hippiechick wrote: 



I've been seeing a lot of people at the trade show today wearing felt poppy pins and had no idea why.

My dad was a WWII vet but I don't know anything about his time in the military. I do know that afterward, he worked for TVA went to UT full-time at night on the GI Bill and got a degree in physics. He never talked about his military service and I guess as a kid I wasn't interested enough to ask. :(

My father spent all of WWII in an army kitchen in Germany, peeling potatoes and messing with German girls.

My Dad was a radioman on a bomber over Germany in WWII when he was shot down and became a POW.  His parents didn't know his whereabouts for 6 months.  I can't imagine.  He had nightmares up until his death in 1998.

 Isabeau wrote: 
For your dad.  

I got my flags hung outside with pride.

 Isabeau wrote: 
Big props to your Dad.

My father is a Viet Nam Vet who lost his left eye, ear and arm to a bouncing betty mine in 1967. He has lived all these years with those wounds. A tough old Marine who I butted heads with in younger days. Now, at 76, his body's resources are wearing thin and we don't know how much he'll be with us, but he lived longer with his wounds than he did without them. I can't help but think about the thousands of vets wounded even far worse than his returning from two wars, facing a life just like my Dad. I told my Mom yesterday that I doubted many of these will find a partner as loving, patient and enduring as she and wondered what kind of life is ahead of these vets who sacrificed so much for a lifetime.
Obama, as President, has had to be in touch with the flesh and blood that makes up our Military, comfort families and address troops. I must admit that Mitt Romney's lack of even a photo op with either troops or wounded vets was disturbing to me.

 hippiechick wrote: 
Interesting story. I love Poppies, they are very beautiful.

Why Do We Wear Poppies To Honor Our Veterans?

Remember those that gave all and thank a veteran.







And if you feel the need to make a disparaging remark remember it is thru their sacrifices that allows you to do that and just let it go for one day.