Memorial Day

Folks, it's Memorial Day. I'm taking a day off from posting a haiku, haiga or a poem. I've had a number of relatives fight in wars and have been incredibly lucky not to have lost any of them that way. Here's special recognition, however, to:

W.B. Dickson, member of the Carolina Sharpshooters in the Civil War, my great grandfather, whom I never met.

Marion Uldrick, Korean War, cousin by marriage (knew him from when I was 2). Recently died of cancer in a VA nursing home.

Dolph Bagley(see photo below), World War Two, cousin 20 years older than I. He survived a shrapnel wound in the war, only to be killed in a car accident a few years after his return. I had such a crush on him when he returned. Vowed to marry him when I grew up.



Howard Walker, Vietnam, my first husband. I lived and worked in Hawaii while he was stationed out of Pearl as a junior officer in the navy (four years--two in Vietnam). He and his brother, Paul, also in that war, both survived with no injuries. Paul was a grunt in the jungles, but was lucky enough to know how to type, so was made company clerk and had no night patrol. I think that's what saved him. He lost many of his buddies who did have that duty. Below is a picture of my wedding to Howard at Pearl Harbor when the ship came back for a five month break between tours of duty in Vietnam.



Pris