Today would have been my father's 101st birthday. Not a day goes by
that my siblings and I don't think of him even though he's been gone almost
28 years. I've posted about him here on the blog often. I feel like you,
dear friends, know him too.
So
here's an interesting thing to add to the story. Just the other day on December 16th there
were many news pieces about the date being the 75th anniversary of the
Battle of the Bulge. I've mentioned many times that my dad fought behind
enemy lines in The Battle of the Bulge. But it never occurred to my
sibs and me to think about the actual dates of the battles. When we heard the news about the anniversary we realized that it was likely that our father celebrated (I'm not sure that is the
right word) his 26th birthday on the fields of war. He was so young. He
was a combat medic. He aided the wounded there on the fields, applied
bandages, and assisted in his calm, gentle, and thoughtful way.
We remember him everyday, and on his birthday we shout out to the universe our birthday wishes and our ongoing love.
PS-- My father got a birthday present one day early from the House of Representatives. Trump was impeached. Now that's a gift that would have made him so happy. Yay!!!
Mowing the lawn
1 hour ago
Happy birthday to your wonderful dad!
ReplyDelete37paddington-- Thank you for that.
DeleteHappy 101st birthday to your dad -- and yay about the impeachment vote!
ReplyDeletebev-- Thank you for that, and yes Yay!
DeleteHow nice that your Dad did his service as a man who helped instead of destroying. So happy 101 birthday to one of the good guys.
ReplyDeletePatti-- I love your perspective. Yes, he helped instead of destroyed.
DeleteBehind enemy lines is super bravery. Birthdays certainly bring back memories.
ReplyDeleteRed-- He rescued soldiers from an overturned tank and received a purple heart for the injuries it caused him. He was a brave good man.
DeleteHappy Birthday to your dear dad...I do feel as if I knew him; your many stories have brought him to life.
ReplyDeleteTara-- Thank you for that. You would have really liked him.
Deletei met bill. a very nice man.
ReplyDeleteroger-- Thank you for that. I'll always be glad you two had a chance to meet.
DeleteWhat a great tribute to a wonderful man...I'm sure he taught you many of the values he lived by.
ReplyDeleteBarbara-- He was a quiet and kind man. I wish he could see who I have become in the nearly 30 years since he's been gone.
DeleteYour father is dear to many. Medics and paramedics are among the kindest of men. It is so clear that he loved you as you love him and that you are sustained by his love.
ReplyDeleteThank goodness for the impeachment!
am-- He really had a kind heart. It is always a little heartbreaking on these days to remember and know he's gone.
DeleteYes IMPEACHMENT!!!
Great way to remember him. You still hav eto get through the other house yet, the fart is not out yet.Bad nes is we still have the bumbler
ReplyDeleteBilly-- It's true, we are definitely not out of the woods here, but history will always record that that fart was impeached!
DeleteYes, I do begin to feel I know your father through your blog. I'm sure he would be delighted with the outcome of the impeachment proceedings, though he might be amazed (as I am) that Trump's eventual fate will be decided by political bias rather than the law. If I ever commit a crime I should like very much to be tried by a group of my friends whom I could appoint myself.
ReplyDeleteJohn-- I like your idea. I think we should all choose to be tried by a group of friends we have appointed. I have to admit I am blown away that this is what our government has become here.
DeleteHappy birthday to your father.
ReplyDeleteWe visisted a couple of the veteran sites and memorials for the battle of the bulge and the fierce one at the Hürtgenwald, both not too far from here. We must never forget the sacrifices and the courage and the atrocities that lead to it. Now more than ever.
Sabine-- Yes, we must never forget. And, yet here we are walking down similar paths.
DeleteNot everyone gets to celebrate their memories of their parents. I am ever cognizant of that fact, so that whenever I feel the ache of the loss (even 11 years later) I layer that with the gratitude. I would not be feeling the pain if it had not been for the tremendous loving and caring relationship we experienced while together.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday to your dad Robin and a sincere thank you for his tender care of fellow soldiers.
Linda-- It's true, not everyone gets to celebrate the memory of their parents. I do feel lucky that my siblings and I grew up with love. It wasn't perfect in any way, but there was love. Thank you for your kind words.
DeleteHappy belated birthday, Robin's dad! He was almost the same age as my father, who has been gone about 20 years now. That fact still causes cognitive dissonance for me. My father was cut off for some time during the Battle of the Bulge. He said he lived on apples from an orchard for a while.
ReplyDeleteLike you, i think of my father often.
Mark-- Wouldn't it be wild if our dad's paths crossed somewhere in Europe during the war? I can't imagine what it might have been like for your to be cut off from his team. We share a love for our fathers.
DeleteI suppose since he was a medic he didn't actually fight. To my mind that took even more guts. A war's one of the rare occasions when carrying a gun might be considered something of a comfort. Nice to see he survived and got to loll in what looks like his own special chair (he fits it so well); he deserved it.
ReplyDeleteRoderick-- I have thought about that. I think my father probably just told us that he was behind enemy lines in battle, and we as children interpreted that as fighting behind enemy lines. He survived fairly well. He was injured while rescuing soldiers from an overturned tank. He received a Purple Heart for that.
DeleteI am late in reading this tribute to your dad, Robin, and he was obviously a much loved dad and also a brave one who helped so many others. Today is the anniversary if my mother’s death and I miss her as well. She would have been about the same age as your dad.
ReplyDeleteBeatrice-- Such a sad anniversary for you. We do remember our much-loved parents. I always say that love lasts forever.
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