2012 VETERANS DAY: THANKS DAD AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO HAS SERVED OUR COUNTRY!

HALLELUJAH FOR VETERANS, thank you for serving our country! Not a Veteran's Day can go by without my revering my father and the courage he exhibited while he served in the United States Army.

MEDAL OF HONOR HOLDER. I took this photo of my father at a parade some time in the 1980s. He was retired and living in Auburn, Alabama, with my mother. I was in graduate school at Auburn University working on a master's in literature and dating a soldier at Ft. Benning, Georgia. When he had finished the Ranger training course, there was a parade in acknowledgment of his accomplishment. My father accompanied me for the celebration. I loved it that he could put on that beautiful Congressional Medal of Honor. We were always so proud of him! This is not an easy medal to earn and few soldiers have been awarded it. Read here the description of my father's brave actions that resulted in his being honored with this prestigious and rare award.

ANOTHER PARADE FIELD BEFORE DAD LEFT FOR VIETNAM. Here we are in 1967 with my father some time before he departed for Vietnam. This photo was taken at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, where we lived for two years. I am dressed up in my sailor dress. My older sister took this picture of us post parade. Dad often had a hoarse voice after these occasions from shouting commands at his soldiers. 

WITH MY VETERAN. Taken with Daddy in 1963 at Ft. Benning, Georiga. I grew up on military bases. But my childhood was like most kids. We spent many afternoons outside fixing boats, washing the dog, taking care of the lawn, and playing various games. I was definitely a Daddy's girl as you can see in this photo, and my Dad was a soldier who participated in 3 wars: World War II  when he was 17; Korean Conflict when he was in his early 20's; and the Vietnam War when he was well into his 30's.

WOUNDED IN VIETNAM. This is a photo of my dad in 1968 after he had been wounded (He is sitting on the stairs behind the children on the right). Recently my siblings and I recounted what the moment was like when we had a jeep appear in front of our house in Fayetteville, North Carolina, where we had moved from Fort Bragg, while Dad served a tour of duty in Vietnam. No one wanted a jeep with a soldier and a pastor to come knockin' at their door! Some of us remember it as raining or night time. Was it really afternoon? I can't tell you for sure. But it was awful to get the news that he had been wounded although we certainly rejoiced that he had not been killed. I was in fourth grade! After he came home and recovered, we moved to Virginia, so he could serve at the Pentagon! 

Life is such an incredible journey! As I remember my father along with other veterans in the month of November, I also bump into the anniversary of his death. It is hard to believe that he has been gone nine years now. He passed away on November 21, 2003. I will always treasure him and the life that he gave me as an ARMY BRAT. Thank you Dad! With much love, your daughter, Ruth (aka Hallelujah Truth).

MECHANIC VETERAN FATHER.  My father never quit, never gave up, never stopped until the object of his attention was fixed. The fixing may not have attained perfection or expectation (of the daughter), but he found solutions to whatever he was working on even if it took days, numerous ruminations, and many failed attempts. My father was a passionate man. The photo you see here was taken by me, the daughter. He managed to keep my cars running whether it was the 1969 Volkswagen Bug or this 1979 Toyota Celica. Look at him peering at me the daughter! Yes, he would make this car run for me! When my father died, I lost my fiercest advocate. We bucked heads on many issues, but this brave and passionate man was always going to take care of me, no matter what!

If you would like to learn more about my father, his memory was honored recently in the town he retired to after his military career. Auburn, Alabama, presented this short video on its 14th Annual Mayor's Memorial Day Breakfast in 2012.