DAD

In a conversation that may have lasted four minutes my dad revealed this bit of information to me. It was Veteran's Day. I don't call my dad often, certainly not often enough. I did want him to know that I was acknowledging his service to his country as were some people on my Facebook page. I didn't really get in to the Facebook thing with him...but, I did share that others wanted me to pass on their gratitude as well. I don't have a thing in common with my dad. I used to have a ton of contempt for him, reasonable or not. That has drifted off to a boxed in place that only opens occasionally these days. Ooooh, looks like I have a whole new blog that can come from this little blurb.


I posted this on my Facebook and thought I'd like to add it here as well. I was having an email exchange with a FB friend, Michael Brookman. Both our dads served in Korea and Brookman was wondering, if in a LONG shot, our dads knew each other. That's why parts of this post are conversational and refer to Brookman.

My dad NEVER talks about his combat career. He said more tonight than he ever has. War is SUCH bullshit! Sorry if you disagree. Our troops are national treasures and they are treated horribly, IMHO.

Here goes. My dad was:

Infantry
Dog Company outfit (now called Delta or D company)
2nd Battalion
1st Marine
1st Marine Division

Phew!

He was part of the Chosin Reservoir under General "Chestney" Puller, Division Commander. (A correction here; Chesty Puller)
I guess it was a pretty publicized situation, because my dad kept saying "you know the story" Uhhhhh, NO...I don't!

The Chinese had the guys cut off from all the other Marines. The Chinese had the Marines surrounded so it was ON! Dad said those Chinese soldiers were high on opium and that their feet were all but falling off from frost bite because they were barefoot! Dad said they were crazy and weren't afraid to die due to the cold, drugs and the whole situation! Dad said the General said..."well, I guess those guys won't get away from us THIS time!" LOL...NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I mean seriously. The Marines were WAY out numbered, but they fought their way out! Dad was wounded from a grenade. All he said about that was, "that's how close I was to the combat." GEEZUS! I do NOT envy ANY soldier who sees ANY kind of combat! I would have gone insane, literally!

Anyway, share this with your dad. My dad didn't recall a Brookman. He said it's probably because he, dad, was Infantry. Dad lied about his age to enlist, barely has a HS education and needed to get out of the speck of the town he was from. Crawfordville, Ga. out I-20 toward Augusta. His full name is: Drury Max Edwards. He's not the smartest man and I've never had much a of a relationship with him. But, I do admire his call to service. I SWEAR...he attends EVERY Marine "thing" he's invited too. He goes to Parris Island ever year for some kind of event/reunion/Memorial. It's a shame I'm so ill informed. I never really cared much. I'll be doing a LOT more research now. See what I can ask him before he dies and while his mind is still relatively healthy. He turned 77 in October. You're dad must be close to the same age?

Wow! That was a LOT of information! Hope you're having a lovely evening!

Here's to US having dad's who were BRAVE!

Kim

Dad retired about as high as he could being an enlisted man...Master Gunnery Sargent. He LOVED the military and it left him a lost man when he retired!
This is making me VERY sad.
I'm leaving it for now.
THANKS dad!

GULP! Just added:


"The fighting at the Chosin Reservoir was the most violent small unit fighting in the history of American warfare. No other operation in the American book of war quite compares with the show [the battle of the Chosin Reservoir] by the First Marine Division [and attached U.S. Army and British Royal Marines]."
General S.L.A. Marshall, Prominent Army Historian of the Twentieth Century

and this:

http://www.marines.com/main/index/winning_battles/history/missions/chosin_reservoir

WOW dad! No wonder you NEVER talk about this!