Every Veterans Day I have one particular vet that I think a lot about. He was a man I admired in so many ways and still am amazed at is achievements. He grew up in a profoundly poor family in the Mississippi Delta in a shack with no running water, no electricity and no inside toilet. They were often hungry. I am fond of saying poverty either makes you or breaks you. and this country boy hated the Delta so bad as soon as he got a chance to get out, he did. The quickest way out was to join the army. For the first time in his life, he had new, clean clothes, a comfortable bed to sleep in and all the food he wanted to eat.
The year was 1943 and the USA was slowly being drawn into the war raging in Europe. After boot camp he went to Camp Rucker Alabama, (now Fort Rucker) to train with newly formed 87th Chemical Morter Battalion. The battalion’s main weapon was a 4.2 inch mortar, a fearsome weapon, that with a well-trained crew, could get twelve rounds in the air before the first impacted. The motors were capable of firing an explosive round with eight pounds of TNT, smoke or white phosphorus.
After training the 87th moved by convoy to New York City, boarded the Queen Mary and made a ten day voyage to Scotland, loaded on trains and ended up in Tiverton, on the east coast of the UK. They continued training, marching through the streets of the town (where the residents ignored them) and boarded the troop ships waiting or them, then debarked and marched back to camp.
Then came the day that they marched through town, and the townsfolk lined the streets and threw flowers at them. This was the day they had been waiting for. They boarded the troop ships and then climbed down rope ladders to board the landing craft at 2 am. They were flatbottom boats not designed for the heavy seas they encountered, and the men had to bail with their helmets to keep them from sinking. They circled until 730 am and then hit Utah beach under intense fire.
This man’s first act was to save a fellow soldier from drowning. He went on to earn two bronze stars with V for valor and a silver stat. all for saving the lives of wounded GIs under enemy fire. He said, as the platoon lieutenant, it was his responsibility. He also participated in the five major military campaigns in western Europe and so proudly wore the five campaign stripes his sleeve.
He also served in Korea and the Vietnam war and retired from the army after 36 years as aa full colonel. This American veteran, and hero, was my dad.