Finding JOY in the JOURNEY...: Veteran's Day Memories...

November 15, 2011

Veteran's Day Memories...

My Dad sent this email to me on Veteran's Day and I wanted to preerve it so am posting it here:)

48 years ago today I was working out of an office by the Han River as a corporal in the United State Army Military Intelligence 502 MI Battalion; driving a military jeep, or a clandestine 1957 black Chevy sedan doing my job of protecting our country as well as the Republic of Korea from outside espionage sources. Carefully and secretly meeting with your future mother around secret areas of Seoul in my off duty hours. Standing guard on weekends when it was my turn. Being the District President of our military LDS branch at Yong San Military Base and sometimes driving then Assistant to the Twelve Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley to meetings when he came to visit Korea. Pres. Kennedy would be assinated later this month Nov. 23rd (Korea Time) and we would go on full alert with packs ready to go wherever
we would be sent for the next six months or so. Needless to say I am happy and proud that I was able to serve our Country and thankful that since then neither of my sons or others have had to be drafted to protect our country. In our packs if we did deploy would be a special pill we were to swallow if ever captured that would instantly take our life instead of being tortured to reveal any military secrets. This we or at least I was prepared to do without question because it was what I had been trained to do, never having had to shoot anyone but trained to do so if necessary I believe I would have done without question if ever in a situation where I had to do it. Technically I am a Vietnam veteran as I was released from military service on August 13th 1964, one week after it was deemed a Vietnam era. I received for service in Korea the US Army Military Commendation Award which was the highest peace time award that could be given for "Meritorious Service" during time in Korea having collected and produced over 1100 confidential military reports that were deemed important and necessary for the security of the US Military from March 1962 to 1964; I extended for one year in Korea as the normal tour of duty was 12-13 months.

Im so grateful for my parents and all the sacrifices they have made for me and our family. I also LOVE hearing about their history and be able to preserve it to share with my children and their children as well!

1 comment:

Janet said...: Oh.....I just love all the pictures (except the snake...YIKES) and all the updates. What a wonderful time you all had together!!!; 2:09 PM

Post a Comment

Once upon a time...

Mibi grew up in Laie and attended Kahuku High and Lee grew up in Haleiwa and Mililani and attended Mililani High. Mibi went to College at BYU-Hawaii and then served a mission in the Utah Ogden Mission before meeting the man of her dreams. After school, Lee jumped into the workforce looking for his career and eventually ended up working for Mibi's family flower shop at Turtle Bay while Mibi was serving her mission...and never thought that this job would lead him to his "Angel". We met in Septmeber of 2001 after I returned home from my mission. I came back to the flower shop to manage things for my Mom and Lee had left to pursue his education. Well a few months later, Lee's education path didn't take the direction he had hoped and instead life lead him back to Turtle Bay. The first thing he did was call Mom to get his job back and of course she said YES. So, I was Lee's boss and there was an instant friendship...it felt as if we had known each other our entire lives. We kept it strictly business for a few weeks and then one night I was gong to make a Wal-Mart run after work and called him to see if he wanted to come along. His phone was busy (the days before call waiting) and I almost gave up...but after a few more tries he picked up and from that night on we were inseperable. I think we told each other our life stories that night and we both knew then that our lives would never be the same! Over the next year, we formed a deep love and respect for each other which kept us connected through a few rough patches and across the ocean as Mibi moved back to Utah. Finally after a year of being best friends, we both realized that there is no one on earth we would rather be with than each other! We were a couple for about two years when Lee proposed to me and we tied the knot at the exact place we first met...the same hotel the flower shop was located when we worked there...TURTLE BAY. And to add to our JOY, we have a beautiful daughter Savannah (Lee's biological and Mibi's spiritual daughter ) who we just ADORE! She is so smart, funny, outgoing, a jabberbox like her Dad and just the cutest thing you have ever seen!!! We also are praying that we can give her a little brother or sister sometime in the next year or two!!! Until then we have a Doberman (Kayla) and a cat (Shadow) that we spoil rotten and of course all of our Nieces and Nephew's. It has been almost 8 years of wedded bliss and although we have had our ups and downs, each experience has made us grow more in love with each other and are still each others best friend!