Today is Veterans Day, a celebration first commemorating the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, when an armistice brought an end to World War I. Veterans Day is a day to remember Dad! This is one of my favorite pictures of him, a raw recruit at the tender age of 21 at boot camp. At the Battle of Anzio, during World War II, his 5th Army was surrounded by Germans in the caves of Pozzoli in February 1944 for a week, suffering heavy casualties. It was one of the bloodiest battles of the War, and Dad was there. A great storyteller, he often regaled me with stories of the this battle, the destruction of the abbey at Monte Cassino and his other exploits in Italy. He was very proud of what he was apart of in Europe. Although I never wore the uniform, I'm connected to 'The Good War', as Studs Terkel called it in the book of the same name. I was named after the Allied Commander in Italy and my Uncle Leonard(USAF), who never made it home. Happy Veterans Day!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Veterans Day 2009
Today is Veterans Day, a celebration first commemorating the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, when an armistice brought an end to World War I. Veterans Day is a day to remember Dad! This is one of my favorite pictures of him, a raw recruit at the tender age of 21 at boot camp. At the Battle of Anzio, during World War II, his 5th Army was surrounded by Germans in the caves of Pozzoli in February 1944 for a week, suffering heavy casualties. It was one of the bloodiest battles of the War, and Dad was there. A great storyteller, he often regaled me with stories of the this battle, the destruction of the abbey at Monte Cassino and his other exploits in Italy. He was very proud of what he was apart of in Europe. Although I never wore the uniform, I'm connected to 'The Good War', as Studs Terkel called it in the book of the same name. I was named after the Allied Commander in Italy and my Uncle Leonard(USAF), who never made it home. Happy Veterans Day!
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What a handsome guy. What an experience to process at the age of 21.
ReplyDeleteYes, they certainly can be called "The Greatest Generation"!
ReplyDeleteThanks J- in Oregon for that memorable tape you made of Dad telling his war stories! I never tire of hearing his voice!
Thank you for sharing this wonderful photo of your dad and placing him in our country's history. This is a wonderful tribute to him and all the veterans that we honor today.
ReplyDeleteI did not know this about him.....Thanks for the memories.
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