Jarvis’ fathers day columns can be found here. The one he wrote last year is even better. Both are excellent.
I hope 30 years from now when my boy sees me in a picture that only has him in it, only my best qualities are passed down the line.
As for my own Dad, I doubt there is any way I could ever match his grit, exploits or fortitude. To escape grinding poverty, he tricked his illiterate mother into signing the permission papers for him to join the Marines in late 1944 as he was only 16. Okinawa was the next stop for him though he missed the worst of the combat there. My son literally burst with pride when he found out gramps certainly served with Eugene Sledge who was featured in the HBO series The Pacific, in China the next year doing embassy duty in 1946 where the picture on the right was made.
Highly decorated for his combat exploits including the Purple Heart, he retired from the Marines 30 years later with his last active duty stop as First Sergeant of the Marine Helicopter Squadron in Da Nang Vietnam. He was featured in Stars and Stripes because he flew missions to set an example for his men despite the fact his rank entitled him to stay out of the line of fire.
He spoke very little of his combat experiences and had little patience for other vets who boasted about their exploits once telling me if someone bragged about combat they obviously had never been in a good fight.
Those trying figure out the hell raising SOB behind the Sop handle need not look any further.
Dad passed away in 1999. Of all the things Katrina took from me including what little innocence I had left at the time, the flag which draped his coffin is one of the things I miss the most.
Happy fathers day to all the dads in the Slabbed Nation.
sop
Now I see where you got the nads from.
Sorry about Friday.
No need to apologize Sock. Our parents are only around on this world for just a finite amount of time. Your priorities are in the right place.
sop
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOwweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Alright Sop now you have gone and done it. After reading Nowdy’s post, your personal Katrina experience embedded therein and now your post about your heroic father and his flag, I had to cross Airline Hwy in the middle of morning commuter traffic to get a box of Kleenex at RiteAid. Enjoyed it all and gave me some insight into what great people we have at the helm of the SlabbedNation. Thank you all !!!!! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOwweeeeeeeeeeeee
Great post, Doug. My dad was (and IS) my FAVORITE PERSON in the world. He too was a military man (an Army Sgt. in the Korean war). You’re so right about those that “brag” about their “combat experiences.” My dad never told me about how he used to dig holes in the snow and “spoon” w/other men in an effort to stay somewhat warm in Korea and other horrendous things….I learned many of the horrible things he endured there through my own pursuits and stories from family members…but not from my dad!
Happy (belated) Father’s Day to you!
SHIRLEY
P.S. My “thought for the day” that I came up with is:
“…just basking in the fact that wealth is measured in the SENSE of happiness…not the CENTS of one’s $ accounts..HOW RICH ARE YOU HAPPY?..”
actually, that was my TWEET of the day…it’s my 3rd “tweet;” not a big fan of that and don’t think i ever will be – but never say never, right? right.
Thanks to both of you. I rarely write about myself as it is a big no no on the financial blogs. I’m happy to see this little bit of soul bearing has been well received.
sop