Veteran's Day - 1945

Dear Diary,

Dad was discharged from military service on 1 November 1945. This is a photograph of him shortly after. I've collaged it with his discharge paper and photographs of his campaign ribbon and stars, and two other awards they mention in the paper. I don't know where his are but the internet allows me to find out what they looked like and include them.

He must have been so relieved and happy to finally make it home. He saw action in all the major European battles including the Battle of the Bulge. I remember watching Saving Private Ryan years ago and it describe several of the battles Dad was in. It gave me a whole new appreciation of what he must have gone through.

Today is a day to thank all the veterans for their sacrifice and service to our country. I witnessed the toll it takes on them first hand with my Dad...we owe them so much. Dad served under Patton with the 5th division and I know, as hard as it was, he was proud to have served his country.

...It is a proud privilege to be a soldier – a good soldier … [with] discipline, self-respect, pride in his unit and his country, a high sense of duty and obligation to comrades and to his superiors, and a self confidence born of demonstrated ability.
― George S. Patton Jr.