No one cares this is the anniversary?

I spent the day with my Uncle Ernest Huber, veteran of World War II. He is 93 years old and has a respirator to help him breathe part of the time. He is confined to a wheel chair mostly, but gets up and pushes it around to get where he wants to go if he's feeing well.

This fellows wife (Ann, my mom's sister) died from cancer two years ago. Fortunately one of his children has taken him into their home and is looking after him.

My 20 year old son met Ernest at a funeral in March of this year and cannot stop talking about him. Seems Ernest mentioned the war and my son is almost an expert on the subject.

Today we drove to see Ernest, something I should have done without the insistence of my son and we visited until later this afternoon. Among the photographs of Ernest with the troops was a Purple Heart and a Distinguished Service Cross. My son recognized them and ask if he could hold them.

Ernest picked them up and placed them in my son's hands and when my son remarked how very few people had received both these and lived this long, tears streamed down Ernest's face.

Ernest then told how the Germans hid big guns in buildings and when the US Tanks came down the street, they swung open the shutters and fired, hoping for a kill with one shot.

Ernest had his head outside a Sherman tank when this happened and received shrapnel in his back, shoulder and left side of his face and scull. The medics saved him.

Later there was a fire fight and Ernest bailed from the tank to pull a fellow GI from harm and got tangled in the tread of the tank which was moving for cover. His boot and clothing got caught and his foot shredded.

One surgeon suggested he amputate the foot, another said bandage it with antibiotics and see what happens, the third suggested working on it right away in an attempt to save it.

He took the advice of the last fellow and although his foot is mangled, it works and he lived on.

A few days before he was to return home he was in a personal carrier that went off a bridge and fell about 50 feet. His neck, back, ribs and arms were broken in several places and for awhile the doctors were not sure he would walk.

When Ernest returned home to Ann (they married three weeks before he shipped out) and they had three children and Ernest worked for Katy railroad and farmed the land west of Waco, TX to make ends meet.

Today he has 9 grandchildren and is diagnosed with congestive heart failure and emphysema.

I ask him today how he was feeling and he said, "Albert John, I have it good. My family is here, we have fresh vegetables from our garden, the kids are playing in the yard and I am happy."

Sometimes we need a dose of reality to make us count our blessings.

Albert- Great post.

I just returned today from a funeral in Virginia for my first wife's father. He died on Memorial Day at 79 years of age.

This man, John Horace Parrish, lied about his age and joined the Marine Corps at age 16. A year later, the guy was in the initial landing force at Tarawa and was wounded, receiving a Purple Heart at 17. He went on to work his way through the Pacific Theater.

John became a member of the US Navy's Underwater Demolition Training team 2- which later evolved into the US Navy Seals. John was one of the first men to be priviliged to work with the new SCUBA gear, and was later a certified Deep-Sea Diver for the USN. He finished out his career as a USN Seal Trainer.

John spoke very little about the war in the Pacific- except to say that:

1. It was beyond anyone's comprehension without being there

2. Japanese Imperial Marines were to be greatly feared!

3. US Marines quickly learned to love flame-throwers, and used them until their arms were blistered with burns.

4. Americans should never forget the sacrifice of those Pacific warriors.

Here's to the memory of John Horace Parrish.

Albert, your uncle is a great man that survived Hell on earth for the freedom we have. Too many of our Vets are forgotten and unappreciated! I would suggest for people to watch Band Of Brothers to see what these men did for our country and the world.

My original response to this thread came back when Albert posted it in 2004. Much has changed since then. One of my sons joined the Marine Corp (Semper Fi) and my daughter joined the Army National Guard. As a 51 year old father that grew up in the end of the Korean War and the whole Vietnam conflict it got me to thinking. My oldest son gave me the book by Kurt Vonegut called "A Man Without a Country" which is sort of a put a pen to the paper and write what you are thinking kind of book. Earlier in this thread it was mentioned that we hope we are thinking of our grandkids in our plans. Vonnegut wrote"I don't think people give a damn whether the planet goes on or not. It seems to me ais if everyone is living as members of Alcoholics Anonoymous, day by day.... I know of very few people who are dreaming of a world for their grandchildren." He does go on to say he hopes we are teaching our children to believe in our country. I hope we all remember that it's not only what we remember but what we pass on. Peace.

boss302