Why I served!!!!!

Yes, the color theme of this post is Navy Blue. I titled this Blog "Why I Served!!" simply because most Military Personel serve for one or two valid reasons. First of all I joined to avoid the Draft in 1961 and I just knew I did not want to walk on any more gravel. I had done plenty of that in my tender youth as a Farm Boy. Therefore I joined the Navy. After my first enlistment was complete I shipped over for shore duty in England. Now for the reason I Served. I did so to enable allow my Family to continue to live in the land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. Just as the generation that served in World War II, to protect their Homeland and also to fight so that their Fox Hole Buddy would survive as I learned in the Epic "Band of Brothers" Miniseries just a few years ago I really served to enable my Family. Of course, the aspect of Duty, Honor and Country also fall into play somewhere in the priorities; but the fact remains that Family and Self come first.

The sign on this Garage Door in October 1978 says it all. You can see my Bride and two sons as they prepare to travel to the U. S. Navy Base in San Diego and Greet the Good Ship, USS Hull (DD-945) as she and the crew returned from a Western Pacific Deployment. This would be my final cruise and my final sea duty because I had only three years to serve before I could Retire. I had my Shore Duty Orders and I was ready to get on with my final duty station and my future doing something other than Navy Duty.

"Happiness Is Being Home"

Please take the time this Father's Day Weekend to send a note to a U. S. Hero who is currently serving in Harm's Way and engaged in the War on Terrorism.