Dad’s Who Get It – Part 4 – Honoring My Hero

To a boy, a hero is bigger than life, brave, able to do anything, invincible, is always putting others before himself…  Yep, Grandpa fits the bill.  While so many boys choose their hero from fiction, mine was (and is) real.  I don’t really feel worthy to write about him, but today is Memorial Day and the perfect day to honor a veteran.  I am just blessed that he is still with us, and that I am enjoying some time with him today.  God works all things out for good.

Grandpa and I sat down a few years ago and I wrote down a lot of things about his life.  Unfortunately, I left that at home.  I may add to this post later when I have my notebook with me.  He is still able to recall some of the facts, which is amazing.

Grandpa joined the army in 1942 at the age of 19.  He was with Patton’s 3rd Army in the Battle of the Buldge in December, 1944.  He remembers being extremely cold and sleeping under his tank on Christmas Day, 1944.  In April, 1945, his tank was blown up.  He was thrown in a barn full of bodies and left for dead.  He crawled out and was captured by the German army.  Though he was injured badly, but was forced to march as a POW for 26 days.  He said they were allowed to go into a field and get one potato, if they were able and if a field was near, at the end of the day.  That was the only food they got.  He had shrapnel in his head from the tank explosion.  He lost 100 lbs during that march, and developed serious dysentary.  He said that what kept him going was the thought that his mother would never see him again.  A few hours after reaching the POW camp, they were rescued by the American forces.  He was immediately flown to Camp Lucky Strike and medical attention was given.  On June 1, 1945, he was on a ship headed home.  He landed in New York, then took a train to El Paso.  From there, he couldn’t find transportation to Amarillo, so he hitched a ride.  On Father’s Day, 1945, he walked up to the family home in Amarillo where he was welcomed home.  It took months for him to recover.  In fact, he still to this day lives with some of the repercussions of war.  He has two purple hearts and numerous other medals.

My Grandpa went on to marry Bonnie, and they had 4 children.  Bonnie died in an accident when my mom (the oldest) was about 10, leaving Grandpa to raise four children alone.  I don’t know a lot of the details during those years, and any of the family is welcome to add their comments.  However, let me say that my mom, two aunts, and uncle are the most giving, loving, caring, selfless people I know.  Grandpa must have done something right.  Of course, I think my great aunt and uncle helped a lot with their raising, too.

Let’s fast forward a few years.  My Grandpa has always been good to me.  When my parents divorced, my mom, sister, and I ended up moving in with my grandparents.  I can’t imagine where we would have been without them.  Mom worked hard in the Levi Strauss Plant, but it wasn’t enough to make end’s meet.  I think living with Grandpa was what I needed at that point in life.  He has always called me Son or Buddy.  It seems like a small thing, but in the absence of a dad, it meant the world to me for someone to call me Son.  Grandpa was always there for me.

One time, when I was about in the 8th grade, we went with him to the VFW for steak night.  I wore a ball cap into the VFW.  Grandpa didn’t say anything, but another gentleman walked all the way across the room to ask me to remove my hat and pointed to the sign on the wall.  I’m sure I didn’t have a very good attitude about it and asked what the big deal was.  My Grandpa, with tears in his eyes and getting choked up, said it was to honor the boys who died fighting for our freedom.  It was one of those moments that make you feel like the scum of the earth.  Though he had never laid a hand on me, I wished he would have just beat me or something instead of crying.  It made a huge impact on my life.  With just a few words, he taught me honor and respect.  I had been rightly put in my place, and to this day I remove my hat at the proper times and think about that moment.

Grandpa spent most of his life caring for others.  He was a nursing home administrator for years, and he and Grandma ran a nursing home out of their home as far back as I could remember, taking care of as many as 6 patients at a time.  In fact, when we lived with them, it was in their nursing home!  I saw first hand how to take care of people. 

When I was in college, they would have us over for dinner at least once a week and took us out to eat many times.  I would do my laundry at their house and just go to hang out.  I’ll never forget the time it was just he and I for a whole day.  We watched rerun after rerun of Walker Texas Ranger that he had recorded.  At the end of the day, he said, “Son, let’s not wait so long to do this again.”  What an awesome day!  One time, my student loan money hadn’t come in yet, and I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to start classes that Fall.  Grandpa wrote me a check and told me not to say a word.  I knew he couldn’t afford it, but he found some way to do it.  I knew better than to ask questions.  I paid him back when the loan check came in.  If anyone had need, especially a family member, he was there.  His kids are the same way.  I’m blessed to be a part of this family!

Well, I can’t imagine suffering like he did.  I have my freedom and enjoy a good life because of soldiers like Grandpa, who went before me and fought for it.  He slept under a tank on Christmas Day, so I could spend each Christmas enjoying my wife and children.  He and other soldiers disserve our utmost respect and honor for the huge sacrifice they have made.  Personally, I can’t imagine where I would be without Grandpa.  He is a man of few words, but when he speaks I listen.  Now, as he suffers from Dementia, I will continue to honor him in anyway I can and show him how much I love and respect him.  This blog post seems so inadequate, but it’s my heartfelt attempt to honor my hero.

Thank you, Grandpa for your love and sacrifice.  Your love for family is unmatched.  Your legacy will be one that goes far into the future because you invested in the lives of your children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.  I love you, Grandpa.

May God bless you and protect you!