Pace and Cap - Sartin Methodology & The Match Up - View Single Post

AbqVic · 12-23-2018, 07:55 PM

Thank you Mick, and all above who posted to this thread. The WWII era people really were the greatest generation. Especially compared to many young people today who are content to mooch from their parents, and are OK with having no future.

I'm very new to this forum, so I didn't see the thread when it started, but if you members would indulge me, I would like to honor my father and mother. Keep in mind, I was born in 1943 and my parents were only 20 years old when they had me.

My Dad worked in San Pedro, CA building ships for the war effort. My Mom worked building P-38s at Lockheed Aircraft in Burbank, CA. My Dad was then drafted and shipped over to the Pacific Theater. During a beach landing, Okinawa I think, he was wounded by a mortar round. A piece of shrapnel lodged in the base of his spine.

They shipped him back to a VA hospital in Martinez, CA, but he could not walk. They said he would never walk. He was there for two or three years. But, kept working out with overhead weights and eventually he got feeling back in his legs, and was able to relearn how to walk. His chest and arms became so strong he could do push ups between two chairs and lower his chest to below the level of the chairs.

During that time, the pain was so great that he got addicted to the morphine they gave him. Then he drank whiskey, but ended up drinking about a fifth a day. So he gave that up and took aspirin until he became allergic to it. From then on, he just put up with the pain, and a lifetime of enemas because his colon was messed up. My Mom had to ride the Greyhound bus from Burbank to Martinez and back just to visit with him during that hospital stay.

Amazingly, after he got discharged, he went to work in construction as a door hanger. He was paid by piecework. I still remember him carrying two doors at a time up apartment staircases. I don't know how he did it.

Years later, in 1966 I got drafted and after spending time in Ft Dix, NJ got orders for Vietnam. When saying goodbye before I shipped out, he said that if I had wanted to dodge the draft by going to Canada, as many did, he would support that decision. He said that when he served, he was told WWII was the last war, and his sons would never have to fight in any wars.

My parents are both gone now, but my Dad lived to be 93. To this day I am in awe of how strong people of that era were. It is a humbling experience to think of them.

A salute to everyone above who served the concept this country was meant to be, and also to all those who appreciate those that served, and currently do serve.

Thank you, and excuse me if I'm out of line here. I know the forum is about handicapping, and mentioning social issues is probably in poor taste.

Vic

12-23-2018, 07:55 PM	#9
AbqVic stretch run Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: Los Lunas, NM Posts: 28	Thank you Mick, and all above who posted to this thread. The WWII era people really were the greatest generation. Especially compared to many young people today who are content to mooch from their parents, and are OK with having no future. I'm very new to this forum, so I didn't see the thread when it started, but if you members would indulge me, I would like to honor my father and mother. Keep in mind, I was born in 1943 and my parents were only 20 years old when they had me. My Dad worked in San Pedro, CA building ships for the war effort. My Mom worked building P-38s at Lockheed Aircraft in Burbank, CA. My Dad was then drafted and shipped over to the Pacific Theater. During a beach landing, Okinawa I think, he was wounded by a mortar round. A piece of shrapnel lodged in the base of his spine. They shipped him back to a VA hospital in Martinez, CA, but he could not walk. They said he would never walk. He was there for two or three years. But, kept working out with overhead weights and eventually he got feeling back in his legs, and was able to relearn how to walk. His chest and arms became so strong he could do push ups between two chairs and lower his chest to below the level of the chairs. During that time, the pain was so great that he got addicted to the morphine they gave him. Then he drank whiskey, but ended up drinking about a fifth a day. So he gave that up and took aspirin until he became allergic to it. From then on, he just put up with the pain, and a lifetime of enemas because his colon was messed up. My Mom had to ride the Greyhound bus from Burbank to Martinez and back just to visit with him during that hospital stay. Amazingly, after he got discharged, he went to work in construction as a door hanger. He was paid by piecework. I still remember him carrying two doors at a time up apartment staircases. I don't know how he did it. Years later, in 1966 I got drafted and after spending time in Ft Dix, NJ got orders for Vietnam. When saying goodbye before I shipped out, he said that if I had wanted to dodge the draft by going to Canada, as many did, he would support that decision. He said that when he served, he was told WWII was the last war, and his sons would never have to fight in any wars. My parents are both gone now, but my Dad lived to be 93. To this day I am in awe of how strong people of that era were. It is a humbling experience to think of them. A salute to everyone above who served the concept this country was meant to be, and also to all those who appreciate those that served, and currently do serve. Thank you, and excuse me if I'm out of line here. I know the forum is about handicapping, and mentioning social issues is probably in poor taste. Vic