

President Bush has proclaimed this week as National Veterans Awareness Week. All Americans are encouraged to recognize the bravery and sacrifice of our veterans through ceremonies and prayers.

Give me an aspirin. I already got a Purple Heart.

Just give me an aspirin. I already got a Purple Heart.
(drawing by Bill Mauldin)

My father served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was part of the first wave of American soldiers who went into Japan after the atomic bombs were dropped. He never talked about his war experiences, and he passed away over 20 years ago. But, I remember as a child that he had a book with the collection of drawings by Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Bill Mauldin. The drawings of GIs Willie and Joe gave voice to the life of a World War II infantryman. It was through these drawings that I obtained an early insight to my father’s unspoken history.

I can not begin to express my appreciation and gratitude to the brave men and women who have served this country over its history. Their courage and dedication to preserve our freedoms are profound. If you would like to learn more about our American heroes, I encourage you to visit a blog that I regularly follow: Airman Mom. Don’t forget to keep a box of tissues handy.

15 comments:

  1. Amen sister! Well said. We went and saw the Air Show at Kennedy Space Center yesterday. The Blue Angels were there and it was awesome. I'm blogging about it tomorrow.
    Have a great day.
    Hugs.

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  2. Beautiful post sweetie!! My Dad was in the Pacific on a destroyer...USS Bulmer...The stories He told were something else! He told about pulling into Pearl Harbor about 45 minutes after we were bombed...passed right by the Arizona as it was sinking and how you could still hear screaming from those poor soldiers trapped inside...horrible. I'm SO grateful to all who gave the supreme sacrifice for me and mine...Freedom...happy day sweetie!hughugs

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  3. Great post, Donna. The men and women in unform who have or are serving our country always deserve our utmost respect. Like your father, mine served during WWII. Actually, he was aboard the Arizona before Pearl Harbor. He served a combined 40 years in the Navy and goverment agencies, and then as now always my hero.

    A few years ago, for the grandchildren and greats, I had his service metals encased in plaques individually for them so they would always know their heritage and the special man who came before them.

    Hope you have a beautiful Sunday. I'm so glad I stopped by this morning. :)

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  4. a well written andinteresting post! Thanks! cindy

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  5. donna...your words are a beautiful tribute to your dad. I thank you for sharing these important words, we as a nation have so very much to be thankful-because of these countless heroes! Thank you for the kind words regarding my blog.

    ~AirmanMom returning to her blog...

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  6. My father and his brothers and my mother's brothers were all in the military. It sure made growing up a different experience.

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  7. Thank you all for visiting and sharing your experiences. It is humbling to know some of the stories from our family members. I wish my dad had his shared memories with me. I do remember that he forever refused to wear the color green again.

    AirmanMom - Please keep up the important work with your blog! We all need regular reminders of the human cost for our freedom.

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  8. We live very close to the National Cemetery here in WA...we will be visiting as it such a sobering reminder of all the lives lost in battle and those who have retired in service and then were reunited. My daughter's school does community service and they place flags at the grave markers...it is a breathtaking sight.

    My Father and my Husband's Father both served...God Bless all our servicemen and women.
    Blessings,
    Robin

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  9. Lovely post....and I'm grateful, too!

    (here from airmanmom's)

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  10. That is so neat that you have that connection. My father's eyesight kept him out of WWII, but he was able to serve in Korea. I have no connection with that time in his life except for some old Korean records and I'm not sure my mother kept them.
    We have flags on all our mailboxes in my neighborhood. I thought it was Veteran's Day, but as it happens, one of our neighbors is in the service and is coming home from Iraq. What a nice tribute.

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  11. Thank you for this important reminder to bring honor to those who fought/fight to maintain our freedoms in this great country.

    My father served from 1947-49 (Army), my nephew during the Iraq War, brother in law's during the Viet Nam War, father in law during WWII (Battle of Midway), and my dear husband in the 80's as a Naval Aviator.

    God bless our precious Republic and those who served/serve so valiantly.

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  12. Hi Donna,

    What a great post. My Dad was a Marine in WWII. He never talked about his duties either until my Mom died. He told us alot about what happen and watching his best friend die. I think alot of those guys didn't talk about the war.

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  13. The comments here have been very touching. I am amazed at the wide assortment of historical recollections just on this comment tabulation. I greatly appreciate you sharing stories about loved family members. Some of them carry a heavy burden, and I am sure that is why my own father never spoke about any of it. The experiences undoubtably affected him throughout his life.

    God bless our servicemen. We are so thankful for their sacrifices.

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  14. Very appropriate post. My dad was a WW II vet too. I wish I had listened closer to his stories when I was younger and he was alive to tell them. I know he was in Germany much of his time overseas.

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Marty, here! Donna loves comments, and I faithfully pass them on to her. Thank you so much for visiting!