I’m writing this with tears in my eyes and my nose is all stopped up from crying.
I know, I know. I’m a dork. I figure it has something to do with Tucker being in the Navy and the chance he could still be sent somewhere across the pond but every time I see something about soldiers and the wars and such, the waterworks start.
I’ve written about this before but who knows? Maybe you’re new?
My grandpa dropped out of high school to join the Navy and went off to Pearl Harbor for World War II. He came back to Arkansas and finished high school in a special class the high school had set up for all the guys who had dropped out. Then he joined the Army Airforce as a medic and when the Army Airforce split off, Grandpa chose the Airforce and was sent to Korea. He eventually became a NCO and retired as an E9. He’s old and talks a lot and he’s more of a father to me than my own father.
My step-father was a Marine sniper in Vietnam and received three purple hearts. I don’t know much more than that since he never talked about it near me. I know he came back not quite right and the war haunted him for the rest of his life.
An uncle on my Dad’s side was in the Army, one of my mom’s brothers was a Marine, one of her brother in laws was in the Air Force. One of my cousins was a Marine and another went through boot camp a couple of times–that’s a long story.Then we have Tucker. Did I tell y’all he passed his advancement test and is a First Class now?
The military is as much a part of our family as fried chicken and bacon grease.
We’re going to Birmingham today to cook out with some of my mom’s family. I’m sure we’ll have a great time. And while I’m not going to be hanging my head and be all down, I’m glad I wrote this and found these cartoons if for no other reason than to remind me of what today actually represents.
