On December 7th, 1941, my father was 14 years old. He tried several times over the next few years to enlist in the Army, but was always turned away because his size belied his age. But my Dad was determined, and he finally found a recruiter who either believed his lies about his age, or didn’t care how old he was. He joined the USNavy at the tender age of 17, and was assigned to a small supply boat in the Pacific Theater until the war ended. My father was a quiet man, and he told us very little about himself, or his own life. But I do know that he was proud of his service, and that he carried that pride with him to the grave. When his aplastic anemia progressed to full-blown leukemia, and he knew his time was short, his only request was that he have a military funeral. The pride and the patriotism that accompanied my father’s desire to serve is still alive and well in this country. Throughout our history, men and women have volunteered to serve, and many have made the ultimate sacrifice to defend our country and preserve our freedom. In our current political climate, there are those who treat our military and our veterans with thinly veiled contempt. But there is one woman who never misses an opportunity to offer them the respect and the recognition that they deserve. So on my Father’s behalf and my own, I salute you Sarah Palin, and I Thank You. I would have been proud to serve under you, and to call you my CIC.

Tags: Palin Democrat, Veterans