Random Comments

[Purplelady1040]

Very proud moment for you, HH and give my thanks to your father for his service and all who have served!

[Henry Hawk]

Thanks guys, I am VERY proud of my Dad and my uncles.  They were all excellent people that I was fortunate enough to have in my life.

[Palehorse]

I thought about if I should post this or not.........and I am trusting that we are all "family" on here so to speak....

In honor of Veterans Day, I thought I would share this with you guys...My Dad is the top right.  He and my four uncles were all at war at the same time.  The Hearld/Bulletin did a story on it.

All of them have passed except for my father, who is 92 years old.  He is still pretty sharp, but doesn't get around too well.

Thank you for posting this Henry. Nice to see such a strong military presence within your lineage. And thank your father and your family, on behalf of my family, for their service and sacrifices in the name of liberty and freedom.

Nice to hear about an aged veteran still living his life despite the horrors and stresses of their experiences. I drink a toast this day in their honor. 

[Henry Hawk]

Thanks PH,

Though my Dad still has a pretty sharp mind, he is ready to leave this life.  Mom has been gone for going on 16 years, and he misses her.  All he can do is watch TV (by his choice) and go to the bathroom.

He can hardly remember what he had for breakfast sometimes, but can tell me in great detail of his time in Germany.  His best friend from the war, is still living too, and they still make a point to call each other about every month....

[Palehorse]

Thanks PH,

Though my Dad still has a pretty sharp mind, he is ready to leave this life.  Mom has been gone for going on 16 years, and he misses her.  All he can do is watch TV (by his choice) and go to the bathroom.

He can hardly remember what he had for breakfast sometimes, but can tell me in great detail of his time in Germany.  His best friend from the war, is still living too, and they still make a point to call each other about every month....

Outstanding that he still is in touch with a comrade in arms. Most often we never find anyone else in life that we are closer to than those with which we share the field of battle. It is a bond that lasts eternally and cannot be understood by those who have never experienced it themselves.

I know something of what you are likely feeling surrounding his lack of willingness and ability to do much more than exist physically. It is heart-breaking, and I speak from personal experience.

I know you know this already but I would be remiss in my duty to you as a friend if I did not say this to you; Spend every damn second of every day that you can with him. Video or record the stories he relates to you, and break out his pictures in the process. Write down the names, dates, and significance he places on each and every one of those pictures. (And make copies of those that document milestones, no matter how minor they may seem to you now). And if you haven't done it already, have some professional photography down of him, and do it now.

I say these things because despite my best efforts in doing them, logistics and time got in my way. You've got one of those beat already so you have an advantage. The veterans are going extinct on us, and our parents are slowly turning over control of this place to us. . . History and experience are our best resources and these men and women hold a vast amount of tribal knowledge that goes with them. . .

Believe me when I say to you that if you can get even some of these things done, you will be thankful for them later; and egregiously sorry for those you were unable to get done. 

[AbbyTC]

Thanks guys, I am VERY proud of my Dad and my uncles.  They were all excellent people that I was fortunate enough to have in my life.

That's pretty cool, Henry.  Be very proud!

[Purplelady1040]

I agree with PH!! Write it down and record it! My husband wishes he had with his late father and uncle who served in WW2. His uncle especially was part of the Army that liberated the Germans from Hitler. His uncle had black and white pictures of the Eagle's Nest that was one of Hitler's compounds that we had put on a disc for future use!

[me]

[Henry Hawk]

Believe me when I say to you that if you can get even some of these things done, you will be thankful for them later; and egregiously sorry for those you were unable to get done. 

I know you are right....I have heard most of his stories so many times, I can recite them along with him.

There has been a few, possibly more than I realize, incidents that he WON'T talk about....or he always changes the subject if I bring it up.

It is very sad, how that generation is almost gone from us....I adore this guy so much.  He is the epitome of an American father.......he not only provided for me, he was a role model, and he loved me, unconditionally.....it breaks my heart to see how this life has taken him down....but he lights up, anytime that I come in or when my kids come see him.

I call him every night, it makes him happy to know everyone is okay.  I sit with him every Sunday afternoon....and I visit it with him, usually one night through the week, if only for a few minutes.

He is the greatest person I have ever known.

[Purplelady1040]

I know you are right....I have heard most of his stories so many times, I can recite them along with him.

There has been a few, possibly more than I realize, incidents that he WON'T talk about....or he always changes the subject if I bring it up.

It is very sad, how that generation is almost gone from us....I adore this guy so much.  He is the epitome of an American father.......he not only provided for me, he was a role model, and he loved me, unconditionally.....it breaks my heart to see how this life has taken him down....but he lights up, anytime that I come in or when my kids come see him.

I call him every night, it makes him happy to know everyone is okay.  I sit with him every Sunday afternoon....and I visit it with him, usually one night through the week, if only for a few minutes.

He is the greatest person I have ever known.

You're a good son! My husband's father wouldn't talk to often about his experiences in WW2.

[duke jupiter]

Henry you are indeed blessed to have such a great man in your life. Ole' Duke can relate and even though my father missed the WWII by a few years he did pull a term in the army right after the war and has always been my hero (along with my mother). Mom has been gone for three years now and dad has surely missed her immensely but at the age of 86 his miind is still sharp and heck he still  is able to drive and is fiercely independent. In my opinion biased as it may be he is a man who  defines what it is to truly be a man. These men and women are from an unique generation which may never be matched or exceeded again.

Best regards,
Duke (maybe 1/2 the man me dad is) Jupiter

[Anne]

Henry, you are indeed blessed by having these men in your life. Thanks for posting the newspaper article about them. My dad spent 8 years active duty in USN. He died when I was 23 and I wish I had asked him more about his time in the navy.

[Henry Hawk]

Could be trouble for me to make it through the rest of the day..........we just had a pre-turkey day dinner here at work (thanks to a vendor of ours that we do a sizable amount of work with)........thy brought in a local caterer called Jonathan Bryds.....it may very well be the best catered dinner in the northern hemisphere.........Amazing meal.

Now, I must try to be remotely contribute-able to the company, but it is going to be a serious struggle!!

[Locutus]

Turkey coma!

[Henry Hawk]

Turkey coma!

seriously struggling right now....