I’m going to take a cue from my girl, Jag, and take a second to recognize my dear ones who are veterans. 

Cousin Ronnie (the father of the Broadway star) served in the From_the_halls_of_montezuma Marines during Viet Nam.  I asked him about Viet Nam once and then I felt bad for asking.  He shipped out of Los Angeles, where my parents lived at the time.  My mother has said more than once, how horrible it was taking Ron to ship out to Viet Nam with as she says "Boys getting killed left and right."  He said when he got back to LA, my dad came to meet him and they met in the street, hugged and cried for the longest time.  That makes me cry thinking about it because I can picture it.  Those two were pretty tight.

Cousin Brian…now, he served in the Navy during Viet Nam, but, like George Goble, he spent most of the time, I think it was in Oklahoma. I don’t know that it was in Oklahoma, but, it was all stateside.   It was dangerous, I tell you.  He says about the only water action he saw was taking the ferry from Kodiak to Anchorage. His daddy, my Uncle Charles spent World War II in the Navy in Collie_dudes Nebraska where the fighting was treacherous.  That has always cracked me up.  <<<That’s Brian, Ron and Wayne.

I only have one uncle left of all my parent’s siblings and he is a very proud vet. My Uncle Fred is 84 years old now (we call him "Nootsie").   He served in the Army during World War II and he did see some action in the European theater.   He still has shrapnel in his head and received the Purple Heart. Fred_a  I’ve never discussed his military stuff with him.  A lot of those guys that age don’t talk about it and since he is my mother’s brother and her side of the family tends to avoid serious stuff from the past, I let it lie.  That’s ok.  I’m very proud of him.  Considering the pain and suffering he’s dealt with this last decade, burying three of his four children, now his daughter in law is suffering with Lou Gehrig’s Disease…I think his experience in battle must’ve given him some extra strength.  I don’t know that I could deal with all he has. 

If there’s a vet in your family, let them know you appreciate them this weekend.

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