Something I Saw For The First Time...

Over the past eight, almost nine years, I've sometimes used the same item for my blog posts. I think the photo I have of my dad and four of his brothers has been used the most. I find reason to dust it off and include it in a blog post at least a couple of times a year, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, even my dad's birthday. And, another thing I could have included is on the back page of that newspaper clipping are stories of two other uncles, Jack and Dave, who served in the armed services.

I've included this photo many times because, after all, there's no way I can honor these men and the men and women of their generation enough.

I like to include this photo in my posts. I think it's cool to have such a direct connection to a family that sent five brothers to war at the same time. Not only did I think it was cool, I thought it was unique, too, sort of like in the film, Saving Private Ryan. Five siblings--all served in the same conflict.

Turns out, this may not be as unique as I once thought.

This last week, after I posted the picture yet again, I read something for the first time. The last paragraph of the story caught my attention. If you can't read the paragraph, it reads, 

"Other Jefferson county families to furnish five sons for war service are Mr. and Mrs. Frank Miller, Sr. of Ririe, and Mr. and Mrs. O. B. Drake of Roberts. In the Miller Family there are four sailors and one soldier; the same is true of the Drake family. Of the fifteen men in the three five-star families eleven are sailors and four soldiers."

In a smallish county in southeastern Idaho three families sent five sons each to war. This made me wonder just how many families sent that many sons and daughters to fight?

I suppose I could do some research on the subject--the answers are most likely out there. But, for me, I'm satisfied in the fact that, even though my father and his brothers's situation wasn't as unusual as I thought, I still am proud of what they did, what the other two Jefferson County families did, and what everyone did to help stop that terrible war. Back then, I'm sure the sacrifice affected everyone. Amazing families, truly.

A Navy Man's Car...

I was at my in-laws yesterday and they had visitors, two men the same generation as my mother and father-in-law. They dropped by to see how they were doing and to give some assistance. I knew one of the gentlemen--he's my friend's father. I've known him for decades. The other man, I didn't know.

We left before they did and as I left, I noticed the vehicle the man I didn't know drove. After seeing the decals, I had to snap a couple of pictures.

He was a veteran, and by the looks of it, a navy man.

I don't know many navy service men or women. I suppose it goes with the territory. We have an air force base about ten miles to the north of us. And there's an army base about forty-five miles to the south of us.

But no navy bases here, even though we have the nation's biggest salt-water lake just west of us.

I have a newspaper clipping of my father and four of his siblings who served together in WWII. My dad was army air corp, but a few of his brothers were in the navy. I thought it odd boys from Idaho would want to go into the navy. I don't know--maybe they didn't have a choice. Maybe being in another land-locked state, they wanted to see a lot of water.

The man visiting my in-laws was a navy man. His van had stickers with familiar sayings, probably the most famous being:

Home of the Free Because of the Brave

I can't argue with that. The decals made me stop and think for just a moment. I'm sure the man has stories, some I'd love to hear and some I most likely never want to hear. Yes, I'm glad there are men and women who serve and serve willingly to protect me and my family. It's a shame that they're needed, but I'm glad they're there.

I'm also glad that kindly gentlemen visited a couple in need, too.

Armed Forces Day, 2014...

I've written before about my dad and the service he and his family gave to defend our country. I've even included these pictures many times on this blog.

But today is Armed Forces Day, and if you think about it, I could justifiably write something every single day to honor our veterans and I wouldn't scratch the surface in repaying what they've done for me, my family and the entire country.

I believe all five brothers who served in WWII are no longer with us, and odds say the crew posing in front of their B-17 are also gone. I'll never have the opportunity in this life to speak with them, to hear the stories, to share the good times, or feel my heart ache as they talk of times not so good. It's history and it's vanishing before our eyes.

However, scores of men and women are leaving and returning today, and most of us hardly think of what they're doing. There's no longer a threat (we feel...) to our daily lives. This does not make what they do less significant. The fact that we can be together, can go to work, buy basically whatever we want, and live our lives "normally" is a testament to what they do.

It would be a different world if we had to go without, to live with blackouts and scrap drives and rubber drives and rationing as our ancestors did. If so, I believe a day like today, Armed Forces Day, would mean something completely different. It would be a more honest reality.

I've not answered the call as they have. All I can give is my thanks and respect. God bless, today and everyday, to all who serve.

Dad's Family--And Then There Were Two...

I have a cousin currently living as a missionary with his wife in Africa. He's a few years older than me, but we've been able to keep in touch thanks to Facebook. He has commented several times on many of my blog posts and Facebook posts, especially when I discuss my parents who are no longer with us.

So, it surprised me when a few days ago, he sent me a picture, a picture of his dad Jack, and my dad Harry, and their brother Tom. It was such a nice surprise to receive it. I was talking to another of my dad's brothers at my nephew's wedding a few weeks ago. He told me that of the 12 siblings in my father's family, there were only two left. Two.

I've absolutely LOVED all the Facebook posts today, Father's Day. I've loved seeing my younger friends post pictures of them with their dads. And I've loved seeing the pictures of friends my age or older who posted pictures of their dads when they were younger.

I've thought about my dad a lot this holiday. My son and I talked as we watched meat cook on the BBQ how my dad would have loved to be alive right now. All these tech-y things would blow his mind. He would have loved them.

Now there's two of the original 12. My uncle, the baby of the family, told me when we had some time together a week before last that he really missed my dad. He said he was a great brother and friend. I told him that we're all going to have a wonderful time when we're together again, but we can wait--don't want to be reuniting too soon...