[rlmorel]

My dad had a stroke, and lived for about five months before he died. Conscious, but unable to speak or move 2/3 of his body. There was so much I wanted to talk to him about, and I talked to him, but if I had known the evening at a family dinner get together when he had his stroke that was the last time I would hear his voice...

Like your dads, probably, my dad was not a big talker, but...he did speak every year at the Memorial Day services in his hometown...just a few months ago, I stumbled across an old video recording someone made of his Memorial Day speech back in 1995...it was pretty stunning to hear. My dad was not a great speech giver, but...just to hear his voice again was very moving.

My dad went out to the Pacific in July 1945, so that wasn't really his war, but...he served in destroyers in WWII, Korea, and the Cuban Missile Crisis before he took shore duty to spend time with us.

Those men...our dads...there was a commonality to them that is apparent to us in some way. And with this gentleman Jerry Yellin...same thing. I think that is why that passage from Michener moves me as it does, and probably moved those men as well. There was a generational bond between all of them.

[oh8eleven]

Those men...our dads...there was a commonality to them ...
I'd be remiss if I didn't acknowledge my WWII mom as well. She was a Navy nurse and although she never left the states, I always think her contribution to ending the war was almost as important as the men.