[Good Housekeeping August 1943 ad for Cannon Towels]
Why am I posting this particular picture of our World War II soldiers?
Because I don't want you to think of them as the old men they are today, those who are still surviving.
I would like for us to remember them as the young virile men they were who left home and family to serve in that particular war.
Sixteen million Americans served in World War II.
492 World War II veterans are dying each and every day.
855,070 are surviving still, at my last checking these figures.
If you are fortunate enough to know a WW II veteran who is alive today, try not to think of them this week as they look now.
Look into their eyes and see the young men or women they once were.
Ask them to tell you about the day they left home.
What was it like over there?
What was it like to come home?
Look at the pictures of them while they were young soldiers, for the essence of them is there.
Dewena, In my daughter's 5th grade class...she will host a vet day celebration . Some of her speakers have had tears in their eyes telling their story. One fellow was always so nervous he jingled his change while talking. Many of those good old fellows have passed on. Each new war brings younger speakers to her class. Bless our heroes, young and old, male and female. xoxo,Susie
ReplyDeleteDewena,
ReplyDeleteThank you for writing this. My dear Father fought in World War II.
He was a handsome and brave soldier and was in the infantry. Although he has passed away(many, many years ago) I will remember him and thousands of others as young men who stood up for our Country.
With love,
Jemma
Dewena, I love this picture. It reminds me of a picture that I still have today of my father when he was overseas.
ReplyDeleteDid I ever tell you that you are wonderful?
love, ~Sheri
Great observation for us all.
ReplyDeleteBrenda
My dad was a tail-gunner in WWII. He lied about his age and enlisted at 17. He died way too early, at 55, always a hero in my mind. Thank you for the post! :)
ReplyDeleteWe should all celebrate and honor them all. My father never was in the military. I hope you like the recipe from my blog. It's easy....xo
ReplyDeleteOur bodies age, but we are still the same people. Good advice when we meet anyone older. God bless our veterans!
ReplyDeleteSo true! My Grandpa was in WWII. My dear friend Marv was in the Korean War. Our neighbor was in the Gulf War.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this special post!!
xx oo
Carla
Dewena, you have outdone yourself on this post! You have brought a fresh, new perspective to this tremendous day. Our school hosts a huge Veterans Day program every year for our community and its veterans. We spend the week teaching our junior high students about the sacrifices these men and women have made to protect our freedom.
ReplyDeleteTwo years ago, one of the local retirement homes brought a World War II veteran to the program in his wheelchair. His nurse wheeled him to the stage as his name was called and his various military achievements were read. There wasn't a dry eye in the place when every one of those junior high students jumped up and gave him a standing ovation without any cue from an adult.
Tomorrow I shall think of your wonderful post during the program and picture them as the young men and women they were when they served our country.
to tell you the truth ... i always think of old men the way they must have been.
ReplyDeletestrong and virile and ready to take on the world.
it only seems right to remember them that way.
and to think what this world would be now had they not fought the good fight and won over the evil that was trying to take over the world then.
i agree with mimi.
this is an inspired post.
love you
tam
Wonderful post! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI love this post! I come from a proud military family and married into another military family. I'm so glad to see veterans being honored. I was 11 when my father went to Vietnam and when he returned a year later he was spat upon and called a baby killer. He served almost 30 years in the Air Force and died from the consequences of Agent Orange exposure in Vietnam. I wish he were here today so he could be thanked for his service!
ReplyDeleteI remember how it was for our Vietnam vets when they came home, Laura, and it was shameful, a low point in our history. I hope it taught us something and I think it did. I am so sorry that your father and others had to face this and that he and others had to live the rest of their lives with the effects of Agent Orange.
DeleteLOVE this way of looking at old Veterans! Love it.
ReplyDeleteYes, they were young!!!! When they went to war!!!!
And inside, they still are. Just like we are. :-)
Tessa
The photo made me laugh, and your words made me cry!
ReplyDeleteHappy Veteran's Day to you!
To All our veterans today I thank. The largest living veterans are from the Vietnam war, as my husband also served. I am a disappointed you only mention WWII veterans. The least respected are soldiers from Vietnam, as if it was they choosing to go there, my hubs was drafted, adn still is pained by the way he was treated when he came home. He seen half his 8th grade male class died...it was a war, even if we didn't win it. So I celebrate all veterans.
ReplyDeleteOh, Cathy, I'm so sorry you were disappointed in my post. In my reply to Laura's comment above about Vietnam veterans, we did discuss the shameful way these veterans were treated.
DeleteBut as a child of a WW II veteran, I focused this year on these veterans that we are losing so rapidly every day. One year, at my old blog, I focused on current women in the services by writing about Col. Many-Bear Grinder.
Here's the link to that post:http://www.awindow-lookacrosstheway.blogspot.com/2013/11/saluting-our-veterans.html
We all have different stories to tell and cannot tell everything in one post, can we?
I hope that if you have written a post in the past focusing on our Vietnam veterans that you will reply here and give us a link to that because of course we honor all veterans today.
I watched the news the other night about South Korea inviting the families of those American soldiers who died defending them to come for ceremonies honoring them and thought so much about how in my childhood, this was the war that people tended to ignore. Maybe because Americans then wanted to get past the war years.
I do honor all veterans and their sacrifices. My father taught me and my sisters to do that!
Great post, Dewena! I understood why you honored the WWII vets and that you didn't mean to disappoint anyone not mentioning the others. A lot of my relatives were in the Civil War on both sides, my Dad was in Vietnam and my son is serving now and you didn't upset me, but I guess I'm a little more easy going about such things ;) Don't let it upset you.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I can't believe that picture was in a magazine! How racy for that time!
love to you,
rue
Thank you Dewena. Your post inspired me to write one of my own. My dad was quietly proud of being a veteran, and any show of honor brought tears to his eyes.
ReplyDeleteAs we remember all, and give thanks ... I know you didn't mean to dis-appoint any of your readers.
ReplyDelete... I do hope the rest of this week goes well for you.
All the best Jan
nice reminder to remember their youth, that they had dreams and families and so many didn't make it. Anyone in my family who served are all gone now.
ReplyDeleteDewena, probably the most poignant post I've seen on Veteran's Day; thank you! Every time I see a (usually) gentleman wearing a hat designating military service, I sidle up and say "thank you for serving". I want them to know not everyone forgets, some remember and are greatly appreciative.
ReplyDeleteI love meeting the WWII and Korean veterans when we go to the V.A.! They are such treasures! We should honor & respect them always! It's sad that we are losing so many each year. Love your post! They were virile young men, and I always love seeing the real photos of the men who are sometimes represented in their histories of different campaigns on the History channel.
ReplyDeleteDo you follow An English Girl Rambles? She's on my sidebar. Her Dad-in-law is 85, I think, and has traveled back to France on D-day almost every year since the war was over. This past year they did a documentary for TV on D-day in which he was featured. Just love it when she posts about him!
I see these men every week, Dewena. They are still "young" in their hearts and are so grateful for everything the VA offers them.....almost as if they feel they don't deserve all the special treatment.
ReplyDeleteWe are blessed to have them in our lives-they enrich us with their stories and memories.
This was a wonderful post! xo Diana
My dad is a WWII veteran, and he is living in the Veterans home. Whenever I visit, and see these men, I really do try to keep in mind who they were. My dad tells me stories about what they did, and where they were based. The most interesting thing was when they gave out some awards a few months ago, and I got to learn a little more about some of the men, and their contributions.
ReplyDelete