Could my father, who took five bullets to to his body in World War II, foresee a day when his children would touch his wounds out of curiosity and that some of the wounds would disappear altogether?
Same. My dad was in the infantry in Vietnam in 67/68 withe 25th infantry division. Giant pink/purple scar under his left knee from shrapnel he didn’t even feel. He smelled it and heard the sizzle…used to be fascinated by it. It’s faded now. He’s 76. I know other memories will never fade. 💯 disability from PTSD (diagnosed after 30 years of alcohol and drug addiction). Sober for almost 30. I feel so bad about asking him what it was like to kill people when I was a kid. But I think he understood. He’s opened up a lot more as he’s aged. But what a complete and utter ducking waste. I’ll never forgive our government for that
I remember reading this as hard copy in ‘09 after recovering from a summer stint of Shakespeare and the flu but now have the opportunity to thank you for your cogently personal writing particularly and the emotional commitment you have for ‘intellectual’ issues in general.
My Dad born in ‘22 joined the Coast Guard after Pearl Harbor and served on LST 66 during the Leyte Gulf landings and battle in October 1944. His attitude towards war was very similar to your father’s and told my older brother during Vietnam he’d send him to Canada if it came to that.
Best Regards, John Pillow
P.S. I played King Lear this summer so I think I’m done!
Thank you Nick for reminding me about today’s significance. I was extremely close to my grandfather, a WWII veteran who retired in 1967 as a Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force and, thanks to the GI Bill, went on to earn a degree and second career in accounting. He is my hero. Frank rarely spoke about his experiences. He was drafted into WWII and served in a tank regiment and witnessed the concentration camps. He was opposed to most wars but expressed that the war against Nazis and fascism was justified. He was very patriotic but didn’t feel like you had wave a flag or hang one on your house to show it. I would describe his politics as center left. I think he would be proud of my career in the Federal civil service. I miss him terribly. He passed in late January of 2001. I often think about what he would say concerning the last 23 years. I deeply miss his perspective, opinions and advice. I mostly miss his love, laugh and smile. Thank you veterans.
well done!
Same. My dad was in the infantry in Vietnam in 67/68 withe 25th infantry division. Giant pink/purple scar under his left knee from shrapnel he didn’t even feel. He smelled it and heard the sizzle…used to be fascinated by it. It’s faded now. He’s 76. I know other memories will never fade. 💯 disability from PTSD (diagnosed after 30 years of alcohol and drug addiction). Sober for almost 30. I feel so bad about asking him what it was like to kill people when I was a kid. But I think he understood. He’s opened up a lot more as he’s aged. But what a complete and utter ducking waste. I’ll never forgive our government for that
I remember reading this as hard copy in ‘09 after recovering from a summer stint of Shakespeare and the flu but now have the opportunity to thank you for your cogently personal writing particularly and the emotional commitment you have for ‘intellectual’ issues in general.
My Dad born in ‘22 joined the Coast Guard after Pearl Harbor and served on LST 66 during the Leyte Gulf landings and battle in October 1944. His attitude towards war was very similar to your father’s and told my older brother during Vietnam he’d send him to Canada if it came to that.
Best Regards, John Pillow
P.S. I played King Lear this summer so I think I’m done!
Thank you Nick for reminding me about today’s significance. I was extremely close to my grandfather, a WWII veteran who retired in 1967 as a Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force and, thanks to the GI Bill, went on to earn a degree and second career in accounting. He is my hero. Frank rarely spoke about his experiences. He was drafted into WWII and served in a tank regiment and witnessed the concentration camps. He was opposed to most wars but expressed that the war against Nazis and fascism was justified. He was very patriotic but didn’t feel like you had wave a flag or hang one on your house to show it. I would describe his politics as center left. I think he would be proud of my career in the Federal civil service. I miss him terribly. He passed in late January of 2001. I often think about what he would say concerning the last 23 years. I deeply miss his perspective, opinions and advice. I mostly miss his love, laugh and smile. Thank you veterans.