This past weekend we moved my 93 year old father in-law out of his house to move in with his son.
While packing up his things we pulled out his Navy scrapbook, it seemed a good time to once again look through the book and listen to his stories. Bob had served in campaigns from Africa, Sicily, and almost all the major battles in the Pacific. I sat in awe of what the man had done and experienced as I do every time we discuss his service. It's hard to understand for some of us that deployments back then were not just 12 to 15 months, some of these men did not come home for a few years. Please don't think I am taking anything away from those that have been deployed so many times in the past 10 years. What these men and women went through is hard to comprehend sometimes.
December 7th is always a day of reflection for my father in-law as the day that changed so many lives and sent them to war. I respect him so much, not only for his military service but for how he came home and built his life and provided for his family. That generation will always stand out in my mind for what they did during and after the war.
Bob spent Thanksgiving with us, over the weekend my younger son had about 6 friends come to the house to watch football, Bob loves his football. I was gone for a while, when I got home I saw all 7 kids watching the game with Bob right in the middle cheering along with them. I have to admit, I got a little choked up seeing the two different generations together having such fun.
Bob is very proud of both my son's, even though he does rib them about being in the Army, all in good fun. My older son wanted his first salute to be from his grandfather but Bob was unable to make the trip to school for the commissioning, they did it again when he came home.
As we were finishing the move, Bob gave me his old issued M1-Carbine, he opened a box and handed me the clip and said "Those are the last 5 bullets I had in the rifle when we were told the War was over.
December 7th holds a lot of meaning in our family as it does for most all Americans.
God Bless all the men and women, past and present that serve this country.
Sorry for the rambling, it seemed a good place to share.