The Price of Freedom is Visible Here.
Safe passage Dad...
Saturday, February 28, 2009 by messiah1 | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
I've been away for awhile if you haven't noticed. The title of this post is taken from a sign at the entrance of Bath National Cemetery located in Bath, NY. My father was buried there with full Military honors on February 23rd, 2009. He was 61. Over the past month, my Dad had been suffering from the effects of liver cancer (we know he'd been sick much longer now). He passed away on February 19th, 10 months to the day that my Grandfather passed. It's been real rough lately for my family, but we are strong and we will persevere. My Dad and I were separated when I was only 8 years old and for the next 16 years we never spoke. So my memories of him are very limited. But I'm finding out that he was quite a guy.
My Dad served in Vietnam from 1968 until the end of the conflict. First with the Air Force and then as an Army Ranger. In that time, he shed much blood and earned a chest full of medals, most notably the 4 Purple Hearts for wounds he suffered during combat. The stories I've heard in the last two weeks about my Dad have made me very proud to be his Son and sad that my early views of him were poisioned by the opinions of others. I'm glad I got to spend some time with him before he went.
I'm also so thankful for all the kind folks at the Canandaigua, NY Veterans Hospital who made my Dads last couple of days as comfortable as possible for him. They and anyone that works with Veterans are truely gifted human beings in my opinion.
I've found that it's hard to watch a hero die.
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Reply #22 Sunday, March 1, 2009 1:06 PM
sorry to hear of your loss buddy 
Back during the NIXON years , my Dad had just taken a new job at a
Long Beach,Ca. Hospital - when then President Nixon entered with a
condition .. he was there for awhile and soon he and my dad became
friends Nixon requested my dad whenever he could to help him ......
My Dad was having sooooo much fun hop-knobing with the president ....
Then BOOM ......... Cancer got him (age 45 ) they gave him 8 months
to live and 8 months later he was gone ..........
things about Nixon were not yet known at that time ... anyway ....
sooooo sorry for your lose ... it just brougth up memories of my Dad ..... Thanks .. Az ...
Reply #23 Sunday, March 1, 2009 1:08 PM
Sounds like he was quite a guy, same age as my Dad, sorry to hear of his passing my friend.. chin up, stay strong.
Reply #24 Sunday, March 1, 2009 1:12 PM
So sorry for your loss, messiah...it's hard to lose someone who means so much to you. Good memories be with you.
Reply #26 Sunday, June 21, 2009 3:44 PM
Happy Father's Day Dad. I miss you more than I let on...
Reply #28 Sunday, June 21, 2009 4:18 PM
You and I have something in common Messiah. My dad served in during WWII and he was also an Army Ranger. In fact he and his captain were the only two white men in the company. The rest were Native Americans and they served with distinction in the Pacific Theatre. He used to regale me and my sibs with stories of how those Native Americans would go out on night patrols with the specific purpose of taking enemy scalps. Not the best of stories but back then it was just as nasty as VietNam was. Point being that my father, like so many other veterans of that time, were just as proud as your dad was. Be proud of your dad Messiah. I know I am. Best wishes to you and your family.
Reply #30 Sunday, June 21, 2009 7:29 PM
Good for you, m1. Real men aren't afraid to feel it and say it like it is.
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Reply #21 Sunday, March 1, 2009 1:06 PM
Hey buddy! Sorry to hear about your dad...was wondering where you had been.