![]() Without question, those experiences have given me great appreciation for the sacrifices of military spouses and children. Since my dad was career Air Force, many of my brother’s and my childhood memories were made as part of a military family living on various bases in the United States and overseas. Air Force during the Vietnam War and then later as a civilian worker at Tinker. ![]() Later on, my brother followed a similar path by serving in the U.S. After he retired in 1960, our family returned to Oklahoma, where my dad served another 20 years as a civilian defense worker at Tinker Air Force Base in Midwest City. When he was placed at Dover Air Force Base for his last command, he was given the worst dock assignment and still managed to win the same award seven out of 12 times there-another testament to his impressive skill. He was an amazingly talented mechanic and won the prize for “dock of the month” so many times at McGuire Air Force Base that they quit giving it out. He joined the Army Air Corps on the eve of World War II, and when he left the service, he was the second most senior master sergeant in the Air Force and generally recognized as one of the best to run a crew (or dock) that fixed airplanes. Growing up, I greatly admired my dad’s military service. My uncle is just one of many who suffered for the greater cause of freedom, and his story will always inspire me. It’s a sobering reminder of the atrocities that are possible when men and women volunteer to serve and defend our nation. There’s a picture in my DC office from the day Hanowa was liberated, and next to it I keep a small book that belonged to my uncle which is signed by others held captive. A prisoner-of-war and survivor of the Bataan Death March, he spent more than two years suffering in Cabanatuan Prison Camp in the Philippines before he was forcibly moved to Hanowa Prison Camp in Japan. I am named for my uncle who was a tested, tried and true American military hero in the Navy during World War II. As a reminder of his willingness to serve and defend the country, I keep a picture at my desk in DC that is signed by his entire crew and shows my grandfather’s ship near Sasebo, Japan. He was a retired captain when I knew him, but he fought in several engagements during World War II and commanded his own ship in the Pacific by the end of the conflict. ![]() I can certainly recall many stories in my own family of which I am most proud and grateful.Īs a kid, I remember hearing about my grandfather’s distinguished 26 years of service in the Navy. It’s trite but true that America is the “land of the free” because it’s also the “home of the brave.” While there are many veteran heroes in our midst, we are often unaware of the extraordinary things these brave individuals have done for our country and the incredible sacrifices they have made. ![]()
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