Something for Veteran's Day...

Today I find my heart filled with gratitude for the men and women who have served in our armed forces.  I can't help but think about my wife's Grandfather who has passed on a few years ago.  He was a Pearl Harbor survivor, and his experience was such that he mostly refused to talk about it.  It wasn't until later in life that he finally came to terms with some of the horrors he experienced, but even then was reluctant to talk about it.  One thing he did talk about was the fact that his ship was in dry-dock and the ammunition for the ship was in a box car at the ammunition depot couple of miles away.  Him and five other shipmates ran to the depot to find the boxcar with the ship ammunition and pushed the boxcar all the way back to the ship so they could finally engage the enemy.  I was quite amazed at the fact that these six guys could move a loaded boxcar by hand over that distance...his reply was, "You'd be surprised what you can do when people are shooting at you..."  Evidently the horrors he saw after the battle defied description. I later heard some of the details from other family members he has confided in over the years, it was little wonder he didn't want to have to relive those things.  To Navy Chief Petty Officer William Klaes and the thousand of others who bear scars of their service and gave their lives in service to our country.  In sincere thanks, I salute you.