Today is Veterans Day—A day to remember and honor those who have served our country. While cleaning carpets over the years, I have had the good fortune to meet many people who served in WWII– People who “Flew the Hump” ……Fighter pilots, bomber pilots. I noticed while carpet cleaning in Orange City, Florida one gentleman still displays his leather jacket that was issued to pilots of that era. My Dad was a crew chief on B 24 Liberators, serving in Italy and the north coast of Africa…..here’s a picture of the B-24.
B24 Liberator WWII
My closest cousin John R. Martin of Deland, served in the Army Air Corps and later the Coast Guard….he was the youngest personnel officer in the military at that time. One of my best friend’s father, Morris Wender flew on a B17 as a navigator, where he was injured on a mission. One of my mentors in the carpet cleaning industry Mr Bill Bane served in the Marines during WWII.
I loved Air Force ROTC during my college years, but flat feet & eyesight kept me from continuing in the military. The Vietnam War claimed many of my generation and left many veterans changed forever…hopefully we as a nation will always honor and cherish the men and women who defend our freedom, no matter the political views or opinions about the particular conflict in which they are engaged.
Another War, the Gulf war in 1990 another best friend, Bob Iddings served in the Air Force on C 130?s and was deployed to the middle east several times–he says he has seen all of tent life that he wants to see– He is now a pilot for Delta and I would hope to have a pilot like him when I am a passenger.
As I think about this, the list continues to grow of cousins and friends who have served in the military during conflict and during peacetime…..doing their jobs so I could go about my life untouched…
My Hat is off to all who serve now and to all the VETERANS who served their country, my country, the greatest country in the world—the USA!!!!
