Mom was too sick today to walk up the hill to see dad in the "Garden of Time" section at Forest Lawn [View All]

I did take her up there two weeks ago to get dad ready for "his day of remembrance". She will be 86 on July 11th. We lost dad in May of 94 just a short time before Memorial Day. PFC John P Dawes was drafted before Pearl Harbor. He was in the 35th infantry regiment, 25th infantry Div. He was in the fighting on Guadalcanal, the Marshall Islands, Luzon, and a few other places. He refused rank. He never wanted to make a who lives or dies decision. He got the Combat Infantry Badge.

He rotated home on points before Hiroshima. He met my mom through letters she sent to a soldier that a friend said knew Johny doesn't get much mail. They married on Aug. 31, 1945.

He never really got over the horrors of war, just like a lot of other Veteran's. He suffered with a short term disability from malaria a couple years after being discharged. He had bad dreams. We always knew when he was back "in country". He wouldn't talk about the war. When he tried a few times, all he could do was cry.

Back in Oct. of 2000, I made a mock up of dad's uniform from an old photo. It was a gathering of fans of an old 60's TV show "COMBAT!" I met several of the shows stars. Two years later, and again in 2004 I met several of the guest stars at the first two official Twilight Zone conventions. It always reminded me how smart dad was when I watched my show. He knew all the weapons, tactics, etc. That was really the only happy times I remember of dad talking about the "war to end all wars II".

Friday Marta and I visited the memorial site of a Navy man lost at sea in W.W.II. The small private cemetery hasn't been mowed this year. My 14 inch electric is to small for the tall grass. I hope someone remembers to mow Wall Cemetery sometime this year. It is just a few miles south of Council Bluffs, Ia.

If you don't have time to visit a Veteran's Memorial service today, just click this link: http://www.steveandmarta.com/graveyards/submarine/submarine_1.htm At least a few of us remembered MM1C Vernon Palmer Wall.



My thanks to those that answered the call of duty.

OS