Recollections and pieces of the Past: a look at a Veteran

On this Veterans day I take time to ponder what it means. Over the course of our history, America has always had veterans. In one way or another men and women both have fought and died for this country. From the beginning when our forefathers and mothers first came to the shores of this land the problematic war and bloodshed was there. In the recourse of history we see the major wars of the Revolutionary war, Civil war, the Spanish American war, the American versus the Indian wars, World war one, World war two, Korean war, the Vietnam war, and the myriad of strife america has helped put down.

I personally was in the Navy during the Vietnam war. Signalman seaman, that was me. I rubbed shoulders with the brass while putting up semaphores and relaying messages by flashing light (morse code). While many americans were fighting in Nam, our fleet spent time off the course of New York throwing over rubber dummies and running man overboard drills. We also would run watches, and work in our navy pack of ships interpreting messages from each other. The guns would clear their throats with a boom and we would run more drills.

It always seemed odd at the time of a war such as Nam, that we would be doing that. The main thought at the time was that the military was not at full strength in Nam. The political war, sure. But in the end, we survived the drills, unfortunately many of our comrades did not. That is the trouble with wars, they are not fair. Good people [yes, I know all are good], but, some people with such a bright future, people you don't expect would die in a war, actually die.

As I write this, I think also of my dad who was a navy medic in the south pacific. He doesn't talk about it much. He has seen so much bloodshed and death, no wonder he doesn't. Can anyone actually see so much death and not be changed somehow? I think not. Dad tells this story of two GI's with similar wounds. As he was working on each one, the doctor came around and told dad point blank, "this guy won't make it".. "the other guy would make it". It was in their eyes he was told. Dad told me he could see the look. One had given up, tired and not wanting to go on. The other guy fought and wanted to live. The doctor was right, the one guy died. My dad kept working as more GI's were brought in. To this date I remember the little medic kit he brought home from the war with him. I used to play with it. I remember dad also not talking about it much. Don't blame him. He is over eighty now, mom is gone. Dad is still driving, living, and coming by to visit me. In these years since mom has gone, he and I have had long talks. These are about things we never used to touch on. In these last years of His life, I believe the Lord has blessed him with a few extra peaceful days. I believe the Lord did this because of what he has seen and endured. Many may disagree with this. But, in the end, how can anyone see so much death and survive without the Lord bringing relief? Dad talks alot about how the Lord got him through his life. Dad never volunteered for the War, He was drafted out of high school. He tells me the time Japan bombed Hawaii. My grandfather was the Town manager for Catalina Island, the first Fire Chief there, and also a game warden on the sea surrounding the Island. When that attack happened on Pearl, many in the states thought the mainland was next. My grandfather told my dad "take the gun and go down to the dock, shoot anything you see parachuting to the island". I can see the picture to this day...My dad with a gun looking up in the sky for an enemy that thank God, never came. Dad in the end would go to the enemy and help win the war.

War is hell, blood, death, saddness, and victory. But in the end both victors and the defeated lose precious human life and blood. One of these days people will learn war no more...Thank God for that.....Ev. Dana G Smith...

Isaiah 2:4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. Micah 4:3 And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.