Thank You Grandpa Fincannon

Thank You Grandpa Fincannon!

We are approaching a very important time of year. The time of year where we give thanks to those people who have served, are serving and have given the ultimate sacrifice for their country. I have the utmost respect for these people. These people have dropped what they are doing and left their families and friends for a higher duty. Think about this in your workplace and see if you would answer yes to any of these questions.
Is there someone in your workplace that you would die for?
Is there someone in your workplace that would die for you?
Have you ever volunteered for anything in your life knowing there was a good chance you would not make it back?
Do you ever think getting into your car going to work that you may not make it back?
Most of us (myself included) probably answer NO to most of these questions. It does not make you a bad person it is just the way things happened in your life.
If there was any ONE thing that I would do differently in my life looking back it would be to have joined a branch of the armed forces. I was talking with Navy and Marine recruiters in high school. This was right at the time of Dessert Storm. My mother got wind of this when the recruiters were calling the house and she nixed it. Of course I could have just gone and joined but I didn’t. I went off to college. The rest is history. I do still get pumped up when I see the commercials for the Marines. (Best Dress Uniforms)
My grandfather volunteered for the Navy after WWII started. He did not talk about the war voluntarily but if you asked he would tell you his story. It is truly a fascinating story. Right before my senior year in college I was talking to my grandfather about the war and we made a deal. When I came home from college at Christmas I wanted to get his story IN HIS WORDS on recording so that I could share this information with MY kids some day. Just him and a tape recorder….from the time he left his home to the time he came home. It was a done deal. My grandfather passed away December 5, 1994 and with him I lost out on the opportunity. My grandmother lived another 13 years. I did get some more of his information from her and it was equally interesting to hear her side of the story as to what life was like for her during the war.
In honor of both Grandpa AND Grandma Fincannon I think I am going to try and retell their story.