Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 2002
Omaha American Cemetery - Normandy, France
Fredericksburg, Virginia - Civil War Battlesite
Traditions are also really important to me, and helpful in training these boys. They have plenty of relatives and ancestors who they can look to for how a real man acts, and we remind them as much as possible. (Bad examples are just as good a teacher, but we prefer to focus on the best in all of us.)
German Bunker, Point-du-Hoc, With a Good Man 2001
On this Veterans Day, the first day my baby boy learned to clap his own chubby hands together, I think of all of the men in our family who have served in the military. My father-in-law, of course, in the Navy and Marines during peacetime (we had a time of peace?). His father, whom I never knew, and also my mother-in-law's father, Harry, who I had a chance to interview thoroughly about his experiences in the Western Front of WWII. And on my side, my paternal grandfather built fake cities in Alaskan wilderness for the government to avoid bombings down here, and then went to the Pacific with the Navy. My maternal grandmother had 4 brothers who all went various places during WWII and all came home. Amazing. And that's just one generation.
Omaha Beach - Normandy, France
Harry came onto Omaha beach during the first night as an Army Engineer to repair bridges. The next morning at dawn was the first time he got a look at the beach head. He had slept in a fruit orchard on the wet ground. He walked over the dunes and was amazed by the amount of vehicles and supplies pouring in. He mentioned that he felt sorry for the guys responsible for cleaning up the bodies everywhere. And then he stopped for a while and looked out the window as if he were seeing it all over again. The blinds were closed.
Harry Miner - Loveland, Colorado 2002So Veterans, happy day, all of you. Walking around or six feet under. Our nation's graveyards all over the world are the most spiritual places I've been. Thank you for protecting my little boys and showing them what gentlemen can do when asked.
Vally Forge, Pennsylvania
Korean War Memorial, Washington D.C.
1 comment:
Your husband looks like he is one of the veterans at Gettysburg.
What a beatiful tribute to the veterans and the brave men and women. I am grateful for men like Harry who made sacrifices for us and kept such a unselfish attitude while fighting for life, liberty and freedom from tyranny.
He said over and over again after we asked, "How did you do and have the courage to keep fighting?". Simply stated back with no pride in his voice,"We just had to do it. It was something that just had to be done so we kept doing it. That's it."
We all, especially me need to take such an approach in times like we are living in today that we just need to do what we need to do keep going.
Thank you veterans, current soldiers and those who are fighting battles not in uniform or battlefields with guns. But also those who are fighting the fight against the sanctity of marriage and moral rights!
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