Via email — “Please see attached photo of a small portion of the 1,250 American flags erected by the local Rotary Club in honor of our Veterans Day. The flags extend for almost a mile along our bayfront. Each is individually sponsored in honor or remembrance of a veteran.” — Steve from Corpus Christi, TX
My story is his story, now being the time to reflect on his memory and legacy, him teaching me to use precision in all I do.
My father Joe, a WO2 (MWO) on retirement from RCAF.
Just missing WW2 combat, served his country for 28 years before retiring to his hometown of Owen Sound, Ontario working with Co-operators Insurance as an underwriter.
Proud to say I followed in his footsteps to the RCAF and will never forget his and Mom’s look of pride as I marched off the square upon graduation from RMC in 1988.
I remember telling him I got a $40 raise and he said “Just $40 per week, that’s not much.” I responded it was only for a month.
He passed away in 1999, lovingly missed by all of us; thinking of him today and all those veterans who sacrifice so much for family, community and country.
Our greatest generation, lessons forgotten, proved now in these intellectually lazy, complacent and dangerously careless times.
shamrock, thanks for the service to both of you and your father!!
Thanks. It was a honour and I’m sure Dad would agree. BZ to all veterans everywhere.
Makes my eyes tear up and my knees wobbly…
Outside of Sylvan Lake, Alberta a row of Canadian Flags has been displayed for several years commemorating Canada’s Fallen Soldiers. It would be nice if this display was published all over Canada to show Canadians how Albertans remember their heroes.
Most likely that would “inspire” a batch of the BLM/Antifa crowd to go there and destroy the flags.
My son is a scout in Calgary. Every year they go down to the field of crosses and look for the known fallen (family members of current scouts known to have fallen in battle) and the last names of other scouts, in case there was a wing of the family that has been lost.
SaIute to those who served, but a sober reminder.
After seeing the resuIts of the US EIection, the first thought to cross my mind was how IittIe the DEMS who are responsibIe for the fraud actuaIIy care about the Constitution of the United States. The second thought, was how IittIe the DEMS cared about every singIe American who has fought and died so that America couId remain a beacon of democracy to the worId.
If Biden becomes president, America can kiss that reputation goodbye. They have Iost the right to criticize other countries for having unfair or corrupted eIections. GIass houses…and aII that.
I’ve just reviewed one of my uncle’s WW2 pay books. He was a private in the Canadian Army and got paid $1.30/day.
His sister gave him a soldier’s prayer book before he went overseas. He kept it, along with his pay book in his left breast pocket.
With a three weeks left in the war he was shot by a sniper in Holland. The bullet passed through his battledress left breast pocket and hit my uncle’s left arm. The bullet left a hole in the pay book (which I am looking at). The prayer book underneath the paybook was untouched!
He survived, but never talked about the war, except with other soldiers who had been there.
Such amazing touchstones. I’m sure you treasure them.
My thoughts today have been on my great-grandmothers brother, Private Frank Lamb, who died on June 3rd, 1916 at the battle of Mont Sorrel at Ypres. From his military records, “He was killed by enemy fire during the engagement of Mont Sorrel about one mile south east of Ypres. The enemy’s artillery obtained a direct hit on the [machine] gun he was manning killing him instantly, and wounding two other men.” A farm boy born in Manitoba and homesteading in Saskatchewan. His body was never recovered, now lying somewhere beneath the fields at Ypres.
And also two maternal great-uncles who served this country in WWII, one as a pilot in the RCAF, and the other who was one of the troops to liberate Holland. Both great men much missed.
One amusing “story” about an elderlyVeteran visiting France on his way to Vimy Ridge memorial. On arrival in Paris while fumbling for his passport – he said to the customs agent – “I am Canadian” custom Agent replied ” well you still need to show me a Passport”. The Veteran replied ” Well on my last visit to France at Dunkirk there wasnt one Frenchman there to ask for a Passport”!!