by Kimberly A. Cook (Twitter@ WarriorTales)
It’s been a banner month for military movies at the box office. First War Horse, then Red Tails and Act of Valor will release next month. Congratulations to Red Tails for rocking the box office in second place this past weekend. The Tuskegee Airmen and George Lucas finally got their story on the big screen. Lucas hopes to film the prequel and sequel to Red Tails if the box office numbers hold up, so go see the movie.
Last month at the 70th Anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Pearl Harbor Survivor veterans decided to disband. With that act, it falls on the rest of us to remember their stories and deeds and carry them forward, as Lucas has done with the Tuskegee Airmen.
War Horse brought back the conversation I had with my grandfather before I headed off to Army basic. He told me a little about being in the Artillery in World War I. He mentioned how he had to get his gas mask and the horse’s gas masks on when the mustard gas hit.
That conversation came back to me many times in basic when I was learning to put on my gas mask and get a seal in nine seconds. How did grandpa ever get his mask and the horse’s gas masks on in time? My grandfather passed away before I came home from the Army. What I wouldn’t give to have had more time to hear his stories.
Grandpa was a character, so I’m definitely related to him. He came to Portland and worked as a longshoremen in the days when the docks were also a war zone. Later he became a Silverstream trailer snowbird, vacationing with my step-grandmother in Quartzsite, Arizona in the winter. The amazing silver bullet trailer would show up at our house for summer visits.
To me he was an older man, wiry and thin. I didn’t recognize him in a photo my Mom has of his longshoremen days; he looks like Popeye, biceps and all. The portrait we have of him in his World War I uniform above shows his deep blue eyes and buzz cut. Finding out my Grandfather’s military history is on my to do list; because as writers and witnesses we need to record and tell the stories. That’s our job.
How long have we known each other? Mmmmmm, since we were 12 years old! And I never knew about your Grandfather!!!!