WRUW Today?

There was a gentleman one town over from me, well a town I used to live in that was a D-day plus 1 vet. He would attend all the festivals on the town green. I always thanked him for his service though I never engaged him in a lengthy conversation he remembered me well enough to say hello. I lost track of him during covid. I did go to the green today see if he was doing his impromptu ceremony with his vet friends. Didn’t see anyone but it was late in the day I could have missed it. Gee there can’t be many left. I remember one D-day vet telling me he had very few “bad days” after surviving the initial wave. I may need to watch saving private Ryan tonight.

When I was a kid, we attended church with "Son" Wilkie. He and his wife "Shorty" were good friends with my parents. He loved to laugh, kid around, and enjoy life. Was a big upland bird hunter and deer hunter and my dad went hunting with him from time to time. I got to go on my first dove hunt with him He was goosey and we kids would come up from behind and poke him in the side just to watch him jump. He took it all in good fun and handed out chewing gum after church to all the children who would come around.

I got older and found out he'd been in the army during the War. I was always interested in World War II history, but he'd never talk about his military experience.

My dad (a World War II Navy vet) later told me that Son went in on the first wave that D-Day morning. A German 88 landed on his best Army bud who was near him as they both waded ashore. His buddy was spattered all over Son who had to rinse off what was left in the surf.

What they had to go through in many instances! Son might have been 19-20 at most.

Later, when I became a loan officer and took on any consumer requests that came in the bank lobby I would notice birth dates on loan applications. Lots of World War II vets were conducting banking business in the late 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. Sometimes, if the loan interview went well I'd try to courteously steer the conversation to "what they did in the War." There were heroes and posers aplenty. Some simply told their story. Some weaved the most intricate lies you ever heard. I knew enough about the topic to see through it. Some, like Son Wilkie would not talk about it.

We need to remember and revere that generation.

Wearing my newly acquired 2640-SC today. Very happy with the purchase - age a few years younger than me, 36mm the right size for my wrist, and a gorgeous uncomplicated dial.

Launched on a week- long road trip to rock quarries up and down the state of California. Getting paid to blow sh*t up. Life is good 😁

I see the signs. 😀

Good morning
This lately arrived Chronostop for today.

Time for a fire down under…Autavia 1163…