Honoring our WWII Vets

John on his honeymoon

      Today is Pearl Harbor Day.  My father in law, John's, birthday.  He was born in 1920 and grew up in through the Depression.  When we first met, he told me funny stories about his father who made the best bathtub gin during Prohibition (and the batch of peach schnapps that exploded in his bedroom).
      Many years later, he told us about training for WWII.  Living on Goodenough Island near New Guinea to prepare for the South Pacific and getting into trouble at basic training.  Even later we heard stories from the fighting in the islands. There were funny stories in the trenches (especially the guy who was so afraid he urinated in his helmet during shelling to throw it out of his foxhole, but would never be issued a clean helmet), to the crazy hospital where he learned to take care of chickens, to some of the horrors.  Let's just say, his protests to keep the moral high ground meant that my father in law was busted back down to a private by the time he made it home.  I couldn't be prouder.

John and Gloria with wedding gifts

      His service to us changed his entire life, changing his faith and his belief in the underlying kindness of mankind.  It gave me the freedom to write my crazy blog and the husband I love.  What great things to come from WWII.
       His 21st birthday was Pearl Harbor Day.  He spent the day going from recruiting station to recruiting station in a vain attempt to keep out of the Army.  He couldn't get into the Navy because he was too thin.  He told us about riding home on the Staten Island Ferry crying his eyes out because he knew the front lines were his only option.  His sacrifice made my adult life possible and I am so grateful.  Thanks and Happy Birthday, Grandad.

John with grandsons, Daniel and John

P.S. The funny part of the story is he gave birth to a future Naval officer, who married a Naval officer (me!) and tomorrow is the big game, Go Navy! (Beat Army!)