Sending my thanks to. I have so many in the family who served. Father, Father in law. 3 son in laws, daughter and my niece's husband. Navy, Army and Air Force.
We usually go to Applebees but went to Old Country Buffet for the veterans free meal. There are two in Kennewick about a 1/2 mile from each other. Both were very busy.
I think Elizabeth* and Mimi* are veterans. Probably others on this site and of course, many of our spouses.
The veterans' residence where my husband is had tons of programs and concerts today. A friend called and said she was taking her father to a 1:00 program there so I met them and after getting my husband and attending the program, showed them around the place. (He is in a NH but she is considering moving him to the vets' home.) The problem was that when I left the house to meet my friend, my husband's laundry was not dry and he really needed clean slacks for tomorrow. So I went back home, folded the laundry, and after supper I went back there (with the clean laundry) and took my husband to a second concert. I need to plan better in the future.
My friends and family were wishing me a happy veteran's day thinking that I spent four and a half years in the army during world war two as a patriotic duty to my country, and needing to be honest I had to tell them this little story.
I had just graduated from high school. It was summer time and my parents were after me to get a job and go to work. What a revolting idea! They were after me every day. I had to get out of town. Lucky for me, I found a way out. I joined the army.
My country and patriotism were the last things on my mind. I did it all for myself. ..........................Isn't that what we all do?
To be perfectly honest, I've never done anything in my life that wasn't all for myself.
My older brother was picked up at 17 for drunk driving - again. He was given a choice of jail time or the military. He joined the Navy and spent 25 years in it. Then spent another 20 years working as a civilian police on the Navy base in Norfolk.
My husband was one that joined the Navy to avoid being drafted into the Army.
It's a mistake to assume that most people who served in WWII did so for patriotic or other altruistic reasons. In WWII, 63% of Americans who joined the armed forces were draftees (as opposed to the Korean War, where 54% were draftees, and Vietnam, where 25% were draftees). Whether in war or in peace time, people have a variety of reasons for enlisting: training, income, employment, experience, independence from family, opportunities, less desirable alternatives, etc.
IMO, when we thank people for their service, we are not complimenting them on their motives in joining the armed forces; we are thanking them for what they did while they were there, which was to serve a vital role in our society. So George, thank you for your service - 4½ years is a long time! BTW, where were you stationed during the war?
I think myrtle is correct -- I know that my joining the Navy for a two year hitch right after high school was a better option than being drafted into the Army. My timing was charmed -- WW-II had ended as I began my senior year but they were still drafting when I finished, and I was fortunate in being able to spend most of my enlistment in electronic schools, launching me on an engineering career path later paid for by the GI Bill. It was a wonderful and broadening experience, and I'm just sorry that my two sons missed out on having to serve. And as for altruistic or patriotic motives, well during WW-II it was just something expected of you and something that everyone else was also having to do, so you didn't really do much analysis of why, you just did it. But I don't know how I would have felt about volunteering during times like we're going through now.
Myrtle........I spent over three years in Alaska and the Aleutian islands of Amchitka and Adak. No combat, but we were close to the Japanese who were on other Islands.
I enjoyed reading the reasons why others joined the service. A few years ago on veterans day at the Lion's Club where I was a member, we went around the table and each of us told a little about our military service.
Ken Sherwood was the most respected member of our club......Past district governor, holding offices high up in Lions International and a truly wonderful guy..........He told us that he tried to join the army but they wouldn't take him because he had a misdemeanor conviction for underage beer drinking at the local drive in theater.
To Gourdchipper..........thank you for putting all that information into your account profile. It helps so much to know a little bit about someone when we read their stories. I have tried to do the same and I wish that others here would be more generous with their account info.
I was an Air Force nurse and am considered a Vietnam-era veteran due to my dates of service, so am able to be a member of the American Legion. I don't participate (think it's kind of a guy thing), but pay my dues yearly and figure that that helps support the vets. I never went overseas as a military member, and pretty much did the same thing as an Air Force nurse that I did as a civilian nurse. My career was short-lived, as I got married, had a baby, and got out in pretty short order. Then I spent 20 years as a military wife, (first marriage--not Larry), stateside and overseas. The military service helped me a lot. I got a further degree on my GI Bill, and then later, as a public employee in New York State, was able to buy back some retirement time based on my time in the military.
First husband was a B-52 pilot. (Not always my cup of tea as a person, but an extremely capable jet pilot, and very patriotic.) Larry was a World War II veteran--saw combat as a teen-ager on Guadalcanal in the Pacific Theater. The family told me that when he came home, he stuttered for two years. It must have been hard on him, although he did not whine about it in later life when I knew him--he would tell funny or interesting war stories, nothing horrible or negative. (Family said that the stuttering went away--I never saw it.)
Both of my parents and 5 of their siblings (all brothers) served during WWII. I think the only one who joined for altruistic reasons was my mother. She was an Army Air Core nurse, volunteered for every overseas assignment but for some reason was never sent. All of my uncles fought overseas-some in Germany & France, others in the Pacific Islands. Two had lifelong PTSD after surviving some horrific battles.