Posted by 68427vette on Friday, November 11, 2005 at 10:37AM :
In Reply to: 11th hour-11th day-11th month posted by MoparNorm on Friday, November 11, 2005 at 9:46AM :
we went to our first vets day parade, Awsome,
See my father never talks about the war, he was in 1950-53 in Korea, and fought on Old Baldy, so named because both sides had bombed, destroyed everything on the hill that all was left was a skinned bare hill (mountain). He was awarded the bronze star, which he has not told me for what(maybe to close to him) but is a very proud father of 10 of us and still married to my mother. It was a great moment yesterday, as i drove it was undescribable to be with my father, a true veteran, and to meet many other veterans there . when we arrived we met Steve Clapper, who we are soon to be building a Military Vehicle Museum, and lined up a few hours early. With this being our first parade, i bought some banners, and my father and i displayed them on the trailer.. it was not soon after a columbus police officer in a kilt came over and asked me who's in the 7th Division,(seeing the banners) and were was he, i told him he was my father and was in Korea, and he quickly rush over to meet him... he said that he too was also in the 7th in 90'-93 (i think) and that he does not see the hourglass insignia very often and he was very happy to meet him etc...
As we got in finally line, we passed many young ROTC (i think) groups, as we came by,each group, stood at attention, and suluted my father with respect. Soon after a young man in current military clothing, yelled out to us and rushed over, and thanked my father for his service and showed us his arm badge, the HourGlass, same division 55 years later, , my father stated it was all "green and black" that his was of the " red/black colors" and we had a nice conversation. and they shook hands in a firm fashion.
As the parade started, we very impressed with the number of families, and people that turned out, everyone was cheering, clapping, waving flags, and waving, and my father could tell the veterens out, i think it was from the heart felt look My father got from them, and there were alot of private honorable individual sulutes that my father gave out to others in the crowd. its something you cant describe. its this odd feeling. i can only describe it too the band of brothers film were the accually individuals are speaking to the camara.
A true "BAND BETWEEN BROTHERS"
As we came up the the grandstand, Mayor Columan, stated' a Korean Veteran and his color guard" and the crowd applauded.
I will say that the best moment came soon after when we came up to a red light and i was in the middle of the interection, and an officer standing a ways away, came up to the passengerside were my father was.(here i though we did something wrong) the officer( a stought gentleman) came directly to my father and just said "Thank You....Thank You Very Much....." with a firm double handed handshake, knodded and walked back to his possesion. that's all he said. "Thank You, Thank You very Much"
Its just amazing to me that no one knows my father but there is this underlyling sense of they all do... each indivdual has there own connection to the veterans, in some way, whether their father, brother, sister, or someone they know was in the service, or maybe not in the service, but just a thanks for service to the country,, there is this connection. and it was a great time for me to spend time with my father and the others i met..
i spent all night (no sleep at all) wednesday getting the truck ready, ( my paint didnt come in(hood, small parts) the brakes werent that great, and at one point, (5am)i stopped and said to my self, who cares its not about how good the truck looks etc, its about my father and the men and women who give and gave everything for our freedom, its truely about the veterans. The trucks are just a physical item to remember the wars and will live on forever, its the soldiers who drove them that make the memories that are fading away. It is said that we loose 1000 veterens a day.
so i hunkered down to finish the project,fenders, seats in etc the rest of the night/morning. my father arrived, helped load, and we went..
anyhow, sorry to ramble, got home yesterday(had to stop for coffee 4 miles form my house, falling asleep driving)) at 2:30pm, in bed at 3pm just got up.8am. though i ring you guys, thanks for all the help...
This was a great experience a highlight of my live, just waiting for more pics from my friend at the news station,,
THANK YOU, Veterans, thanks for my freedom
jeff
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