“Few of our “leaders” today would be fit to polish his boots.”
When I was in the Marines there were many senior NCO’s just like your father still in, or getting ready to retire. From personal observation I’d say your comment is 100% spot on.
He got out after the war, did college on the GI bill and then was offered a commission and went back in.
I’ll tell you this about my old man. He was a captain at Quantico when my younger brother was born, we kids played with the kids of a black NCO, this was in the late 50’s. In those days, I don’t think that was common. That’s the kind of man my father was.
Of course he drove me *nuts* in HS after he retired. My bedroom had to pass inspection before I was allowed to take the car out. He may have retired an officer, but there was still a DI buried in there. We clashed a lot in those days, as one might expect. /grin