Political Football

Let Us Learn the Lessons

Never, never, never believe any war will be smooth and easy. 

Always remember, however sure you are that you can easily win, that there would not be a war if the other man did not think he also had a chance.  — Winston Churchill 

Dad, (2nd from the right, top row) Medical Detachment of the 49^th Field Artillery - Pacific Theater of Operations or… 

the way I prefer to remember him:
Dad the Medical Corpsman, in Boxers and a pipe.

Dad had 2 brothers in the War and one younger bother joined as the War was ending. Uncle Bob (on the left in the second picture above) was on his way to Burma via Singapore on Dec 7, 1941 as part of the second wave of American Volunteer Group (AVG). The first wave was known as the Flying Tigers.

Bob had to get an honorable discharge to join the AVG at the time, so FDR could say we didn’t have any military in China. He eventually rejoined the military with the 67th Fighter Squadron (repaired P-40s) in Australia. The Squadron was then sent to New Caledonia, east and north of Australia. The military reported Bob was killed in a heavy equipment accident - May 11, 1943 on New Caledonia.

Dad’s other brother Tom was injured in the European Theater and was in and out of VA hospitals all his life and rarely held a job.

Johnny, the youngest and third brother, entered the Air Corps as the war was drawing to a close. Johnny had a 20 year career in the Air Force. 

All four brothers have now gone to their final reward - probably playing basketball together or in a cut throat cribbage game.  Aunt Marion survives all four brothers; living as part of a four star family had to be tough - but so is she. 

Let us learn the Lesson.  Never forget their sacrifices.  Never forget.