I had 6 uncles that served during WWII and 1 during the Korean War. All but one came home, one died in Korea after two months in combat. Of all those that came home, all but one were in the US Marines and served in the pacific. Three were wounded, and one, who was Iwo Jima was wounded four times and sent back to the line after recovering a few weeks in a field hospital. He was finally discharged when he contracted a severe case of malaria that nearly took his life. He said there were no million dollar wounds for the marines serving in the Pacific. The youngest and last surviving uncle, passed away a few years ago.

I served in the US Navy, spent just under 4 years aboard the USS Newport News (CA-148), a heavy cruiser. I only got shot at once, and believe me, at 18 years of age, you are scared to death when that happens. My younger brother served in the Navy as well, and was sent to Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis as one of the blockading ships. He served aboard a tiny, destroyer escort ship as a gunner's mate.

What is truly amazing about the men and women that served in our armed forces back then is that just 12-percent of the US population served and fought for our nation's freedom, and the freedom of so many other nations. Today, that figure is far less, averaging about .5-percent.

Happy Memorial Day everyone,

Gary