Integrity, loyalty, courage... I could go on and on. God, country, family, duty and honor. The true meaning of these words seem to be lacking in today's society. A son, brother, husband, father, uncle, cousin, and friend... you wanted him on your side. He was loved by many and he is still so deeply missed by many... My dad! He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, so far away from us that we can't make the trip to visit his grave too often. But he lives in our hearts and my memories of him are still so very strong.
This pic was made sometime in the mid 60's, before he went to NAM. His first flying assignment was in the F100 Super Sabre Jet
http://pixelcandy3d.deviantart.com/art/F100-Super-Sabre-Jet-277560596 His second flying assignment was in the RF-101 VooDoo. Notice the patch on his flight suit. Very cool!
http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=302
He was a RECCE pilot and for those of you who don't know what that is, basically, they took important "tactical" photographs! The motto of the pilots who flew the RF-101 (a one seater)... "Alone, unarmed and unafraid"... Dad was flying missions out of Udorn AFB, Thailand in 1967 - only had a couple of more months left and he would be coming home, when a MIG (Russian made jet flown by the North Vietnamese) fired a heat seeking missile that took out his left engine and set it on fire. He told me much later that when he saw the pilot in the cockpit of that MIG, he said, "You son of a bitch! All I can do is press this button on my joy stick and take your damn picture!" No guns, no bullets! Dad had to try to make it back to safe territory before he had to eject... He was 50 miles from Laos when he had to pull the pin on his ejection seat. It was a few hours later, that the wing commander and chaplain were knocking on our door... The word was "Missing." In other words, they had no clue if he ejected safely, if he was dead or alive!!! For three (3) years he was simply MIA (missing in action).
It was 1970, actually the eve of my 14th birthday, and an important phone call came at nearly midnight... The Committee of Liaison got his name out of NORTH Vietnam. HE WAS ALIVE!!! A POW (Prisoner of War) - no longer MIA! HE WAS ALIVE!!! Praise God!!! Another two and a half (2 1/2) years passed with a few treasured letters his captors allowed him to send. He was released in the third group of POWS, March 14, 1973. A day he loved to celebrate as his second birthday! I won't tell you about the unspeakable torture and horrors he suffered at the hands of his captors. I will tell you that they were real and should NEVER be forgotten!
I was 11 years old when dad was shot down over North Vietnam. I was 10 days from turning 17 when he came home to us. We had our problems. In many ways he wanted the little girl he left behind, but I was all grown up. I had campaigned for the MIAs and POWs all through high school. I had many acquaintances who spit on our flag and protested the war. They spit on our returning service men and treated them like dirt. Another tragedy in our country's history. These acquaintances would say to me..."You of all people should protest this war and spit on our flag. Just look where your father is..." DUH! I often said that my father was living in HELL for their right to spit on the flag and their right to protest the war. These people will NEVER GET IT! They will NEVER understand! And I don't waste my time with them anymore. I am patriotic and proud of that fact! My heart bleeds red, white and blue. Military men and women are NOT war mongers! They're the last people who want to go to war but, they are the ones who serve and go to war because of those who won't and don't! Thank God or your lucky stars that there are those who are WILLING to serve! I will honor our military men and women every day of the week, all year long because I respect their service and their sacrifice for MY rights and yours, whether you respect them and my rights or NOT! I will stop them in public, shake their hand and thank them for their service. My God, some have burst into tears when I did that! They hugged me and I hugged them back! I don't have much money, but if I see one in McDonald's waiting in line, I'm gonna buy that soldiers breakfast, lunch or dinner - whatever the case may be! I am my father's daughter and I am proud of that fact, too!
Dad's last flying assignment was in the RF4 Phantom.
http://jetphotos.net/showphotos.php?aircraft=McDonnell%20Douglas%20RF-4%20Phantom That's the jet he took his freedom flight in back in 1973, you military types will know what that means. He retired from the USAF in 1981, went to law school, passed the bar and served as an attorney until he passed away with cancer in December 1997. Gone, but NEVER forgotten my darling, darling daddy! You were a real man, ALL man and with so very much TRUE GRIT!
Almost forgot to add this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGigYvztqHE 
And Mags, wherever your dad is -- he's got to be proud of the incredible woman you've become.
This is a fav for me!!!!!
@kerristephens Kerri, you are a dear! Thank you for the fav and your kind comments! Yes, let's remember to pray for our military men and women wherever they are, that God will keep them safe from any harm and give their families comfort in their hour of need. I pray this prayer every day. Hugs!
@groovygirlrn Thank you, Sheri! I really appreciate your lovely remarks. The sadness and horror are long behind us now. Although we miss him so very much, dad is in a much better place now. Hugs! =)
@jsw0109 Thank you so very much, Jeff! You are so very kind. There were many men like him during his time. Let's remember them all and the sacrifices they made for us all.
@amandalomonaco Thank you so much, Amanda! I truly appreciate your comments!
@windridge Thank you so much, Susan!
@maggiemae Thank you, Maggiemae! YOU GET IT and for that, I am truly, truly thankful! I really appreciate your remarks so much!
@redrucksack Aww! Thank you for the fav and your lovely remarks, Eva! Most appreciated!
@sanfil Thank you for your kind comments, Sandra! Grateful for your visit!
@alicardwell Thank you very much!
@klemieux Wow! Thank you for the fav, Ken, and expressing all your reasons why! Very much appreciated!
@yonnie Aww! Hugs to you, Yvonne! Thank you very much for your kind and lovely comments, and the fav! Most grateful to have them, too!
@mantha You are very sweet and kind, Sam! Thank you so very much!
To leave this a little lighter he was at my Aunt's house for dinner after his return and excused himself to go to the bathroom. When he came back he had such a look on his face and wanted to know how they had turned their toilet water blue!
Big hugs today Maggie. We remember.
@chauncygirl Thank you for your kind and lovely comments, Heidi! All water under the bridge now. We just need to remember to honor our nation's military.
@ruthmouch Good to know, Ruth! Happy to read it, too! Thank you for your wonderful comments, too!
@meisen325 I would like to think it made him proud. Thank you so much, Monica! Your kind and lovely comments mean so much!
@wannabe I'm so glad that you "get it" too, Catherine! Good to know! Thank you for your lovely comments and the fav! Wow!
My dad did two tours to veitnam with the Australian Army. An experience that he does not speak of but I know that he came back a different man. He was finally diagnosed with PSD 20 yrs later.
It was atrocious how these brave service men and women where treated, I think it made their experiences worse and many where ostracized even more when they returned.
A FAV!
@dakota39 Wow! Your comments are most appreciated, Ron! Thank you for your service! I'm kind of partial to the USAF, myself. I wouldn't trade being and "air force brat" for nothing! God bless you, sir!
@darsphotos Aww! Darlene, don't cry! It's all water under the bridge now. Just go out of your way to thank a soldier whenever you can! Thank you for your sweet comments, gal! Hugs right backatcha, too!
@ellimae Thank you so very much for your sweet and kind comments, Ellen! Good to know! You have your own military stories to tell, too! I love that your husband paid for the soldier and his family's dinner! That is so commendable. If only more folks would step up and do that! God bless him and you!
@mummarazzii You have your own amazing story to tell, Lisa! I am so happy you shared it with me, but I am sorry your father had to go through what he did and I hope he has, at least, somewhat recovered. I really appreciate your kind comments and the fav. You are a sweetheart! God bless your dad, you and all of your lovely children!
@vickisfotos Aww! Thank you for your wonderful comments, Vicki! They mean a lot to me! He was an awesome man and I miss him so much. But he's in a much better place and I will see him again.
@smithak Thank you, Smitha!
@hettie You are so sweet, Hettie! Thank you for your comments and the fav!
@myautofocuslife You left me some wonderful comments, Livia. Thank you for your kindness and candor! It means more to me than you know.
@princesicita Wow! Thank you for your sweet comments and fav, Princess. Grateful to have them, too!
@purdey You are a sweetheart, Sharon! I appreciate your very kind comments and the fav. Thank you! He was a good man, one of the best there ever was or ever will be. But, don't all "daddy's girls" feel the same way? =)
@debsulzberger Thank you so very much, Deb! xo
@ulpiphotos Thank you so much, Ulpi!
@gabsview Thank you, Gabrielle! Yes, thank God for all who have served and remembering those who have fallen because of it. =)
@ronphotos365 Aww! Thank you, Ron! You served, too! Thank you for that and thank your wife for me! She supported you all those years and made sacrifices of her own. Have a great Memorial Day!
@kimmistephens You are very sweet, Kimmi! Thank you for caring about them and "getting it" gal! =)
@vskolnik Aww! Hugs, Vee! You should see me at military events - ceremonies, weddings, memorial services. I blubber like a baby! It just touches me in a way the normal civilian events do not, unless it's patriotic in nature... then I'll blubber just as hard. Thank you for your kind and lovely comments! Glad to know ya a little better, gal!
@jaboney LOL! Mike, I'm the last fan of armed conflict, even emotional conflict! I prefer common sense, reason and logic vs. the feel good or bad emotional arguments for anything! I guess that comes from my dad vs. the emotional reactions of my mother. I was blessed to have him for my father. Thank you very much for your comments! I am happy to know you can appreciate our military men's and women's service and sacrifice. Aleksandra said it best above... "Everyday is Memorial Day for military families.
@tobi You are so sweet, Santina! Thank you very much for your comments and visit! Most appreciated!
@luvs2scuba2 I hope only good things, Elaine! Thank you!
@beckys Thank you, Becky! Appreciate your comments!
@kdei Thank you for your kind and lovely comments, Kim! I hope you'll go out of your way to thank a soldier when you see one.
@grannysue You have your own military stories to tell, Linda! You should tell them some day. Thank you for your lovely comments. The best way to combat those who can't appreciate their freedom and the reason for it... is to let them see you go out of your way to thank a soldier for their service. One of the patches on my father's flight suit said... "Freedom through Vigilance" ... we must always keep watch for those would take it away.
@rockinrobyn Aww! Thank you for your lovely comments, Robyn! Most appreciated.
@sparkleplenty1 You must tell your military stories some day, Joyce! I'm sure they'd be full of wonders. Thank you for your kind and very sweet comments! You "get it" and that's priceless! God bless you and your family! I want to thank your father and your brother for their service, too!
On Memorial Day I think of my grandfather with such admiration and love. He was a pilot in WWII. He died when I was a child, but he influenced me for life.
Like you, I come from a military family. My parents were in the service during the Korean War when they met. Mom emigrated to this country and when she was old enough she joined the Navy. Dad served in the Marines. Older brother was in the Marines, leading his tank unit through Iraq in Desert Storm. His wife just retired after 30 years of service in the Marines. Though none of them endured what your dad did, they all served proudly.
@cocobella Thank you, Corinne! Grateful for your comments!
@sharonaddison Aww! Sharon, all water under the bridge! Thank you for your lovely comments! Most appreciated!
@cindyrez Thank you, Cindy! You "get it" and that is what my post was all about! Appreciate your lovely comments!
@daisy Thank you, Kathryn!
@Cherrill I want to thank your husband for his service! I also want to thank your other family members for their service, too! You have your own military stories to tell and you should tell them some day! Thank you for your lovely and kind comments, Cherrill! Just remember to go out of your way to thank a soldier when you can! It really does mean so much to them!
@michaelelliott Yes, he did finish law school and practice a number of years. But, he finished his masters degree in business administration while serving in the air force, too. That's just how he was. Thank you, Michael! You are so very kind. I might write a book some day. LOL! If any publisher would touch it would be another story. It's not what is fashionable to write or read these days. I do hope my little narrative will encourage some to go out of their way to thank a soldier every chance they get! It really does mean so much to them. =)
@lyoungs1023 Thank you, Elizabeth! Appreciate your kind and lovely comments!
@shepardx2 Thank you, Margo! Really appreciate your great comments!
@binny Thank you, Binny! You are very kind!
@herussell You need to tell your grandfather's story some day, Hope! I bet it's wonderful! I can't thank him, so I want to thank you for his service! Thank you for your kind and thoughtful comments! Always appreciated!
@grizzlysghost Thank you, Aaron! Really appreciate your time to view and comment!
@espyetta Aww! MaryBeth, it's all water under the bridge! Thank you for your lovely and kind comments! I just wanted my little narrative to encourage more folks to go out of their way to thank a soldier and honor their service. It means so much to them when you do!
@dishaparekh176 Thank you, Disha! I appreciate the comment!
@rmkk Thank you, Marlene! Really appreciate your kind comments!
i was really touched by your story and felt the need to let people read it, especially those that never experienced war for them to know what sacrifices others have to make so that we may walk around free. my heartfelt gratitude to your family, too, because you are the ones who suffer most when your loved ones get deployed. i have a friend whose husband had been deployed to iraq three times and she said that whenever the phone rang, especially at an unholy hour, her heart would always jump. there may be a lot of benefits, but it was not an easy life, and for some, i had heard, it takes a cruel toll, especially on the mind.
thank you for your posting and for your story. michael elliott is right, you should consider writing your father's/parents' experiences. this story alone has evoked a lot of emotions.
cheers!
Super picture of your dad touching story & one to be proud off keep on sharing his story
@lorraineb Thank you so much, Lorraine!
@sharonaddison Thank you very much, Sharon! Really appreciate you letting me know!
@paulaag Thank you very much for your lovely and kind comments and the fav, Paul! Most appreciated!
My dad served in the Korean War, my husband is retired Army and my son is active duty Air Force. All three were/ are proud to serve their country!
God Bless all who have served, or are serving . . . . And God Bless America!
@ulpiphotos Thank you, Ulpi! You are very kind!
I am an army brat and proud of it. My dad is also buried in Arlington. I am my father's daughter and so proud. ditto. :)
@peterdegraaff Wow! Thank you so much for the comment and the fav, Peter! Most appreciated!