This made me cry...and cry again.

[sheshe2]

On Veterans Day I posted a picture of my dad on his way to the Veterans Day parade. A social worker took several of the veterans. I had an appointment that day and was unable to be there. My sister snapped the first picture at the nursing home. I linked it below.

My dad is 91 years old and suffers from Alzheimer. He was the youngest of four captains on a mine sweeper in WWII.

The picture was taken by a Boston Globe photographer during the parade. A young Vet honored my dad that day. The social worker is the one that is standing behind with her hand over her mouth. Tears~



This is my Dad at Veterans Day parade, huddled in his wheel chair.... Vet took off his coat and put it around his shoulders..It was cold and he stood there with short sleeves....Just an random act of kindness...



http://mickeymac.smugmug.com/DisneyDestinations/Veterans-Day-2013/i-TjXRhxT

Earlier picture and post.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024017236

[Laelth]

1. That's very touching. Thanks for sharing. n/t

-Laelth

[sheshe2]

6. Thank you, Laelth.

~

[Beacool]

2. Lovely gesture.

Who's been peeling onions?

Thank your dad for his service.

[TheCowsCameHome]

3. Very powerful, sheshe2, very touching.

I salute your Dad, and all who served..........

[UtahLib]

4. Brought tears to my eyes, too. Sweet gesture. n/t

[Blue Owl]

5. K&R

[LoisB]

7. Thank you, we need all the stories about decent people we can get.

[texanwitch]

8. My Dad was in the Navy in WW2, he past away in 2010.

He was 87.

Seeing your Dad made me think of my Dad.

So many of that generation are passing away.

Thank your Dad for me.

[sheshe2]

9. Sorry for your loss, texanwitch.

It's hard to say goodbye to them. I thank your Dad too.

[texanwitch]

12. Thank you.

My Dad died on Nov. 18, the day before my birthday.

Hug your Dad for me.

I gave him the military funeral he wanted so badly.

Our fathers were brave men.

[sheshe2]

13. I will hug him for you texanwitch, on Monday when I see him.

November must be a difficult month for you. Kudos to you for sending him off in the tradition that he so wished. A tear and a smile.

Happy belated birthday to you~

[japple]

39. Bless you, texanwitch, and a big Thank You to your Dad

for what he did for our country. My Dad (a fellow Texan, born in Bexar Co. in 1920) also fought in WWII as part of the First Special Service Force. He, along with 2 brothers and 2 sisters, together with their spouses and family were part of the war effort in South Central Texas during WWII. All of my Dad's generation have gone; most of them passed away in the past few years. We feel so alone without those strong ones who were always there.

[texanwitch]

41. It does seem strange when it happens, our parents, aunts and uncles die.

They were always there and now gone.

I have one aunt and uncle still alive.

My aunt is my father's baby sister and my uncle is my mother's brother.

After that me, my brothers and sister, and cousins are the older generation.

I was looking at old family photo's,mostly holiday pictures.

Doesn't seem that long ago.

Won't be long before that whole generation is gone.

Not just the war vets, but people who worked in other ways to win the war.

My father made liberty ships before he went into the service.

He was replaced by women, who did work nobody thought they could do.

You didn't need to wear a uniform to help win the war.

They all did their part.

Thank you for your family work in winning the war.

[William769]

10. All my family members from WWII are gone.

[sheshe2]

11. Oh, William~

[brer cat]

14. Two special vets in that picture!

Thanks for sharing.

[sheshe2]

18. Such a sweet thing to say,

thank you brer cat.

[roguevalley]

15. your sweet dad. I could hug him. It would be like hugging mine. Treasure him. I do mine.

thank you for the lovely picture and the lovely act of kindness someone made

[sheshe2]

37. Thank you roguevalley.

[ZRT2209]

16. is your dad ok now? I hate to think of him being cold.

[sheshe2]

33. So did that Vet, ZRT. Sweet was it not?

Thank you he got warmed back up when he returned to the nursing home.

[No Vested Interest]

17. Touching, but beautiful.

Humanity at its finest.

[lillypaddle]

19. Made me cry, too

Absolutely beautiful picture.

[riderinthestorm]

20. Nobody's left behind. Once in the warrior fraternity always in for each other nt

[sheshe2]

21. They have each others backs, riderinthestorm.

Thank you.

[lumpy]

22. Bless you and yours sheshe.

Touching post

[flamingdem]

23. Thanks for sharing it She!!

[sheshe2]

24. flamingdem,

so good to see you...

You're welcome~

[freshwest]

25. Oh, darn raining inside again. I wrote about my Dad on another thread. WW2 Seabee.

Last edited Sun Nov 24, 2013, 01:06 AM - Edit history (1)

[sheshe2]

27. Tears, I know freshwest.

Would you link me to that thread please. I would love to read it.

A Seabee too~

Hugs

[Cha]

26. Bless your Dad's heart, she

He wanted to get out there and be with his fellow Veterans.

Very kind and caring of the younger Vet to make your Dad more comfortable.

[sheshe2]

29. Random acts Cha,

of kindness and respect.

As someone said up thread, they stand for each other.

[riverwalker]

28. my Dad

had "ex=p.o.w." license plates. One day he went to the store and when he came out to his car, there was a note on his windshield, it said "Thank you for your service God Bless you". Until the day he died, he kept that note taped to his refrigerator. Such a little thing meant so much to him.

[sheshe2]

30. Okay, riverwalker.

You have me tearing up again.

Bless your dad. A small act of kindness that meant so much to your dear father.

[IrishAyes]

31. Sad, yes; but inspiring.

A fitting close to my DU reading today, some of it wasted with asshats. At least I'll go to sleep with better images in my mind and heart.

[sheshe2]

32. Sweet dreams, Irish~

[Liberal_in_LA]

34. k&r

[blue14u]

36. Such gentle men still

caring for one another. A perfect example

of why we need to support our veterans. They support

each other and stand as one.

Thank you for sharing sheshe2.

[sheshe2]

38. Well said, blue14u.

I thank you.

[malaise]

40. Wow!

Rec

[Aristus]

42. Thank you, sheshe2.

Wonderful pic...

[NYC_SKP]

43. Wow...

[Are_grits_groceries]

44. My Daddy would be 96.

He fought from '41-'45. Your Dad is a kindred spirit.
A big salute to him and to the younger veteran who gave up his coat.

Never forget!

[bluedeathray]

45. If there's a God...

May It watch over all humans who fight for ideas they believe in.

May we watch over them in their infirmities, and remember them after they're gone.

May we be faithful to our ideas. Be willing to fight when necessary to destroy the evils that would consume us.

And live our lives completely, as brilliant beings. Aware, empathetic, and as people of action.

[Tarheel_Dem]

46. Thank you. Made my weekend.

[pinboy3niner]

47. Great photo, sheshe!

It must be a comfort to know that your dad will be looked after, even when you can't be there.

Did the Globe identify the vet in short sleeves or provide any info about him? The flash on his beret looks like it could represent one of the 325th Airborne Infantry battalions of the 82nd Airborne Division, but it's hard to tell for sure.


Flash, 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment

[anniebelle]

48. Thanks for the picture.

I lost my father in WWII when I was 4 months old. Never got to see him. He was killed April 3, 1945 in bad Sudan, Germany by a sniper's bullet. He was 28 years old. I'm glad your father has so many that love him and take care of him.

[JimboBillyBubbaBob]

49. Beautiful,

it shows the one-to-one connection that Vets share regardless of their time of service. That's what it is all about.

[tblue]

50. Beautiful.

What a lovely and touching gesture by that veteran. That's how we all should be. Hugs to you and your dad.

[polichick]

51. k&r

[rhett o rick]

52. The 1% will never understand the kindness shown there.

They dont necessarily wish us to die, they are just ambivalent about it.

[japple]

53. Thank you, sheshe, for sharing this at DU. It is a beautiful,

intimate connection between two veterans. God bless both of them. And God bless you too.

[AverageJoe90]

54. One of my great uncles died in WWII. But another one lived to write about it.....

He was the only one in my immediate family that didn't make it, though, as far as I know.

This is probably him:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Ladd&GSfn=Bernard&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=56113695&df=all&

On my grandma's side of the paternal family, one of her brothers later authored a book on his experiences. He died in Calif. in 2011, in Feb.:

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Powell&GSfn=Ralph&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GSsr=41&GRid=70046594&df=all&

[Scurrilous]

55. K & R

[treestar]

56. K&R