As the nation recognizes the servicemen and women who gave their lives for us, I remember my husband’s father who kept trying to enlist in WWII but got denied because he was too young. He finally got in right at the end and told stories of the ride on the “liberty ship” from the west coast to Okinawa where he served.
I remember too his father, a veteran of the Mexican-American War, WWI and WWII. My favorite story is when he served in WWI — the Army. He was in battle in Germany, jumped into a foxhole right into a swarm of German soldiers. They were as shocked as he was! He was captured (of course), managed to escape and was captured again. Thankfully he made it back to the states, married and started a family in Pennsylvania. When WWII started, he volunteered and served in a training position. I think he was the oldest to enlist – maybe. Either way, his grandson (my husband) is so proud of that heritage.