h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Today is, of course, Veterans' Day (the federal holiday is tomorrow, but of course today is the real day). The major difference between 11/11 here in the US and in the UK is that, in the US, living veterans are honored as well as ones that have fallen, either in conflict or later, at home. Ironically enough, some of the veterans in my family that come to mind first *would* actually be remembered on Rememberence Day in the UK. Grandpa Hopper (Dad's dad) passed away last year. He was in the Navy during WWII, in the Pacific Theater. For years, all I really knew was that he'd been in a Japanese POW camp, in a tiger cage, and that's why he had arthritis on his spine. A few years ago, Grandpa sent me a copy of a magazine article for which he'd been interviewed--he'd been in one of the last airstrikes of the war. I don't remember many details--we were still in Sacramento at the time, which means it was at least 7 years ago that I read it. I still have it, but we've moved several times since then, so I'm not sure exactly where it is. His memorial included a lovely ceremony remembering POWs and MIAs, which Tom still hasn't had a chance to see--Notepad was raising an awful fuss (she fell asleep soon after) and he took her to the far end of the property so that the rest of us could appreciate the ceremony (I did tape it). My stepdad (who I called Daddy Bob) volunteered at 17, but was too young for WWII (he was 19 years older than Mom, and he passed away in 2004--4 years after Mom). He was a Marine corpsman, acting as a medic for the Navy, and was in China when Mao came into power.

I also have veterans in my family who are still alive. My Uncle Tom broke the trend of my Dad's family by joining the Army instead of the Navy--he sleepwalked, y'see He was a tunnel rat during Vietnam--Mom said that, for awhile after he came back, you had to be careful waking him from a nap. My Aunt Laura was in the WAVES.

If I were to list all my friends, past and present, who are veterans or currently serving, it would basically be a list of names (or, more likely, initials, except for those that have h2g2 names) with even less info than Aunt Laura's. So I'm not going to make that list. But I am thankful for what they have done, and continue to do.

Today is Monday, November 12, but Veterans' Day is celebrated today instead of the 11th. This gives workers a Monday holiday. Us retirees have the day off anyway.

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A lovely memory Amy.

Forgive me for correcting you, all of the Medics serving with the Marines are Navy Corpsmen. I have also been told that this is true of the Chaplains as well.



F S

Fair enough--I certainly don't deny the probability of me getting things I was told well over 30 years ago wrong