Remember Sacrifices This Father’s Day

Remember Dad’s Sacrifices This Father’s Day
by Bill Smith 

EVEN AFTER THEY are called from the living, fathers will always be remembered for what they handed down to us. Their wisdom, their ability to survive the most severe trials, and the countless hours they work in order to provide the best possible for their families.

My dad was a Marine in World I and he always treasured that recognition. I can always remember how often he pointed a finger at the Japanese and remarked that someday we will have trouble with that nation. As a youngster I just couldn’t understand what he meant by his inclinations. Then, while in high school, it happened. The Japanese declared war on the United States by their unprovoked attack at Pearl Harbor.

Upon graduating high school and enlisting in the Marine Corps, there was a waiting list for, as I recall, nearly six months. It was about the same for the Navy, and the Air Corps was filled to recruitment capacity. When I told my father that I was going to enlist he sat me down and explained what military life was composed of.

I knew my dad well enough to see he wasn’t eager to see me off to who knew where, but he was also aware of all the young men from my small home town who were already serving. Because I was only 17, to get into the service the enlistment papers needed the signatures of both parents, and mom was not about to sign…

While still in bed one morning I could hear them talking in the kitchen. I had been working on dad to convince mom to sign for weeks. I believe the convincing argument from dad was when he said “some morning you are going to find a note saying your son had enlisted in the Canadian Air Force, for they were recruiting at a hell-bent pace.” And so she signed and I was in the U.S. Army. Dad made every effort to comfort mom and worked in a defense plant many hours each day. He wasn’t much of a writer but every now and then he would pen a letter to his son telling him all the good things at home and not to worry.

Dad was always eager to sacrifice, for during the days of World War II nearly everything was rationed. I recall only two pairs of shoes were allowed in one year. And when dad was asked to try to find a pair of civilian shoes for his boy in service, he provided them with his shoe ration. Dad was the ruler, the king of his household, the main income earner. He was the enforcer, the disciplinarian, the banker, the spiritual leader, the keeper of the family treasury. Amid that recognition, he was the one who kept up the repairs around the house — be it carpenter, plumbing, electric or painting and paper-hanging. He did all these things and did them well.

On Father’s Day we can remember dad in so many ways. There are things he taught us during our growing up days that are still recognizable even now. His way of teaching was more like an on-the-job training program and that course of instruction was maintained through the following generations. Dad is no longer with us, but he will never be forgotten. The things he handed down to us, including his wisdom still exists in our hearts and minds and those traits are forever indelible.

Bill Smith writes for and about veterans. Write to him c/o The Times Leader, 15 N. Main St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 1871 1-0250 or leave a message for him with Michele at 829-7245.

Go to original article

"Go to Original" links are provided as a convenience to our readers and allow for verification of authenticity. However, as originating pages are often updated by their originating host sites, the versions posted on VT may not match the versions our readers view when clicking the "Go to Original" links.

(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. VT has no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of this article nor is VT endorsed or sponsored by the originator.)