They Serve with Honor, Our Heroes
by I highly respect the men and women who serve our country in times of war. They give their time and often their lives so that we, their families and countrymen can live in comfort and peace. My family and many others just like us have served honorably in the Armed Services. We don’t like the fact of war but when our country calls, our young men and women serve with honor. They are my heroes.
I am highly respectful of the Armed Forces. It began when my dad joined the Navy in World War 11 and shipped out to the islands to fight the Japanese. A soldier who later became my brother in law landed on Normandy on V Day. We wrote letters, seldom receiving an answer, and waited out the years for the return of our dads and our heroes. The men did not return as the same men who went away to war. We hardly knew these men. The war had changed them forever.
Later my youngest brother joined the Navy just as our father had before him. He missed a war but he was there during the Cuban Crisis. He was stationed on the Francis Marian blocking Russian ships from going into Cuba. It was a scary time. We didn’t know when Russia would drop an atomic bomb on us. People built bomb shelters in their back yards and schools had drills teaching children how to protect themselves during an atomic bomb attack, as if that were possible.
My oldest son joined the Air Force during the Viet Nam Crisis. He went to Japan, serving at Camp Drake in the underground Communication Center. He worked long grueling hours and we worried constantly that he would be sent to Viet Nam. We had the greatest appreciation and sympathy for those who were there and their families. It was a bad time and our armed forces received no respect. They were not welcomed and honored when they came home. Instead, they were met with jeering, angry crowds when they got off the planes and buses. There was violence, protests and marches against our boys who were serving their country with honor. It was the worst of times.
A nephew served in Desert Storm. He drove tanks across the desert where he said the spiders and other sand creatures were unimaginable. It was pure hell as all wars are.
Now it’s Iraq and Afghanistan. My two oldest grandsons joined the Army on the same day to fight another war. Both of them went to Iraq. One in interrogation and one as Crew Chief of the Black Hawk. One of them served in Iraq twice and is now at Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan. A week ago the base was attacked and we didn’t have news of our soldier for two days. Thank goodness, he is okay. Others were not.
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Post CommentR.B. Parsley
On May 30, 2010 at 2:52 am
Ruby,
You are so right. People who claim to be war veterans should be run out of town. To me there is nothing worse than a phony hero. If you put these people in the war they would be the first to tuck tail and run. You go Ruby!!!!! Great article!!!! Keep up the great work and let them know your opinion on this subject.
Randy
Jamie Myles
On May 30, 2010 at 4:29 am
Wonderful post Ruby. My father, brother, nephew and brother-in-law have been wounded in combat. By the grace of God they have all survived those wounds.
Richard Blumenthal should be ashamed of humself for using lies about being in combat to further his political career when there are so many that have fought and died in combat who were the real heros,
Heather Dawn
On May 30, 2010 at 7:36 am
What a heart-tugging post Ruby, and you make the point well. My own Dad served in the Navy during the Korean conflict. It’s disgraceful that others would use military service to give themselves a better image. They are stealing the respect of those who lived and died in the most honourable service.
Lwandaz Tale
On May 30, 2010 at 8:23 am
It is heartbreaking what we as humans for each other to go through. Families broken, loved ones lost & hearts scared forever. For all those scared by war, my heart goes out to you. To Ruby, thanks for the sharing.It’s another wonderful article!
Lwandaz Tale
On May 30, 2010 at 8:35 am
Its heartbreaking what we humans make each other go through. Families broken, loved ones lost & hearts scared forever. For all those scared by war, my heart goes out to you. To Ruby, thanks for sharing. It is another wonderful article.
Jimmy Shilaho
On May 30, 2010 at 11:52 am
A good tribute but I am for a world without armies or war Ruby.
Darlene McFarlane
On May 30, 2010 at 2:00 pm
Wonderfully written, Ruby! I don’t know if I can add to what has already been said. Another stellar piece.
Shirley Shuler
On May 30, 2010 at 4:01 pm
This is a great tribute, Ruby and well written. Thank you!
PR Mace
On May 30, 2010 at 10:41 pm
Such a lovely tribute, thank you.
VTech
On May 31, 2010 at 12:09 am
good post
Intuitive
On May 31, 2010 at 11:30 am
they deserve all our respect. I pray for a world sans war.
Jo Oliver
On May 31, 2010 at 1:25 pm
I agree, it is shameful to take credit from all these men and women that actually did go to combat. Once, maybe it was a misstep of words, but really over and over…he is just a liar.
Thank God for the men and women in the military that keep us all safe everyday. They do not get enough praise for all they do:)!
Tulan
On May 31, 2010 at 7:56 pm
Ruby, I agree with you. Our armed forces deserve all our respect. I appreciate every one of them. Thank you for printing this article on such an appropriate day.
amanda casey
On June 10, 2010 at 5:50 am
Thanks for sharing some of your life with us. My dad was in the Army for the Cuban Crisis. But, before he went thee it was over. Then he was in Germany when they were building the Berlin Wall. When he had four months left in the Army they were sending the guys in his group to Vietnam. If he re enlisted he’d go to Vietnam. He didn’t reenlist, so they sent him to Washington State and he picked up officers at the airport. He wanted to come home to my mom. He is such a sweet, cute man.