Tribute to my Father on this Remembrance Day

[BobsYourUncle]

A little note on this Remembrance Day 2016 to pay respect to my father.

There are a few different names for this date of recognition of our incredible Veterans of the world. Remembrance, Veterans, Armistice, and a few more. In Canada we typically call it Remembrance Day.

It all means the same, it is our way of paying respect to our Veterans of military service, back to the days of WW1 and forward from there to include many ugly wars and world upset and the acts of total service all these amazing men, and some women paid to our countries.

There are very few left from WW2, and I see the occasional one sitting in a wheelchair in a shopping mall, proudly wearing his uniform and medals, offering up their poppies. Brings a tear to my eye as I gaze at them and realize that this man was once a fighter pilot, a gunner, a soldier, or whatever branch of the service he once served in. Doesn't matter if he was on the end of a rifle or if he cooked meals for the troops. He served our countries. And did it without any regard to his own personal safety.

Many of them never came home. Some did.

My father did. He came home and married my mother. Mom was a WAC briefly.

My father served in the Royal Canadian Air Force in WW2. He flew navigator on the bomber planes. A very dangerous service indeed. He was never shot out of the sky, nor did he ever take a bullet. I am thankful. That's the reason I am even here today.

My father hated the war. He thought it a horrible thing and was always against this kind of thing to solve a problem in the world. But he served and he did his part. He never talked about the war. Was always tight lipped. Didn't want to relive any of the horror he witnessed in his years of service. Fair enough.

But it is through the actions of all the amazing courageous men and women who bravely fought, so many of them paying the ultimate price with their lives, that all of us, people like you and I, can walk the streets in freedom, enjoy the lives of freedom, and have our freedom of choice to go where we want, and do the things we want, when we want. This is something that should never be taken lightly or for granted.

Canada and the United States of America are great because of our fathers and their fathers before them, and also many of you on this forum who gave your all in military service.

I thank you all, from the bottom of my heart.

And I especially thank my wonderful father for bravely participating in WW2 to provide the freedom I now enjoy. I also thank my father for the incredible childhood he provided, as an Air Force brat as we were called. Odd name but well known in the military. Thanks dad for the opportunity of a lifetime, living 5 years in France as a child, touring Europe and seeing so much that most folks only ever see in a magazine. And so much more.

Every year on this day, I am very quiet and take the time to ponder all this that I have written here, and much more. I love you dad, always have and always will. You were the best.

Though my father survived the war and came home in one piece, very sadly he and my stepmom were killed instantly in a horrific head on car crash on May 20, 1994. What a way to go after living through bomber plane missions in the 40's.

When you see a Veteran, take the time to walk up to them today and say "Thank You" and shake their hand. No need for an explanation, they will know what you mean.

Let us Never Forget.

[ScottG]

/\ :B:B

[BobsYourUncle]

I neglected to include my grandfather in my post. My fathers father.
He served in WW1 and was in the front lines, in the trenches. He too bravely fought for our country.

I have to smile recalling an old story my dad once told me about my grandfather being in the battlefield.
Their latrine was a shallow hole dug in the ground. He was there one day, his laundry down around his ankles taking care of business when enemy fire and shells hit nearby.

No time to finish the task at hand, he dived back into a trench as he was there.
Kinda funny story but I'm sure he wasn't laughing at the time.

Great respect to my grandfather for his service too.

[morley]

Thanks Bob for your thought provoking post. I myself reflect back on this day also and thank all those who so bravely sacrificed so much not only for our freedom but also for our very existence. My father also served in WW2 as a copilot on Lancaster bombers flying bombing missions over Europe. He returned home after the war and continued farming, he also never talked about the war. My Dad passed away at a very young age of 52. Some doctors at the time suggested that the war years possibly attributed to his early death. Each year on Rememberance Day my Mom and I attend the Rememberance day service not only as homage to my father but also to all of those whom have served to peserve our freedom and way of life both past and present. May we never ever take for granted or forget their sacrifices.

[ScottG]

SoundGuy wrote:

BobsYourUncle wrote:
Many of them never came home. Some did.

My uncle Rutherford was one who did not, shot down June 29, 1942, at age 31. He was a pilot officer in Bomber Command, 57 Sqdn and although the remains of he and his crew were never found he is memorialized on a plaque at the Runneymeade Memorial, Surrey, England. I was born just after the war and thus never met him but I also never forget him.

Tomorrow my wife is participating in the 25th anniversary memorial of her brother's death while serving in the Australian SAS.

Lest we forget.

I've thought a lot about this very thing. I think about guys like my dad who came home, started a family and now there are generations of us.
The story for the fellows who paid the ultimate sacrifice, had their stories stop there and then. There's no telling what could have been.
These guys are the most easily forgotten. Many thanks to your wife helping others to remember them.

[TurnThePage]

Thanks, Bob.

[Alabama_Jim]

Well said. Thanks to all of the greatest generation. They gave and sacrificed for others. Thank you all veterans! We need more patriots.

[Martyn]

Bob - Many thanks for an excellently written and moving post.

I too reflect on this day - my Dad was in the Royal Artillery during WWII and served in India and Burma. He never wanted to talk about it much - many awful things happened in that area - and we respected that.

My Grandfather lied about his age at the beginning of WWI and joined the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. He went to the front aged 16 and fought in the trenches at the Battle of the Somme. He was badly wounded by shrapnel.

To all Veterans, thanks and utmost respect from this Brit.

[colliehauler]

Thanks to all veterans past and present.

[blofgren]

Amen.

[romore]

That is a fine tribute to your dad and all who served. My dad was an instructor training the air ground crews that went to England. He seldom talked about it but I am sure the experience had a marked influence, my parents lost friends and relatives.
I remember a great uncle who was gassed at Ypres, he was an invalid for 50 years.

[tvman44]

Well written, bobsyouruncle.

[SoundGuy]

BobsYourUncle wrote:
Many of them never came home. Some did.

My uncle Rutherford was one who did not, shot down June 29, 1942, at age 31. He was a pilot officer in Bomber Command, 57 Sqdn and although the remains of he and his crew were never found he is memorialized on a plaque at the Runneymeade Memorial, Surrey, England. I was born just after the war and thus never met him but I also never forget him.

Tomorrow my wife is participating in the 25th anniversary memorial of her brother's death while serving in the Australian SAS.

Lest we forget.

[westend]

Well written, Bob. We all should be thankful of those who served. My Dad was a lieutenant on a destroyer escort in the Pacific campaign.

[ScottG]

They truly were the greatest generation.
My dad was at Pearl harbor during the attack. He and the other fellows with him fought back and some of those boys, friends of my dads, didn't escape the onslaught. My dad was forever affected by the carnage but didn't speak of it.
He later served under MacArthur and fought in the Philippines (among others).
My dad hated the war as well, He often commented on how it effected the children. He never told me what he meant by that.
I miss my dad every day.

A big thanks to all those who serve. Life would be unimaginable without your hard work and sacrifices.