Today is Wednesday, November 11th, 2020; Karen's Korner #4338
Today is Veterans Day!
An opportunity to celebrate the day in some way!
The past several weeks I have embarked on running down stories of my dad who served in the U.S. Army from June 1942 until May 1945; eight plus months in Europe during World War II. And of my husband Jim who also served in the Army from 1961 until 1964.
They are my memories and the memories of others.
Here is one of them from Uncle Bud (aka Paul Merwin, my mom's youngest brother) about my dad:
He and his older brother Dave would buy ice cream and candy bars and sell them to the troop trains when they would come through Jackson, Tennessee, where the family lived. The trains would stop to get water for their engines but none of the soldiers were allowed off the trains.
Bud recalls that it was in the summer of 1944 (between May – September, he thought). He was 10; Dave was 12. The train that particular day was the GM&O (Gulf, Mobile & Ohio). This time it was only him selling to the soldiers. Not paying too much attention to his soldier-customers, when he heard my dad’s voice, “Bud, run get your sister!†At the time, my mom was living with their family in Jackson, where my sister Jan, was born earlier in April.
He said it was a long block away to their home. And he ran! Mom grabbed baby Jan and headed for the train. She was able to hold Jan up so Daddy could see her, as the train began to move out of the station. Bud wasn’t sure, but he didn’t think my dad had seen Jan yet!
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One more story:
Mom would tell that because she was one of fifteen children, her mother - my Grandmother Merwin - had six sons and sons-in-law in the military during World War II.
Mom said that her mom and some neighbor gals, couldn't stand the thought of having so many loved ones in harm's way. I think I heard it told, they would get together once a week (maybe more frequently!) to pray for God's protection of each of them while they were away. Most of my uncles, including my dad, served in the fighting in Europe.
God was good; all of those young men who the neighborhood women prayed for, returned home from their service. None of them had been physically hurt or wounded.
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MY PRAYER: God, today we want to thank You for Your kindness and goodness to veterans and active military members. Thank You for the way they have, and continue, to protect the United States of America and our people. Be with them. Be with us, today and into our futures. In Jesus' Name Who makes all things possible. Amen.
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