previous post next post  

Father's Day 2009

By The Armorer on June 21, 2009 | | Comments (15)
Today, SWWBO and I are in Columbia, doing the Father's Day thing with the Auld Soldier, my sister and her family.

One reason we get to to that is because of timing and location, location, location.   And a bit of the Luck o' the Irish.

The fact that there was one of these, and the Auld Soldier came home...


...is because the Auld Soldier was pretty much where he needed to be when this happened.

Thanks for ducking, diving, shucking and jiving to make sure that silver oak leaf cluster wasn't your final decoration.  Too many people only get one career-ending Purple Heart.

Happy Father's Day, Dad.

Share This Article:

Share |

Categories:

15 Comments

By Argent on June 21, 2009 5:19 AM
Well you know many boys think their Dad is a hero, it's nice when it actually works out that way.

It looks that the bottom of both flags are a bit frayed.  What's up with that?
 
By Old Fat Sailor on June 21, 2009 7:29 AM
Tay Ninh artty eh? Before they move me to the U Minh i was at a little ville called Ben Keo. I was there a little later than the Donavan Dad but he left behind a good battery(ies?) Wish him a good one from one of the guys in 594. BTW did he have anything to do with the artty barges on the way to the old SF camp?
 
By Alan D. Briley, RN on June 21, 2009 8:00 AM
Argent, lots of ceremonial flags have gold fringe around them. That may be what you are seeing.

Happy Father's Day, John.

Alan
 
By Grumpy on June 21, 2009 12:47 PM
John,

So for the "Auld Soldier", it's "Silver Oak Leaves". Now for his son, it's brass, all brass and *big ones*, too. I know when to stop, like right *now*.

End Statement

To both of these men, I say, "Thank you, for your Service to this Nation."

Gentlemen,  I hope you can enjoy your Father's Day.

 
By Justthisguy on June 21, 2009 2:52 PM
It is good to survive the occasion of the Purple Heart, let alone more than one.  If yer Dad says "Eh?" and asks you to speak up, it ain't just because he was an arty person. My best to yer Dad on this day.
 
By Ashes on June 21, 2009 9:08 PM
Hey John! I cannot find your e-mail anymore to save my life, so sorry for the comment-form of this, but Happy Father's Day! We still haven't found the phone, but we didn't want you to think we had forgotten about you on this day, particularly it being your first father's day as a grandfather. And happy father's day to your father as well; he certainly deserves that and more.
 
By Ashes on June 21, 2009 9:12 PM
(to continue my fubar-ed comment above, sheesh.) (Andy asks you to pass it on to Daddy Tim, who has a letter over here that needs a stamp.) Hope you're celebrating well! Love, Andy, Ashes, and Miles
 
By AFSister on June 21, 2009 9:47 PM
That's REALLY cool, John.  Great pictures... and the fact that Dad made it home after that attack does make Father's Day just that much sweeter.

Hope you all had a great Father's Day!
 
By Argent on June 22, 2009 3:35 AM
Thanks Alan, I thought there would be a reason for it.
 
By Dad on June 22, 2009 5:22 AM

No fringe (or fraying ) on the national flag. The Battalion colors were fringed and that is what shows below and to the right of the US flag.
For Old Fat Sailor - yes, my A battery was split between two miserable 5th SF group camps on the Cambodian border for over six months.
Not a hero, I was a professional soldier by choice, but I had a bunch of draftees I would put in that category.
Dad
 

 
By John of Argghhh! on June 22, 2009 6:32 AM
Argent - the only comment Dad made yesterday about the post was along the lines of "Someone thought my colors were frayed."  (Note the lack of exclamation point) 

As for not being a hero, yeah, okay.

I've read the citations.  You may not think you were, Dad, but people around you did.

Which, of course, is probably the best way for that to be.
 
By Argent on June 22, 2009 9:50 AM
Ahh Ok straight from the source.  I am ever curious so I guess I ask the impertinent questions.  Only way I get any understanding.

Well sir I would respectfully disagree with your self effacing assessment.  Just the way I see it, but I'm certainly not going to argue the point.


 
By John of Argghhh! on June 22, 2009 10:07 AM
Argent, yeah, I agree.  Hence today's post!
 
By fdcol on June 22, 2009 3:13 PM
Indeed. Real heroes don't think they are ..... they just believe they were doing their job when it needed to be done, and were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

But please allow the rest of us to consider you as such  ...  glad you made it through ALL your Purple Hearts, Auld Soldier!
 
By Victor on June 23, 2009 5:39 PM
AS an american by choice, not by birth, a belated Happy Father's Day Sir. People like you made this God Blessed country what it is, and what made people like me happy to be here. You may not think you are a hero but I think, as a matter of fact I know you are. I will make sure my son visits this web site and reads about you for you are an American he should know about.