There's a long line of military service in my family. Dad was in college studying to be a mining engineer, but when the money ran out, he joined the Navy. He saw action in Vietnam and spent the rest of his fleet career in the 7th Fleet cruising around the western Pacific. After he and Mom got married, he transitioned to the Seabees. He loved the Navy. Retiring and leaving it behind was one of the hardest times of his life.
When the Japanese Imperial Army invaded the Philippines in WWII, Mom's father, much like a number of Ukrainians when Russia crossed the border, declared, "Aww, hell no." He joined the Philippine Army's irregulars unit and apparently got into a few scrapes. Mom told me he'd be gone for weeks at a time fighting skirmishes and fading back into the mountains. Somewhere in the middle of Baguio City, where I was born, a war memorial was erected. It's a simple granite column etched with the names of the participants of the Battle of Baguio. My grandpa is among those listed.
My maternal grandmother's dad was an Army scout under General Arthur McCarthur (father to Douglas, the other general who would be making a return trip to the Islands). This was during the American occupation after the Spanish-American War. I've seen the pictures, Great Grandpa cut an impressive figure in uniform. Near the end of his life, he was bedridden. As the family gathered and tried to make him as comfortable as possible, he started asking for food.
However, no one could understand what he was asking for. They prepared and served up all his known favorites and all the regional delicacies, but he turned all of it away. Eventually, the family deciphered his cryptic requests.
He was asking for Army field rations. Towards the end, what was bringing him comfort were memories of the bread he broke with his brothers in arms. I find that so poignantly and extremely badass.
In my family line, there are no generals, no admirals, but yet there is a long, proud military tradition. I consider myself a military son and count myself fortunate indeed to share a lineage with these men.
No comments:
Post a Comment