Hail to our Vets !
Me abut age 5 in my ‘official’ military uniform during WWII.
My dad and me (abut age 3) waving the flag of freedom. The war was still waging.
I’m thinking of our vets today as we remember them with gratitude for their service–many of whom gave their very lives. We all likely know someone or maybe we ourselves who have served our nation.
I was very young during WWII but Mom bought me a ‘uniform’ to support my two aunts (Army nurses) and three uncles in the Navy and Army.
I still remember the day we went to the store to outfit me. I was so proud to dress up in my uniform even though I was too young to really understand what war was all about. I recall ‘blackouts.’
From Wikipedia: “World War II. … Blackout regulations were imposed on 1 September 1939, before the declaration of war. These required that all windows and doors should be covered at night with suitable material such as heavy curtains, cardboard or paint, to prevent the escape of any glimmer of light that might aid enemy aircraft.”
These events terrified me but Mom and Dad kept us safe and assured us that the war would never come to our country.
Grandpa grew a Victory garden and I helped him harvest the food we needed. “During World War II, Victory Gardens were planted by families in the United States (the Home Front) to help prevent a food shortage. This meant food for everyone! Planting Victory Gardens helped make sure that there was enough food for our soldiers fighting around the world.” (from the Internet)
All these memories come flooding back when I stop and remember those who have kept us safe and those who continue to do so. God bless our vets this Veteran’s Day and everyday.
Amen, sister. I am grateful for our vets too! Every single one.
Thanks, Heidi. We have so much to be thankful for.
Thank you for acknowledging the Vets. They are very important in the support of our nation. My dad served the Navy during the Korean War and my mother -in-law served in the Army during WWII. I am very proud of both of them.
I had an incident at work that hurt me to my core. One of the guys I work with was in the Air Force and my husband was a carrier Coastie (Coast Guard) and my son was also in the Coast Guard. Anyway we were taking about being in the Service and this young lady (25 or so) said that she doesn’t like the military and has no use for it. I was so taken aback, that I didn’t say anything, but that time on, my day went down the tubes and I made so many mistakes and couldn’t wait for the day to end. Isn’t she fortunate that she lives in a Country that lets her say those things without being punished.
Thanks for letting us know the people in your life that served our nation. I’m grateful for them with you.
I remember it well. I was in High School and most all the boys were drafted and I did not have a single date with anyone from my school. There was a Navy Base at the college in Murray and we girls dated the cadets. Rules were very strick. The cadets could not ride in any civiian’s car. They walked or rode the Navy bus. The cadets could come to our houses and we could walk to town to the Movies. They had a dance on campus on the weekends and the girls would go to the dance and then walk home or our parents would pick us up. When a battlion would be shipped out they had a huge dance with one of the “Big Bands” playing! WOW! what a trill to dance to those wonderful bands! We had to turn in our empty toothpaste tube’s, cans. Sugar was rationed, so were shoes, auto tires, etc. One of our neighbor’s son was killed and other boys I knew died during the war. One of my brother-in-laws was “flying over enemy territory dropping bombs” we were so relieved when he did come home safe. I moved from the town of Murray, Ky. to Paducah, Ky. when I was a senior.I remember the day I came home from school and Mother told me the war was over! What a wonderful day that was! I was just a teenager but I prayed each night for our service men and women and I asked God each night to please take care of Himself, because I did not know what we would do if something happened to Him! Ah, the innocence of a child!
Thanks, Karen
Thanks, Margaret. What wonderful memories you have of that difficult time in our history and in our families.
I remember the blackout curtains and jumping on tin cans to squash them so they could be sent to be recycled. That was my part in helping the war effort.
I remember smashing tin cans too. You reminded me of that. Thanks.
Karen, what precious pictures. I love the one of you in your ‘uniform.’ You have memories from that time and of your parents assuring you war would not come to our country. Being born after that war, my closest recollection to that is in 1963, when I was fifteen, and Bay of Pigs threatened. I do recall sitting around the dining room table with my parents, two older brothers, and two-year old Bob. We discussed what to do if war came to the US and we were separated. An amazing memory. I too am very grateful for those who have served our country — and us — with honor and integrity. Thanks for this glimpse into your own memories.
Hi Carol. Thanks for your lovely comment. I appreciate that you enjoyed my memories of the war days and I loved hearing about your experience too. Those memories of so long ago stay fresh, I believe, because they were so powerful and spoke to our very souls and our connection to family and survival.