Happy Veteran's Day!

My Dad is a Veteran of WWII:

I am very proud of him!

He served in the United States Navy.

Back of the photo:

Lt. M.E. Ostrover     Lt. Charles Remle

Ensign H. E. Potter      Ensign N. H. Ricks

Miami, Florida     Dec. 1944

Recently he sent me this email as Dan was reading a book about the invasion of Okinawa during WWII.  My Dad was aboard an LST.

  "ALL LANDING SHIPS DID NOT HAVE NAMES ONLY NUMBERS, & MINE WAS  L S T 891( LANDING  SHIP,TANK.) 

AS WE CARRIED TANKS, TRUCKS & MARINES,        

 OUR FINAL & SCARIEST LANDING OCCURRED APRIL 1, 1945 ON OKINAWA  WITH JAPANESE  SUICIDE BOMBERS OVER US CONTINUALLY AS WE OFF LOADED ON THE BEACH, TANKS & ABOUT 150 MARINES  ( WE HEARD LATER THAT ABOUT HALF OF THOSE MARINES WERE KILLED )   THE KAMIKAZI PILOTS LUCKY FOR US CHOSE TO SUICIDE BOMB LARGER SHIPS IN THE ARMADA SUCH AS AIRCRAFT CARRIERS, BATTLE SHIPS & CRUISERS      BUT WE  STRAFFED THEM WITH OUR ANTI AIRCRAFT GUNS.    WE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEACHED AT PALAU, GUAM, PHILLIPINES, & NEW GUINEA..

                         WE STOPPED AT PEARL HARBOR ON OUR WAY OUT & ALSO THERE ON OUR WAY HOME AFTER THE WAR.    I WAS ABOARD THE SHIP FOR TWO LONG YEARS.  AND WE ALL HEAVED A SIGH OF RELIEF, WHEN WE HEARD THE ATOM BOMBS ( which we had never heard of )  HAD BEEN DROPPED WHICH ENDED THE WAR."

Postcard my Dad sent to his mother for Christmas 1945:

2010:  65 years later we were able to take my Dad to see the WWII Memorial in Washington D.C.!  He will be turning 90 on his next birthday!!

Another great Veteran:

My grandfather, Sgt. Perry Joseph Ricks, 1917

WWI