The larks, still bravely singing, fly....

[tabaqui]

Yes, it's that day again. And usually I'm in a melancholy mood, but today I thought I'd do something different. My dad had no 'sad' war stories. The very few he told were silly or fun, or a little touching, but he didn't talk about death, or blood, or horror, for all he was a medic and at Normandy on D-day.

So, in honor of that, I thought I'd post a couple pictures of what 'the boys' got up to when they weren't being serious. :) My dad joined the Navy in '43, when he was eighteen, and these were taken in 1944. I'm not sure, but I'm thinking right before D-day. In this picture, my dad is the one on the right.








Oh, yeah. They were some tearaways.
*snickers*

And - I had no idea this info was just out there - this is the LST - Landing Ship, Tank - that's noted in the pictures, and that he was on on D-Day. LST 291.

I do love to read 'In Flanders Fields' on this day, but how many of you knew there were 'replies' to it? I like the American reply quite a lot, though they are all lovely. In Flanders Fields and Replies.


Fear not that ye have died for naught;
The torch ye threw to us we caught,
Ten million hands will hold it high,
And freedom's light shall never die!
We've learned the lesson that ye taught
In Flanders' fields.

Comments

[stir-of-echoes.livejournal.com]

What fabulous photographs, and so needed on a day like today. I too like to spend some time reading today but I had not read those replies, they're so beautiful.

Thank you for linking me :)

[tabaqui]

Thank you! Yes, we all need a smile today.

And you're welcome - i found them originally in a book of poems my mom had, and so was pleased to find them all online.

[trepkos.livejournal.com]

Wonderful pictures - thank you!

[tabaqui]

Thanks for looking! :)

[ignipes.livejournal.com]

Oh, your dad was darling. Thank you for sharing those photos. *hugs*

[tabaqui]

Aw, thank you!
*smooch*

[mustangsally78.livejournal.com]

You know, we hear all about the horror of war, but we need to remember that these were also young men who were full of joy and mischief when they were young and alive. It makes them more real.

My father once got KP duty for stamping an authorize stamp all over his arms at Ft. Dix.

Now he was drafted in the early sixties and only got sent to Virginia, so he had a totally lame Army experience, for which I am grateful !

[tabaqui]

Exactly. They were just *kids*, they did stupid, silly things, mostly to stave off boredom or forget about what was coming.

And heee! He must have been bored out of his mind, to do that! Heh. Yes - glad he didn't have the full-on experience.

[knotted-rose.livejournal.com]

Thank you for posting those. They're wonderful. My dad got into *all kinds* of mischief. He was in WWII for five years, made it to Sergent 3 times, got busted back down to Private every time. Ended doing KP on the boat going back to the US from England. Some of the stories he told were awful and I'm sorry he had to live with those things, and some were very much about why he earned the title of "black sheep of the family." (^_^)

[tabaqui]

Hee!

My dad always had to tell the story of post-D-Day, how he and a friend wanted to drive to some little French town and they found a jeep and started driving and then some MP's stopped them at some point and told them the town was still behind the German lines.

I'm glad they had some fun stories to tell.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

See, this is why I love you!

These pictures are fabulous, they remind me that the only stories my dad told were the funny ones, he rarely told us stories that weren't, and then only when we were grown people.

While in Flanders Fields the poppies grew
The folks at home were heroes too

Folks do forget that, i think. :)

[tabaqui]

*smooches*

Aren't they lovely? So silly. I'm glad it wasn't all grim and horror for these men.

I think the 'home folk heroes' aren't remembered much, either, which is a pity - they suffered, too, and gave up so much, and lost so much, some of them.

*hugs you*

[missus-grace.livejournal.com]

Very risque picture - those crazy squids!

I do appreciate your father's service, as well as anyone else who has donned a uniform.

[tabaqui]

I know! So very oh la la! Heh.

Thank you, bb. :)

[sparrow-lately.livejournal.com]

These are amazing. <3

[tabaqui]

Thanks!

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

What a wonderful tributes!

[tabaqui]

Thanks!