When Papa was a jes' a straplin' Mississippi boy, big fer 15, he went to war. Soon after, he had his birthday--in Pearl Harbor, celebrated with shrapnel in his laig, a Purple Heart at 16.
From theah Papa went on to the Pacific, where horrors Marines doan never tell marked his mind and soul. You knows when ya look in they eyes...a 1000 year old man in a kid's body.
War made men of boys when it didn't kill'em. And they came home to live in the freedom they won when they lost their innocence. And many had saved they own sons from war, and son's sons too, the men to come fer generations. But they didn't know it then, those boy-men who jes' "did what we had to do."
Normandy, 1995
A handome lad stands in a bunker. The sun challenges a sober eye,
the bunker's edge casting a shadow over the other half of his face.
"Boys younger than me died here." His eyes; suddenly old, knowing.
Letter from France, Father's Day 1995:
"Papa, heah's a photo of yore grandboy when we visited Normandy. Thanky Pa' fer what yer done. When ya was jes' a boy yoreself, ya saved the futrue. Cause of you,Pa', yer Grandboy never had to go."
Father's Day 2006:
Dear Papa, heah's a photo of yer great-grandboy. Ain't he a fine lookin'thang? He favors his Great-Papa, don'cha think? Did'cha ever know we'd sport four generations? Looky what yer done!
God bless our troops.
14 comments:
Aunty, my uncle was at Normandy too, went in on the second day, won a Silver Star, a Bronze Star and the Purple Heart that sent him home.
I love your writing and insight and wisdom and I've added you to my blog roll.
Aunty Belle,
My Great Uncle Harold was at Pearl Harbor...and told me his story, and I regret that I was too young to fully grasp what he was saying at the time. I always loved on him and his wife with letters and such (he was in Indiana and me in NC)and did so until he died.
I would give almost anything for a recording of the story he told me.
Thank you for this Memorial Day tribute...
I'm not sure why the above post came in Anon...I must have goofed...it was from me :)
-Cora :)
Stogie!! Yer from good stock, then, good sir, that uncle of you'rn is quite a fella.
Thanky fer ya encouragin' comments...I'se much honored to be in yore blog roll, Stogie. (Some day Aunty Belle will jes' have to learn how to do all this blog bidness--wif blog rolls and video clips an' all!)
Mayden, pretty puddin', blessins' on yore Uncle Harold. 'Tis a shame not to have his story on tape or paper--
but thank heavens sweet chile' ya did write to hom and share yoreself wif that fine fella.
Happy ter see ya both here today.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. I'm gonna check out the front porch now.
/bark bark bark
im at the middleton fish camp aunty. you know dat place? I like the photo of papa very much. God Bless them all who served and spared the next generations. this is a solemn day of rememberance. i am in a good place to do so.
how bout them cheese grits aunty? i got the fish! you trust me? i will drive into the interior soon.
/grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
A fishin' Dawg??? Well, Lawdy be! Doan know Middleton, is it worth the drive?
Yeah, Pup, thanky fer yer respect fer Papa and the men and women whose made it possible fer us'uns to be safely bloggin'through time, freely, not in tyranny.
Cheese grits is a staple round heah--c'mon by wif some o'that dawg caught fish.
Fluttering-by Butterfly, gossamer winged thang! Pleased youse come a
callin'. Welcome.
AB the sty is bug free..I will have new posts up today
yer sweet shoat
WWII was the last "good war," 'an they never good. Blessed be they stop soon.
WWII was the last war America was united over War..Since the birth of Liberalism and the Pro-terrorist activists,we have traitors among us who care more about the rights and welfare of our enemy...I sometimes think we need a new civil war..at least we know they would submit without a fight..
Stogie, sugar pie, I done tried to link yer post to a new topic on mah BACK Porch, but the link didn't link--doan have no clue whar I done wrong, but anyhow--I did try.
Your Memorial day tribute is somethin' needed to be told.
ole dad
i was moved by your memorial day posting, you are loved.
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