A Big Salute

To all veterans everywhere!

This is my grandpa Barrett, whom I'm named after, and my grandma Gertrude from my Mom's side of the family. At the time it was taken they had three sons in WWII and eventually had a total of four serving all at the same time when my Uncle John enlisted. All six of their sons served in the military. All four of the boys in my Dad's family served, two of them in WWII and my Dad in the Korean war. When I think of duty, I always think of what families in those days endured and how many of that generation answered the call. As a country, we own our own destiny and it will only be a successful one if we all do the work that has to be done to preserve it. Thank you veterans and families of veterans.

BKB

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Along that line, here is a photo of my hero from my family.

This is my dad's uncle, Joe, who was a career Marine. He was stationed in the Philippines at the start of WWII and was wounded and taken prisoner on Corregidor. He managed to survive his wounds while in captivity and endured 40 months as a Japanese POW during which he was forced to work as slave labor in a copper mine near Hitatchi Japan. He was a Staff Sergeant at the start of the war, and was promoted to Warrant Officer and placed in command of a platoon for the defense of Corregidor.

Here is a photo of him during his time as a POW and then about a year after the war after his promotion to Captain. He was a Lieutenant Colonel when he retired from the Marines. :usa

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Both my Dad and his brother served in WWII as well, my Dad was on a gasoline tanker in the Pacific and was involved in the invasions of the Philippines and Okinawa.

My Uncle, was in the Army and fought in Italy where he was wounded twice.

Not that I don't think of them as heroes, but what Uncle Joe endured and was able to accomplish really sets him apart. He was assigned to the staff of the Fleet Marine Officer of the Asiatic Fleet before the war started and while the fighting was going on in the Philippines, he was assigned as the personal bodyguard of the Commander in Chief of the Asiatic Fleet, Admiral Thomas Hart. After Admiral Hart was evacuated from the islands, Uncle Joe was transferred to Corregidor to help with the defense.

Here is a link to a quotation from a book, "Cruise of the Lanikai" that mentions Uncle Joe.


http://books.google.com/books?id=Oam...don%22&f=false

I've heard this poem ever since I was a kid and it means more to me every year that passes:

In Flanders Field

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

John McCrae, May 1915
Ypres, Belgium

One of my favorites, John.

BKB

To all Veterans, Thanks...

airbud7

I'd wager there's a bunch of folks nowadays that have NO idea what that flag in the window is for.

My dad had 5 brothers and all served. My mom had 2 brothers and both of them served as well as my grandfather. In more modern times, I suppose we did our part as I have three brothers for a total of four boys in my immediate family ... two Army, one Coast Guard and one Navy. We each did 4 years ... no career military in the family.

Thanks to ALL vets for their service and have a great Veteran's Day.

It's an honorable thing they did. I wish there were a button you could press to make anyone under the age of 21 fully realize what that meant, why they served, what they felt. Could go a long way these days, I think.