A Post for Memorial Day

Today is Memorial Day, a day in which we honor those who have died while serving in our country's armed forces. I have a lot of respect for anyone who sacrifices and signs up for military service, well-aware of the danger that is involved. My grandpa served in the Army in World War II and was wounded when a bomb exploded just a few feet from him. Thank goodness he survived!

My sister Annette recently got out a document that our grandpa typed up of his experience in the war. I want to share a small portion of what he said about what he learned in the Army:

"To summarize my Army experience, I would have to say that I learned a great deal about life and myself. Basic Training was a challenging experience from the physical standpoint and learning how to survive against an enemy that was there to kill you was a way of life that I had not even thought about before. Being in combat against that enemy was very realistic and I am glad that they prepared us well, even though at times we thought the instructors were unreasonable. One does not know what lies ahead and especially so in our younger years. Thank goodness the older and experienced men knew what we needed to learn. The camaraderie that one learns is also a valuable lesson in trust and dependency upon others to achieve a desired goal. Living through and recovering from a very traumatic experience helps one realize that life is precious and I am thankful for each of the wonderful days I have lived since. My advice from all of this is to count your blessings and live each day as if it's your last."  – Warren Zimmerman

The vertical pictures are of Grandpa in his Army uniform. The black and white pic is from "back in the day" and the other picture was taken 50 years later…and the uniform still fit! That is an accomplishment! The lower left picture is of Grandpa and my grandma, Helen, and the picture up top is of Grandpa and me earlier this year on Grandpa's 94th birthday.

Grandpa has quite a legacy. He and Grandma have been married for 66 years, have four children, 15 grandchildren, and 30 great-grandchildren—soon to be 31—and counting…