Patriots and Pioneers

The flag blowing in the wind from the Arizona Memorial gave me the chills. I love the flag!

As a result of going to Honolulu with Kerry a few times I have wished I had been more inquisitive of my dad and his role in World War II. I stand in front of the memorial at Punchbowl National Cemetery and wonder where he really served. I know that he was in the Pacific on some small islands which is where he contracted malaria. From there he was sent to Hill Air Force Base to recover and meet mom. He had told us that his records had been lost and so he was sent back into action and went to Okinawa. I have sent for his records and sure enough there was no record of him being there prior to him contracting malaria. As I have stood looking at the history and the large map I can only speculate as to where he was based on some of the stories that he told. One thing I do know is that he had such a patriotic spirit about him and he always showed that by example.



One of the maps on the inside of the memorial which tells the story of the war.




The view of the memorial, if you have ever seen an episode of Hawaii Five O then you have seen this picture in the opening credits. (Kerry laughs at me because I know a lot of places on Honolulu from growing up watching Hawaii Five O or later watching Magnum PI.)

In church two weeks ago we heard talks on our pioneer heritage and patriotism. They talked about Joseph Smith and his love of our country but they didn't include his heritage and how the two are related. I have thought a lot about the talks since then and I am so apprectiative of both my pioneer ancestry as well as my patriotic ancestry since they're both through the same line and others as well. I am wowed by my dad and his service to our country and that he was able to return home, he is a hero in my book!