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Ten-Word Tuesday. The Veterans Day Edition.

MASH-korea

Bossy never really thought about it this way before, but her father is a veteran. That’s him, third from the left. Actually that’s not Bossy’s father, that’s the character Hawkeye Pierce from the TV show M*A*S*H. But Bossy’s father and Hawkeye Pierce are exactly the same in that they both have dark hair and drink gin—and both joined the army to serve in a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) in Korea, although for Bossy’s father it was after the Korean War was over.

Bossy never thinks about her father as a veteran, because he has spent every other minute of his life not in uniform marching against wars. But likely it was his army experience and his respect for military personnel that made his anti-war stance stronger.

And about his experience? Bossy’s father said many of the depictions in M*A*S*H are correct. They got the awful conditions correct. The mud, the latrines, the freezing cold, the homesickness. They got the humor correct. And the incessant drinking.

Which brings us to today’s Ten-Word Challenge. In exactly ten words, can you tell Bossy about a family member or friend who is a veteran? How about someone who is serving now?

And don’t forget to check back later today for the most colorful heroes on the web!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  25. Dad was in the air force during the Korean War. After training, his unit was sent over to Korea, but Dad couldn’t get clearance quickly because his own father (emigrated from Russia) had served in WWI in Europe – and the USAF couldn’t determine which side he was on!

    Eventually they determined he wasn’t an enemy, but not before the unit had shipped. And in Dad’s place, they sent the unit’s trainer! Dad got promoted and spent the rest of his service training new airplane mechanics.

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  60. Dad and his older brother both survived Normandy invasion.

    But what he remembered most? Terrible seasickness the whole way overseas.

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  78. Granddad landed at Normandy, June 8, 44. Pushed through to Battle of the Bulge. Two Purple Hearts, died before the D-Day Memorial or WWII memorials were complete.

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  88. Uncle flew daylight bombing missions over Germany during the 2nd World War. Couldn’t finish watching the movie “12 O’clock High”. Too real!!!

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  92. my Uncle is on the Viet Nam Memorial in DC.
    Stepbrother in Afghanistan. Good friend in Iraq.
    Father in law in WWII, gunner in fighter plane

    pray for peace!

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  96. Gotta do 2 for the two men that most influence me…

    Grandpa liberated Dachau with 42nd Rainbow, never spoke of it.

    Dad served in Navy in late 60s, learned a trade.

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  107. My husband is a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy. He is still active duty and has been in for over 14 years. He is currently living in TN while I’m with the kids in VA because with the economy, nobody wants to buy my house. To top it off, his housing allowance decreased substantially to TN rates while we are still paying NoVA prices! Go Navy!

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  130. My father was an Air Force pilot. He flew in the Berlin Airlift and The Cuban Missile Blockade. He helped to end WWII and prevent WWIII. Gone west April 1987.

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  132. Uncle Tony was in the Vietnam War and earned 2 bronze stars and a purple heart we are proud to hang in our house tonight. (his gift to us on his passing) We’re thinking about him a lot today. We miss him.

    My niece is in the U.S. Army, but is being discharged due to a shoulder injury. Once she has been rehabilitated, she plans to go back in.

    Happy Veteran’s Day!

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  133. Other grandpa wanted to be pilot in WWII: bad eyesight.

    Uncle taught Vietnamese villagers how to defend themselves: horrible dysentery.

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  136. Did you know that one of your boyfriend Barack’s favorite shows is “MASH”? (The other is “The Wire”.) Just sayin’.

    My grandfather (84, still living) served in the Air Force during WWII along with his brother who died when his plane was shot down over France. Dad volunteered during Vietnam but they wouldn’t take him because of his flat feet! Thank God.

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  139. Dad-enlisted Navy.Proud man..
    Father in Law-lied about age to enlist (at 16)-Brave soul.RIP papa Bill! Great Uncle Kenny-ace WWII fighter pilot and total dare devil till his last days.
    Hubby-Marine devil dog.
    BIL-Navy after High school
    we are all the better for our Military.
    Some gave all.
    Go USA!!!
    Lisa
    coastal nest

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  145. Nephew flies C5, husband merchantmarine WW2, father ArmyAF machinist WW2, BIL Navy submarine Vietnam, cousin armypilot Vietnam

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  153. Thanks for all the wonderful stories.

    Thanks to Grandfather, Uncle Larry, Adrian, Cousin, BIL, Dad, Abe, Cousin, Dad, Grandfather, Grandpa, Paul Allen, Dad, Uncle George, Jackson, JV, Papaw, sister, father-in-law, dad, Dad, grandpa, Dad, 4dbirds and Hubby and Son 1 and Son 3 (!), Grandma, brother, grandfather, Superman, Dad, Dad, Uncle Bob, Sgt. Hook, Dad, Dad, Daddy & 2 uncles, uncle, husband’s grandfather, dad, badass Grandpa, sorely missed Husband, pacifist dad, no-tattoos dad (did that promise work?), Grandfa, dad, nephew, precious boy, dad, cousin, dad, nephew, grandpa, BIL Roger, Marine BIL, friend, many male relatives of Jennifer, cryptographer dad, seasick Normandy invasion dad and uncle, Uncle tony, dad, Jerry Sweet, Admiral Kimmel, Dad, Antony Davies, SIL, FIL, MIL, fathr, grandpa, Uncle & aunt & cousin & friends, Army intelligence son in Iraq, Bataan death march escapee dad, dad and uncle, dad, old boyfriend, Granddad who landed in Normandy on June 8, then-pregnant-wife (and her appreciative husband), cousin, brother with PTSD, grandpa, two grandpas, neighbor, navy dad, another Jennifer’s many male relatives, brother, uncle who couldn’t watch High Noon, wonderful Marine dad, kamikaze-survivor dad (that’s my own dad, Frank), navy Seal brother, Uncle on the Wall and stepbrother and good friend and father-in-law, codebreaker/pilot mom (no kidding she must have rocked!), uncle, father, Dachau-liberator grandpa and dad, hubby, dad, dad, dad, candy-giving dad, shower-appreciating dad, classified-stories dad, dad, Uncle Clarence with awesome blue tattoos, dad, husband in TN, husband, father, Mackenzie’s generations of servicemen, dad, hubby shot down in Afghanistan, father-in-law, Clarence (related to Uncle with blue tattoos??), husband, military family, purple heart husband, dad, big-toe-missing Grandpa, husband, dad, daddy, Grandpa Anderson, father-in-law, John Balaban, TS’s military fam, Great-granddad in WWI trenches, gentlest uncle who gave away his flight gear, father, Grandpa Wiebenga, Uncle Tony and niece, other grandpa and anti-dysentery uncle (good for him!), Marine family, Dad, Lisa’s family, Veterans for Peace dad, Iwo Jima dad, 3-time middle east vet husband, father-in-law, Cousin Danny, nephew & husband & father & BIL & cousin, dad, father-in-law, underwater husband, Cara’s men who are all safe, sniper brother — hope he doesn’t have to go back to Iraq!, JAG brother, step-dad, and all named and unnamed who served.

    And thanks for this opportunity to think a little about each of these people and to appreciate your love for them.

    Reply

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