Reflections on Veterans Day (Part II)
November 11th, 2007 by Glenn Sacks, MA for Fathers & Families
Background: Veterans' Day 2007 was the 89th anniversary of the end of one of the greatest tragedies in human history--World War I. My grandfather volunteered for the War, and was wounded in the decisive Battle of the Argonne Forest in 1918. He was awarded the Purple Heart and the French Croix de Guerre. My previous post about him was Reflections on Veterans Day (Part I).
Because Veterans Day began as a way to celebrate the end of World War I on November 11, 1918, and because my maternal grandfather fought in World War I, I always think of him on Veterans Day. He is pictured above, with me as a baby sitting on his lap. My parents moved to California shortly before I was born, so for many years I did not see my grandfather very often. Also, my grandmother was very sick, and my grandfather had to take care of her.
My grandfather was a milkman during the Great Depression. My mother was born prematurely, always had health problems, and was sick a lot when she was a little girl. My mother has often told me how her father would stay up at night with her, comforting her during her fevers and illnesses, even though he himself had to report to work very, very early.
Many of the labor unions were built during the 1930s, and they were built because working people sacrificed and risked their lives to build them. Back then, companies sometimes hired thugs to crush strikers and unions. Often the police played the same role. To read one example, see my blog post about the famous "Battle of Deputies Run" in 1934.
My grandfather was a poor, uneducated immigrant who believed in the labor unions and supported their strikes. My mother used to tell me stories of how when there was a strike she and her brother, sister, and mother waited anxiously for my grandfather to come home, not knowing if he would.
My grandfather reappeared in my life when I was about 10 and he moved closer to us. He and I really connected, and I was crazy about him. I loved to go over to his house, and I was so happy to have re-discovered him. Then, it seemed like almost right away, he contracted cancer, and he died. I can still remember my mother telling me about it, and not believing that it could be true. Perhaps it sounds petty, but 30+ years later I am still a little bitter about it--I loved him so much.
It is also interesting to think back on how a child process all of this. I really did not believe he was dead, I kept thinking he was going to come back. When we had the funeral and there was an open casket, he looked very life-like, which reinforced my belief. I can still remember my mother telling me that they had replaced his blood with embalming fluid. It was at that moment that I finally, finally understood that my grandfather was not coming back.
After that, for whatever reason, I began having a fear of ghosts and I used to think they were going to get me at night. I used to have a transistor radio that I would keep near my bed and I would keep it on, thinking that as long as the radio was on the ghosts could not come. I used to listen to Dodger games, Angel games, even scratchy nighttime broadcasts of Oakland A's or San Francisco Giants games, just so the radio would be on and the ghosts could not come. I remember waking up one time at three in the morning and seeing that the radio was off and feeling terrified because that meant that ghosts were now going to come. Of course, all that had happened was that the radio battery had died.
In later years, I regretted that all of my grandparents had died when I was so young. I had become a student of history, and my grandparents had lived it. My maternal grandfather had fought in World War I and had also been part of the union movement. Both of my grandfathers and one of my grandmothers had also come from czarist Russia, and had left after the 1905 Revolution failed and there was a wave of terror by the czarist regime. There are many, many things I could have learned from them, had they lived longer.
In general, I tend to believe that it is best for people to have children later rather than sooner, but one legitimate disadvantage is the impact on the children's relationships with their grandparents. My parents had children when they were in their late 30s. Had they had children in their late 20s, my sister and I would have had a relationship with my grandparents at least through high school.
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November 11th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
Yes, I can barely remember any of my grandparents, and my kids will barely remember theirs, which is a real loss -- they were great people.
November 11th, 2007 at 5:38 pm
wander what ol gramps would think about...not only union busting..
But the busting up of mens social networks in general!!
In the 1950, 60's feminist's marched into mens social networks with the chant.."breaking the patriarchy"
..Well they busted up mens social networks all right...and now men are socially issolated work mules!!
Divided and conquered!!
..History will ask..was it womens equality that they were seeking when they busted up mens social networks..or was it something more diabolical...
November 11th, 2007 at 6:32 pm
And we are eager to teach the younger generation how horrible patriarchy was. (i.e. Our grandmothers were oppressed and grandfathers were oppressors). Of course, those that don't know better believe that their ancestors were actually horrible people. What a tragedy and what a waste of the older generations life. If we had a time machine, and we were able to go back in time and tell them the way things are today, wonder if they will actually live the way they did. (Of course they would live the same, just with a lot of hope that it doesn't come to this.. their grand children and great grand children looking down on them and their sacrifices.)
November 11th, 2007 at 6:33 pm
Glenn:
I’m glad you shared that. I feel like I know you better.
My Father was born in 1914 and my mother in 1918. My father was orphaned at the age of 4. He was raised by his Aunt until he was twelve and was on his own after that. He had a sixth grade education. He never spoke at all about his early childhood; most of what I know about his early childhood came from my mother. He served in WWII in the European Theater, enlisting the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He enlisted out of a sense of duty, not blood lust.
I wasn’t born until 1958 when my mother was 40. I’m the seventh of eight children. My mother had her first child at age 28 and my dad was 32. All the grandparents were dead before I was born.
I think most men go to war out of a sense of duty. If any of them are exited about the “glory of battle” when they first get involved, they’re quickly disillusioned after a taste of battle.
My favorite story about WWI, (I always think about it at Christmas) is the story about allied troops who had a ceasefire with German forces on Christmas to bury the dead and exchange gestures of good will, only to resume hostilities a day or two later. For that short while on the battlefield, they were able to glimpse the humanity that exists in us all. And wouldn’t it be nice to have that kind of peace all year long.
I think this war with feminism is on parallel with any war. It is a war, and people are paying with their lives everyday. What will it take to get a ceasefire? How do we convince people who refuse to reason that it’s in everyone’s best interests to end the bloodshed?
Seems to me feminists are the “natural born killers”.
Kevin Merck
November 11th, 2007 at 9:43 pm
...,Kevin the feminist war on patriarchy is a war on reason, logic, civilization, children, and general humanity!! They
have cast society into it's default mode of ...matriachal barbarianism!!
Look at crime stats since the 50's. removeing the father equals crime, hysteria,chaos!!
November 11th, 2007 at 9:52 pm
..here are the fatherless stats to show our decline into barbarianism after in effect removeing the voice of the father!!!
http://www.fathersloveletter.com/Ministry/statistics.html
November 12th, 2007 at 4:08 am
Glenn: I too didn't get much time with my grandparents. A little time with my mother's mother and that is it. That is sad. My father's father served in WW1 as did his brothers: I have copies of their sign-up papers in my genealogy file. Two 'farmer's,' a 'marine mechanic' and a 'store clerk.' Hardly men with a desire to kill; none of them had ever seen violence. All of them good Brethren in Christ boys with no experience with anything other than the rural peace of southern Ontario.
What burns me about Caldicott and all those who spew out their venom of hate is that they target without knowing and without caring that they do not know. There are men in my family genealogy who died in war; they died so that all could be free. My father spent most of his life ill. He got a kidney infection while at sea, something that could have been fixed on land, even in WW2 times. By the time he was landed, they had to take a kidney and help him learn to deal with legs that were damaged beyond repair. He never fired a shot in anger. He never actually fixed a warplane (he was trained as a NAVY aircraft body mechanic). All he ever did was did what was expected of him by ALL of the people around him. The men and women of April 1943 expected a bright & healthy 18 year old boy to sign up.
November 12th, 2007 at 11:39 am
Glenn,
I know exactly what you mean my grandfather was a Kazak and had to come here also, neat stories I wish I had more time with him. . .
November 12th, 2007 at 1:44 pm
Grandfather...
Something I would not know about since both of my grandfathers were already gone before I was born. Everything I hear someone talking about their grandfather I just go quiet since I have nothing to relate with.
November 12th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
The fate of my children . . .
Do you know who your grand parents were? Then you can do something about it . . . reaserche ask family members go in line
My mother did not get along with my grandmother hence I do not know much about her . . . and my father well let us just say that people did not talk about such things that happened to my grandmother so I do not even know the name of my grandfather . . . one more thing if you are good a piecing together history go nuts and figure it out here is the clue . . . my father was born in 1930 . . .I could guess what happened and through that educated guessing I believe I know what happened but I still cannot find out the name of my grandfather . . .for now I will let it go at that . . .
b
November 13th, 2007 at 3:35 am
Bernie Misiura: Check out the Census. Up to a point, they are public information, 1911 for Canada and I think it is similar for the States. The 1921 Census will be out in a few years. You'll be amazed at what they show. Also check out Birth, Death and Marriage data: They too become public information after a certain wait time: I think it is the 1930 data which is now becoming available for Canada.
Genealogists have a statement that goes like this "There's always a way around a brick wall."