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My son's choice

My son michael was in a bad place. He wasn't terrible but, he had some friends that mom and dad's wouldn't agree with! Now don't get me wrong he wasn't hurting people and he wasn't into heavy drugs unless people think weed smoking is a heavy drug! During my son's senior year of high school his dad decided to send him to my house. ( dad and i have been divorced for years and my kids including michael lived with their dad) not cause i was a bad mom but, because at the time we separated he was well,better off than i was!! Michael came here and completed his senior year of high school!! I watched my baby walk down that isle to collect his diploma!! It was a tough road for him being bounced from home to home but, he succeeded! I was so proud of my son! One night while laying in bed he came into my room and said " mom i really need to talk to you" his look in face was one of determination!! That's when he told me he signed up to be a marine!!! He had signed the paper work before he told me cause he knew i would try to stop him! Well, now my son is a PFC and he will be graduating school in november!! All i can say now is how proud i am that my son made a choice to change his life and to want more!! Ooooo Rah!!!

Anonymous
Tyngsboro, MA

My Marine.

My husband was and is a Marine, a combat veteran. Once a Marine always a Marine. He is unlike anyone I have ever met. He is confident caring and wonderful.

He is the man you see on the side of the road changing the tire for the elderly ladies.

He is the man who witnesses a single vehicle accident and stops to render aid. He keeps the father calm while he climbs into the cab of the pickup through the windshield to get to the daughter. He keeps them both calm and stops the young girls bleeding head wound, until help arrives.

He is the man that, while driving nights, witnesses a motorcycle completely miss the turnoff on the highway and plows into the bridge support. He is the one who stops and cradles the man in his arms as he takes his last breath. He continues to hold him until the police arrive.

My husband is not a police officer. He is not a fireman. He is not an EMT. He is a United States Marine. Semper Fi, Tonnie Franklin.

Donna Franklin
BULLARD, TX

My Hero My Dad LeRoi Austin SR.

My dad served in the US Navy on the Boxer during the Korean War. He and mom raised us 6 kids to Love, Honor and Respect ourselves and others. We lost our dad Feb 04, 2005, 10 months after he and mom remarried on their 50th anniversary. Dad would drive his 5th wheel around and pick up as many of us (grown and had our own kids) that were able to go and take us to see where he lived when he was a child and his family's final resting places. We never got tired of those trips! And he would tell us stories of his growing up!! Oh how we miss those stories!! If there were stairs to heaven I would be visiting my dad!! I sure do love and miss my dad, my Hero!!!

Shirley Schulz
West Des Moines, IA

Unsung Heroes

My dad CPL.Wayne L.Coy was in the Army Air Force in WW11.He was being transported across the mediteranian sea to North Africa on a British troop ship the H.M.T.Rohna when it was hit by the first ever guided missle used by the Germans.The ship sunk fast and there were no available lifeboats because the chains to lower them were rusted in place.The only way off the ship was to jump.A man named Sullivan who was older than dad was having trouble making it so dad carried him through the water.While survivors swam through the water they were strafed by machine gun fire every 10 minutes.Finally being rescued by a US minesweeper the SS Pioneer.There were 200 survivors of over 2000 troops aboard.This story was covered up and denied by both the US and British governments for over 50 years.True American Heroes.I knew this happened but dad never talked about it until a writer from San Fransisco brought the story out and eventually wrote a book about it,then dad opened up and talked of it.There are so many heroic stories such as this that occur in every conflict that will never make the history books and people will never hear of.My dad inspired me,we are 3 generations of Air Force veterans,myself in Viet Nam,my son is retiring this week after 24 tears of service in the US Air Force.May God Bless all who have served this Country.Mike,Veterans 4 Christ

Mike Coy
Syracuse, IN

The Best Surpise

We got the news from my brother saying he was being sent over seas to Afghanistan for a year. It was hard to hear this cause he's my brother of course, but he said he would facebook us and stuff when he could. Well when he found out he was coming home after being there, he sent us a message. He let us know when he got back into the States and said it was gonna be awhile before he came home. Well I had got a call from my real dad saying that he was being up a package to me that I had got. Once my dad got to the house he told me to come outside and when I came out my brother was standing rite next to him. I jumped into my brothers arms and almost started to cry. Well we went in the house and me and my dad acted as if I was excited for my package to come. And as we got up stairs my mother turned around and saw my brother. She jumped off the the couch and ran into his arms and hugged him while crying. Then my dad left and my mom, my brother and me talked and waited to go surprise my step dad. We went to his work and parked the car and hopped in the other car to surprise him. When he came out of work he though someone was trying to steal his car but then he saw my brother and gave him a big hug. It was the best surprise that we could every had. He must called my real dad and told him to pick him up. He surprised us all and it was the best surprise of all.

Kristie Mitchell
Lomira, WI

Another Time, Another Place, Another War

For those of us who never got a parade.
***
ANOTHER TIME, ANOTHER PLACE,
ANOTHER WAR

We are old men now, graying, grandparents,
those of us who are still alive.

We are black and white and yellow and red
and every shade in between
We are crippled, some in body, some in mind,
all in soul
We bled and we died and we came home where
we bled and died some more
We came home to an indifferent
and uncaring nation
And we left more than blood
in a far and distant land

We are old men now, graying, grandparents
those of us who are still alive

We watch our sons, our daughters return
from yet another far and distant land
We watch and weep, weep bitter tears
for a generation, a youth lost
But also tears of joy, tears for a nation,
a new beginning, tears for yellow ribbons
on the Central Boulevards of Hometown, USA
It was a long time coming, our welcome home
Through misty, half-closed eyes, we remember,
and imagine, imagine we see our own names,
just a faint imprint, a ghost-like image,
but our own names on those signs
We see the names and the ribbons
on the Central Boulevards of Hometown, USA
and we remember another time,
another place, another war.

We are old men now, graying, grandparents
those of us who are still alive.

Lonnie Henderson
May 29, 1991

Lonnie Henderson
Anadarko, OK

Congressional Medal Of Honor

My dad has the CMOH from the Korean War. He stuffed a hand grenade under his butt and it exploded.. It wounded him but saved men in the area. I am very proud of him. He was given a house from people in our town of South Haven,MI. My sister now own's the house and it is a part in my life. He has a Am-vet building in in Michigan named after him. Growing up I did not really think of the medal back then.
I was in my home town when the VFW, American Legion presented a plaque about him and his CMOH. I am very proud of what my father did.

Dwight D. Dewey
Youngtown, AZ

My Hero

SPC.MARCHANT WILLIAM J.
My son he is in Afghan. now he been gone for 8 months...not seen him since last year,,he is so strong and so brave i am so proud of him...but i am worry he has seen so much over their..... but he tells me mama plz. do not worry i am ok and if something happens then it is is my time.. and i am doing something that i want to do so plz. mama I can handle it...after this i will be able to go to college and take my classes that i want to do to make my life better this part hurt me then he say's ..mama i am going to build me a house and i ask him will mama get a room and he said mama you will always have a place ...so plz. mama stop worrying i will be home soon and you will be so proud of what i am doing for this country we are over here trying to make it better for us all...i have lost alot of good friends over here i guess that is why i am so strong but i can not think about it are it will get me down...they need me to be strong...and i told him Josh you was always strong you just did not know it till know....JOSH YOU ARE MY SON YOU ARE MY HERO and I love you so much and i am so proud of you we all are...i be glad when you come home so I and Jaiden he misses you so much he still tells me grandma Uncle Josh taking me to chucky cheese i miss my uncle Josh he is my brother my HERO love you hurry back home safe....:-)

Sharron Johnson marchant
Ty Ty, GA

My Dad

My dad served his country in WWII and the Korean War. He was put through the mustard gas series. Years later, the government found that the men were having side effects from the gas. The government sent out a letter to them asking that they have follow ups. My dad's letter was sent to an address we had not lived at in thirty years and not forwarded to our new address. My dad never received the follow up treatments he needed. He developed emphysema. He lived to be 86 but died with a stoke and hypertension in his lungs. We did not know of the letter or the side effects until we took our mom to see if she could get benefits. We know he lived a long life but without the emphysema, he would have lived a better quality of life. The Veterans turned our mom down for benefits saying we had no proof it was from the mustard gas that he died. We feel they had no proof that it wasn't since he did not get the follow ups like he deserved. Our dad served his country, went through mustard gas, and was denied his rights as a veteran of the United States of America!

Anonymous
COMER, GA

Because real heroes wear dog tags

My hero is my son - in - law, Jerry. SPC Jeremiah Thor Sancho.

He came into our lives roughly 8 years ago. Talented, smart...pain in the tush. He was no angel, but he was ours. He became the heart of our family. More brother than in - law, more son than in - law.

Graduation day came, and our family along with Jerry's best friends drove to Georgia to be there with him for this special day. Made even more special as he proposed to my daughter behind the bleachers.

Deployment came. Every phone call, every message cherished then and now.

We were told, the night before Jerry was K.I.A on October 13, 2011, his unit was beyond the building they were in, on patrol. They were attacked. Jerry was the only one in the building. He manned the BFG (its what Jerry called it, and he so wanted to play with that gun) alone, and helped bring the unit to safety.

Brave man, my son, Jerry. Because real heroes wear dog tags.

God Bless Our Troops.

Sharon Bocco
Palm Bay, FL