NationStates Jolt Archive

I'm going to spend a quiet weekend fishing on Lake Buchanan in Central Texas with my brother-in-law and then spend Memorial Day with my 90 year old father...a vet of WWII ('42-'45), Korea ('50-'51), and Viet Nam ('63-'65).

We'll all lie about fish and probably not say much about killing somebody else's sons and fathers. My father will talk about how damn cold it was in Korea, my brother-in-law will talk about how he could do gymnastics with his Cobras in VN, and I'll talk about making how the damn M-16 wasn't worth crap in the Mekong mud....same stories every year, but it doesn't get boring --- we are brothers-in-arms.

working. Possibly answering questions posed by those of my acquaintance who never served, but probably working.

working in the morning (8-2), sleeping (3-6), eating (6-7) internet (7-11), sleeping (11- whenever)

Working probably:

midnight - 6am and then again 6pm - midnight...

maybe sleep in between. If I'm lucky, I might only have to work one of those shifts...

My dad hasn't ever talked much about WWII, except for Rommel beating his butt in North Africa. He never talks about the Anzio beachhead or going into concentration camps in Germany. He'll talk a little bit about his men freezing in Korea because of lack of suitable clothing, and he'll talk about how relentless the waves of Chinese were.

My brother-in-law and I will laugh about some new guy getting sick breathing sterno fumes in his tent and we'll tell funny stories about guys we miss who didn't make it back from Viet Nam. But, we don't talk much anymore about how we were treated back home -- that's a stale old story. When my brother makes it home, we go fishing and he and our brother-in-law will cuss the Serbs and the ball-less Europeans.

I used to avoid cemetaries, then started going to them but literally would be wrenched up sick for days afterward. A few years ago I went for Memorial Day ceremonies, but now I just go fishing with old soldiers who don't have anything to prove.



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I'm going to spend a quiet weekend fishing on Lake Buchanan in Central Texas with my brother-in-law and then spend Memorial Day with my 90 year old father...a vet of WWII ('42-'45), Korea ('50-'51), and Viet Nam ('63-'65).

We'll all lie about fish and probably not say much about killing somebody else's sons and fathers. My father will talk about how damn cold it was in Korea, my brother-in-law will talk about how he could do gymnastics with his Cobras in VN, and I'll talk about making how the damn M-16 wasn't worth crap in the Mekong mud....same stories every year, but it doesn't get boring --- we are brothers-in-arms.
Tell your dad I said hello and "Welcome home!" He sounds like a great guy.

I'll probably go to one of the parades around here, perhaps with some of my children and grandchildren, then maybe out to dinner. That's one of the things I really like about living in small-town America ... they remember.

My wife's dad (Vietnam Vet) is having a shin-dig and inviting many of his friends (also Vets). He's doin' some barbecue, I'll make fajitas, the liquor will flow, stories will be told. The usual.

Spend the day bar-b-queing something with family (either my wifes' family or mine). On my side, only myself and one brother-in-law are vets, on my wifes' side...myself and one brother-in-law (my father-in-law was a WWII vet, but he died several years ago). Since most of the family isn't vets, and since we really don't want to talk about it - we don't talk about it. We just eat hotdogs and drink beer.

But first, there's a Memorial Day Parade in my little town. We go to that (used to march in it when I was a Cub Scout leader - but my boys are way older than that now). They (VFW & American Legion) float a memorial wreath on the pond in the town square, play taps, fire a salute, and then some idiot politician screws it up by talking.

There's a Michael Crook ass-stomping convention in Syracuse, New York on Memorial Day.

I figure the least I can do is go and watch.

There's a Michael Crook ass-stomping convention in Syracuse, New York on Memorial Day.

I figure the least I can do is go and watch.Thank you.

Wasn't aware of the little twit until I read your post. Checked out the blog. Somebody needs to stomp his ass, all right. Somebody needs to send that little shit through basic training.

Not that far from Syracuse myself...

Thats the nice thing about being a vet... I get the day off.

I'll drink a few for the shipmates and squadron buds that I've outlived. Maybe cook out, maybe work on the house.

Tell your dad I said hello and "Welcome home!" He sounds like a great guy.

I'll probably go to one of the parades around here, perhaps with some of my children and grandchildren, then maybe out to dinner. That's one of the things I really like about living in small-town America ... they remember.

My dad had a horse! He was in the Cavalry pre-WWII, but when the Panzers blew through Poland the US Army decided that tanks would beat horse in every battle...so, he turned in his saddle for a flimsy American tank (which was not much of an improvement over a horse going against the german tanks).

I thought it would be appropriate to copy a response of mine from another thread:

-------------------
"
My dad didn't waste a minute thinking about my "self-esteem".

He lived a respectful and responsible life in front of me, told me what he expected of me, taught me the difference between right and wrong and the reasons for it, kicked my butt when I did wrong, spent quantity time with me showing me and teaching me how to do things, and encouraged me to "earn" what I got.

He didn't have to worry about how to blame somebody else for my misbehavior.

If some adult overreacted to my misbehavior, my dad kicked my butt and then talked to the adult outside of my presence. If someone did something to me and I was innocent, my dad was ferocious in defending me.

My 90 year old dad is one helluva man and father."

----------------

And I would have been proud to serve under his command.

Thats the nice thing about being a vet... I get the day off.

Lol...too bad those of us currently on active duty still have to serve 24/7 - including weekends and holidays.

Think of me at work while you guys are barbequein...

Lol...too bad those of us currently on active duty still have to serve 24/7 - including weekends and holidays.

Think of me at work while you guys are barbequein...

I'll put aside some beer for you for when you get back.

ball-less Europeans
AAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!




Sorry

I'm going down to the VFW & hook up with The Wall Gang (http://www.rftw.org/) on their ride to DC.