Posted on 12/29/2001 12:17:47 AM PST by Norb2569
Today at my job at The Home Depot, I got to shake the hand of a real American HERO, Jim Griffin. He is not a celebrity, just an old man.
But when he was young, he was a Navy Hospital Corpsman serving with the Marines at Iwo Jima, one of the most bloody battles of World War II.
Today he was wearing a ball cap that said "Iwo Jima Survivor." I asked if I could help him find something in the store, and as we were walking, I noticed his cap. I asked him if he was indeed and Iwo Jima Survivor. He said "Yes, I sure am."
I asked if I could shake his hand and he obliged. I looked him in the eye and said, "Thank you for saving the world, so I could live FREE in this greatest country on earth. The heroism of you and your compatriots who served there inspired me countless times during my own Marine Corps career! You guys are American HEROES."
He paused and then said, "I am not a Marine. I was with the Marines, but I wasn't a Marine. I was a just a Navy Corpsman serving with the Marines."
A tear welled up and ran down my cheek. This HERO was feeling shame about not being a Marine. This HERO, who tried his best to patch up gaping grenade wounds and bullet wounds, and bandaged burned arms and legs; this HERO who helped save countless lives, who held many a dying young Marine writhing in pain, crying out for his Momma, begging for relief from the pain, felt ashamed because he wasn't a Marine, he was just a Navy Corpsman.
Choking back his own tears, he said, "Those Marines, they were the real heroes. They faced the Japs who had them outnumbered six to one. They paid a heavy price. Lots of them died, but they wouldn't give up till all the Japs were wiped out."
I grasped his hand real tight and told him "this Marine considers it an honor beyond compare, to share the same space with a HERO like you"!
A short time later, my coworker, a lady in her mid thirties, asked me what I said to that old man, and why did it look like I had been crying.
I told her he is a lot more than an old man. He is an American HERO. He is an Iwo Jima survivor. She had a puzzled look on her face. "What's Iwo Jima"? She asked.
I said, "It's an island in the Pacific that the Marines secured at very high price in American blood, that was essential to the US victory over Japan. You know, it was in ALL the history books. They gave their lives so we would have the opportunity to live FREE here in America - you know!"
She still had that puzzled look and said, "I never liked history. I liked math and science."
I replied, "Well, since you have a six yearold son, you have the opportunity to learn our American history as you help your son."
She replied, "No, Norb, like I told you before, I don't like history!"
Rivers of American blood has been shed so we can live in PEACE and FREEDOM. I wonder how many Americans would have answered like my coworker. I am afraid to know the answer.
Tell a veteran today, "Thank you for serving our nation. Thank you for my FREEDOM"!
Since September 11th, many Americans have become aware of how easily we could lose our lives and our FREEDOM. Many Americans have made a special effort to express their gratitude to those who serve.
Still, there are so many American 'sheeple' who are clueless to the wonderful good fortune they have to live FREE here in America. Let's make efforts to acknowledge these HEROES publicly and bring attention to their contributions.
Norb
Spread the word!
Navy Corpsmen are brave beyond reason. They charge into battle armed with bandages and medical supplies.
Many of them have died while trying to save the lives of Marines.
Navy Corpsman run with Marines and the Marines call Navy Corpsman heroes!
Hope your thread encourages others to take a moment and thank a vet. Especially the WW2 ones-they won't be around much longer.
And give your co-worker a book on Iwo for her son. Maybe he'll learn to remmeber too.
Never was a vet, but I hope you won't be offended if I say to you "Semper Fi".
You don't want to know the answer..
BTTT!!
How sad, how very sad. But I daresay this poor soul's lack of interst or knowledge is all to prevelant in our land today. To think of the young boys fighting out on battlefields of burning brush, windswept plains, black sand, crate shells and barbed wire strung trenches, snowy forests, bullet marked rubble, steaming jungles, fire blazed positions they held or won by gallons of brave American blood, these men who fought and died and were decapitated for life, scarred with terrifying nightmares and hellish memories, and then to think that most Americans could care less about so much as remembering the mere conflicts they fought in, much less the men themselves, is appalling and tragic.
Offended?
Hell no!!
Honored!
Semper Fi,
Norb
Have a good evening and the very best to you and yours.
Semper Fi
Tommie
Those who are ignorant of history are DOOMED to repeat it!
I envy you! I wish that I had been there with you so that I to could have shaken this great man's hand as well!
I really can't understand people who don't like history.
Sure, having to memorize dates and places is a pain when you are in school.
But once you get past that, you find that history is the greatest show on earth. Everyone who ever lived participated. It is the grand pageant of mankind. A neverending story.
Also, it is a great reference. There are a lot of problems that come up again and again, history provides examples of how to deal with those problems and what to avoid.
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