Memorial Day 2023

 

This was sent to me by our good friend Deano and I must say I really felt the message and I thank him so much for sending it. I had surveyed some of our group in hopes of acknowledging their service today but this post is exactly correct. I will wait till November for that as we take this day to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

Last year I told the rather sad story of my Memorial Day in 1964. Today I will share what I hope is a more feel-good story, at least it is for me.

As I said last year, my father served in the Pacific Theater for the Naval Air Corps in World War II, Marine Air Corps in Korea, and stayed in the Marines after Korea being stationed in Hawaii. I posted several of his still pictures last year, but he also carried a movie camera in Korea and Hawaii.

A couple of years ago, my brother tried to transfer these old movie reels to a DVD. Being that these reels were between 65 and 70 years old at the time, only 17 minutes of video were able to be transferred.

It absolutely bugs the heck out of me that I have lost the ability to post personal videos to the blog. I would love to show a few clips from the 17 minutes.

Here are some stills of the video and some details.

The first 5 or 6 minutes is from Korea, mostly planes landing or taking off.

The next few minutes are of a routine group flight from Hawaii to Midway Island, probably in 1957, just months before his fatal crash. One part of the video he filmed while the pilot looped as you see clouds, then sky, then water, then back to sky and clouds.

They landed on Midway Island and Dad had some time to take in the island.

 Of the 17 minutes of video saved, one quarter of the time is spent on ......Goonie Birds!!

They obviously fascinated him as he filmed them dancing, in flight, and even close up.

The last few video minutes were of the flight back to home base.

In my imagination, I see my Dad at the least grinning broadly, but more likely laughing as he filmed these funny creatures. It's clear they grabbed his affection based on the time he took with them.

So, what was I to think when last week, one of my favorite silly looking golf shirt makers advertised one of their new offerings.

A closer look.

The name of the shirt is Crash Landing in honor of the Goonie Birds, otherwise known as an Albatross, struggle to land. (Strangely, in golf, an Albatross is very good. A 2 on a par-5.) Instead of traditional red, white, and blue, I will proudly be wearing my Goonie shirt at today's golf tournament as my tribute. 

Since that Memorial Day back in 1964, this day has always been a solemn, sobering, what could have been if only....thought provoking day.

Today, however, I am thinking about what my Dad would do if he saw my shirt. I suspect he would at the least be grinning broadly, but more likely laughing. You will understand if I am grinning too.