WRideout
11-10-2012, 09:05 AM
I got my twenty years in, mostly in the National Guard of California, Tennesse, and Pennsylvania. I thought about war every day for almost that entire time. Although I made some personal sacrifices, I don't consider myself a hero. That honor has to go to those I have known who actually went to war.
My uncle Homer Rideout, from Glenpool Oklahoma, was a WWII vet, who served in both European and Pacific theaters as a medic. He told me once that he saw three young men, all from the same small town in Oklahoma, buried in one day. A simple man, he held strong values, and returned home to work and raise a family.
My old scoutmaster, Sam Sandifer, was a Korean war veteran of the Seabees. His sons told me that he had nightmares at night, from his combat experience. He considered all the scouts to be his boys, and he loved us without reservation. He was my surrogate father.
Ed Sanders was a leader in my explorer post. He had been a US Marine in Merril's Marauders during WWII, but lost his eyesight to a chinese grenade in Korea. He took up amateur radio later, and taught all of us morse code. He helped a bunch of us get our amateur radio licenses.
Then there is Brian, a friend and veteran of Iraq. Although he is younger than I, and has not served as many years, he has actually been in the fight, and for that he is my hero, too.
I don't know that any of them were fearless in battle, but if courage is doing what you have to, in spite of fear, then they are among the most courageous men I have ever known. On this Veteran's day, I am proud to have served my country, as they did.
Wayne
My uncle Homer Rideout, from Glenpool Oklahoma, was a WWII vet, who served in both European and Pacific theaters as a medic. He told me once that he saw three young men, all from the same small town in Oklahoma, buried in one day. A simple man, he held strong values, and returned home to work and raise a family.
My old scoutmaster, Sam Sandifer, was a Korean war veteran of the Seabees. His sons told me that he had nightmares at night, from his combat experience. He considered all the scouts to be his boys, and he loved us without reservation. He was my surrogate father.
Ed Sanders was a leader in my explorer post. He had been a US Marine in Merril's Marauders during WWII, but lost his eyesight to a chinese grenade in Korea. He took up amateur radio later, and taught all of us morse code. He helped a bunch of us get our amateur radio licenses.
Then there is Brian, a friend and veteran of Iraq. Although he is younger than I, and has not served as many years, he has actually been in the fight, and for that he is my hero, too.
I don't know that any of them were fearless in battle, but if courage is doing what you have to, in spite of fear, then they are among the most courageous men I have ever known. On this Veteran's day, I am proud to have served my country, as they did.
Wayne