The Walsh twins in Korea, Dec. 31, 1951While it would be nice to think some things are nonpartisan, this Veterans Day I can't help but think of my father, who along with his twin brother, Kenny, and their nephew Billy Lindes -- who was nearly their age -- fought in the Korean War. (Billy would die while there and my dad never forgave himself for allowing him to lie about his age to tag along.) Like many of our servicemembers, they were all very young men at the time of their active duty, and my mom swears to this day that the trauma of the experience irreparably damaged my dad for life, in ways that were not physically obvious, but no less debilitating. (I shudder to think what kids in Iraq and Afghanistan are going through now.) With this in mind, I think it's imperative as we salute our veterans today that we also all remember to vote for candidates who support generous benefits for those who have served our country so bravely. While the GOP has managed to get a stranglehold on the "pro-troops party" banner, when push comes to shove, time and time again, they're the ones that want to nickle and dime our veterans, on everything from health care to tuition assistance. The sacrifices these men and women make will likely benefit you your entire lifetime, and they may very well require help from us for theirs. It's unfortunate we live in a country where we cannot all support something this self-evident, which is why it's voters' patriotic duty to support people who do.
While stationed in Fukuoka, 1952
Dad in Korea, Dec. 31, 1951
Dad in Fukuoka, Japan, May 1952
1 comment:
Thank you for this post. My father also fought in the Second World War. He was Filipino guerrilla soldier and was only 18 when he broke out.
If you think American GIs were nickel-and-dimed, wait till you read about what Filipino WWII vets (did not) get. Here's one online resource that you can read: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Honoring_Our_Commitment_to_Filipino_World_War_II_Veterans
In the end, these veterans received very little. And the bureaucracy they had to face was so demeaning. Some veterans literally died while lining up to claim their benefits.
Again, thank you for honoring the memory of those who fought in the war, and adding that very thoughtful note about soldiers still fighting for the U.S.
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