Veterans Day and Remembrances

Today I wanted to write a little about the service of members of my family. My Grandfather, Marion Bud Glover, served in the Army during World War I. He enlisted on June 5, 1917, in Los Angeles, California. He was gassed while in service and his lungs were severely damaged and he had problems from then on. He died 3 years before I was born. I have the 48 star flag his coffin was covered with. It is one of my most prized possessions. Here are his enlistment papers.

My other Grandfather, James Arthur Harrison, also enlisted on June 5, 1917, in Erath County, Texas. He also served in the Army during World War I. He was a small man from a tiny town in West Texas. He served under Black Jack Pershing.  He was in the infantry and walked half way across Europe with frost bite. He had problems walking from then on and suffered what they called shell shock back then. Here are his enlistment papers.

My father, Bert E. Glover, served in the Navy during the Korean War on a minesweeper. His oldest brother, Marion Bud, Jr., served in the Marines during World War II and was a pilot on landing craft. His other brother, Butler James, served in the Army and Air Force. He served at the end of Wold War II, during the Korean War and Vietnam Wars. 

Though they all came back home, some were never the same. Buddy was always on edge and when there was a loud noise he would just go back to his days in the service. BJ was so ashamed of the way the American people treated Vietnam vets that he chose to live in Europe during the best years of his life. My father was blessed to return pretty much like he was when he went in.

Friends of mine from the neighborhood I grew up in served in Vietnam and some paid the ultimate price. Some were disabled but made it home. I thank them all for their sacrifice and their family's sacrifice by their service to our country. We all should consider ourselves  BLESSED to live in this country where we have the liberty and freedoms that they fought and died for.

Today remember those that have served and that are still serving today. Say a prayer for them all and thank a veteran.