Veteran's Day WriteOff: Honoring My FatherNov 11 '03 Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line Honor the veterans on Veteran's Day. *This entry is part of the Veteran’s Day Write Off sponsored by Lisado. Please be sure to check out the other participants reviews for some fantastic reading. My Father My father is a veteran who fought in World War II. I remember looking at his picture in his uniform when I was small and wondering what it was like being in the war. Now, many years later when I look at that same picture I am shocked at how young he was. Nineteen years old, and off to war. Nineteen; still a child. Far too young for war. He will talk about the places he went to during the war, but he has never discussed the actual details of it. The experience he had impacted him intensely, and I believe it colored the rest of his life. The death and destruction of the war was bad enough; but when he returned to the United States his young wife, who had married him just before he left, divorced him. All she wanted was his service pay; not a husband. Just how traumatic would that have been? First, being a child and heading off to fight knowing one could be killed at any given moment, seeing one’s friends killed, and seeing the stark reality of war first hand. Then finally coming home, believing one was coming home to a loving wife who would welcome him with open arms and instead finding a cold-hearted woman who didn’t want him and never had. His life progressed. He married twice more, the third time the only real charm when he married my mother. They were happy for a long time, but the trauma of his war experiences kept creeping into his world, making true happiness an impossibility. When my mother died he was devastated and retreated to a world of alcohol and depression. My father fought for the United States of America. He gave his all, willingly risked his life for this country, and ended up struggling for many years later trying to resolve the damage the war had done to him. I honor my father on Veteran’s Day. I thank him for working to keep this country safe. Without men like him, we would have no country. We would not have freedom of any sort. The United States was forced into World War II by Japan’s assault on Pearl Harbor. We did not instigate the war; we participated because we had no other choice. And every soldier who fought in World War II must be remembered and honored, for they gave the ultimate sacrifice. Some died. Some lived, only to have a very hard life afterward due to the impact the war had on them. If you know a veteran, give him or her a call today. Tell them you love then and you appreciate what they have done for you. A simple thank you goes a long, long way. I don’t like war. I think there are other, more civilized ways to solve problems. But those who fight in the wars the United States gets involved in should be supported and appreciated. They did not choose the war or cause the war, and they should not be put down for doing what they believe is the right thing to do. This is written in honor of my father, Kenneth William Gustafson, a United States veteran. Please read the reviews written by the other participants; Mimi369, gaelkm, Debbie26, and our wonderful hostess, Lisado.  |
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