Okinawa

Iwo Jima, kamikaze, Hiroshima, Nagasaki...all words that fascinated me as a child.  A world I would never see except through Dad's eyes. He rarely told a battle story only the funny ones to me but I overheard conversations when Dad forgot "Little pitchers have big ears."  He only talked with others that had served. I saw the war in his eyes and it haunted me almost as much as it haunted him.

Dad taught me to love Big Band music, told me about "pin up girls" (Dad liked Rita Hayworth) and the pictures his friends carried.  He talked of submarines, ships, planes and amphibious vehicles. He talked of friends and enemies.  Dad talked of Churchill, MacArthur, Roosevelt, Eisenhower and letters from home.  He talked of chocolate, K-rations and how he found a ripe tomato on Okinawa.

Dad talked of islands:  San Clemente, Hawaii, Okinawa, Iwo Jima, and others. He spoke of friends, news of their family and how he kept records in his pocket Bible in code.  He spoke of the plants, the heat, how good a lobster tasted over a campfire...all the good that was.

Dad talked of how they were rarely told where they were going or even where they were. Snipers, flame throwers and children with hand grenades were things I overheard.  He served as they asked and as they commanded.  It was what an American did.

Today I honor all who have served.  Those who made it home "okay", those who did not and those still serving. Thank you from the bottom of my heart with my deepest respect.

Islands Of Childhood

The Island of Dr Moreau

The Island of Blue Dolphins

The Island of Okinawa*

Islands of my childhood

Showed me immorality

loyalty, cruelty and peace

As an adult the Islands stayed

Leaving me to prefer

The company of animals

Imaginary Garden With Real Toads'

Sunday Mini-Challenge:  Islands

*My dad was a World War II veteran and this was one of his many "tours".

The Keeper of History

I thought of Dad today

As I cleaned away

In a shop of memories

Of him and for me

World War II bag and cans

Handleless hammers and axes

Still waiting for him to repair

And parts of his dad were also there

Fishing nets and cotton scales

cans of oil and cow bells

I hang them high for all to see

I am the keeper of history.

While I clean I must not forget

to respect the nature that has claimed this for a nest.

Joining Imaginary Garden With Real Toads

Tuesday Platform

The Old Box...

was found a few years ago by Beverly and me.  We were cleaning the old house at the top farm, where we grew up.  The thought came to check the attic, if it could be called that, it was only a space of rafters and air between the ceiling and the roof.  I climbed onto a chair that was on a dresser and opened the attic space.  I stood, head and shoulders into the attic space.

Far away, close to the chimney, I saw something tucked between the ceiling timbers...it was this box.  It was wet from the recent rains.  We opened it, saw papers but did not disturb them. We placed the box to dry so the papers would not be destroyed.

Tonight the box came to mind, I lifted it from the space it had occupied since that discovery on a rainy day years ago.

 I slowly opened the lid and stepped back in time.  I explored one small cardboard box within the large one.  I discovered when Grandpa Albert Jackson Pruett died, Granny Pruett got a check for $25.

I now know they paid $100 for their farm in 1929(No longer in the family).  I discovered they tested seven cattle for Avian Tuberculosis.  I found train tickets from 1929.

I found Italian money Uncle Clifton had sent during World War II.  I found his meal pass.  Uncle Clifford received metals for meritorious service while still a Private in Italy.  I know Uncle Clifton was in charge of the military mules during his basic training.

I found letters to home and the true penny  postcard and a three cent letter.  Letters that Granny Pruitt saved as precious letters from her two boys in the service, Uncle Clifton and Uncle Ugene.

I found some of my family's past, in this old box, and was very glad we had rescued it from the attic.  Who knows why tonight, after all this time, I looked.  I am very happy I did and very excited to explore the rest of the contents soon.