Soldier's Stories - THANK YOU

Thu, November 9, 2006 - 8:01 AM

Below is an excerpt reprinted from Military.com. Joseph Beryle is a Michigan native and served as a Paratrooper during WWII.

In January 1944, I was picked to attend British jump school. After three jumps from a barrage balloon, two from an aircraft, I received my British Wings.

In April, and May, I volunteered for a mission to take gold into occupied France. I was one of three picked from our Regiment. We were moved to airfield at Middle Wallop for training and briefing, from there to an airfield north of Bournemouth where we were briefed on a mission, not told where we would jump and issued heavy waist bandoliers with gold coins.

I never was told who the other two men were. We flew for one to two hours and jumped at night and were picked up by the French Underground...[read his story here: www.military.com/Content/MoreContent1/



A Soldier's Story

I did my duty in Gaza--and it left me pained but proud.

BY MICHAEL B. OREN



This is the story of an Israeli who served in Gaza and met a former colleague on the battlefield:

Nothing in my 25-year army experience had prepared me for the horror of Jews fighting Jews, nor had any of the knowledge I'd gained researching Israel's wars. The threat which the disengagement posed to the contemporary Jewish State weighed on me as I sat mourning the loss of its ancient predecessors. Then somebody greeted me: "Michael! Shalom!" I looked up into the smile of an ultra-Orthodox rabbi, white-bearded with silvery sidelocks. He pumped my hand for several moments before realizing that I had no idea who he was. "It's me, Amnon!"...[read his story here: www.opinionjournal.com/editor...re.html

And from [www.brandonblog.com/blogger.html]

THE MILITARY MAN

The average age of the military man is 19 years. He is a short haired, tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy a beer, but old enough to die for his country. He never really cared much for work and he would rather wax his own car than wash his father's; but he has never collected unemployment either...

From Me:

I miss him every day. He's a couple of years older than this soldier and he's a SAILOR. He is part of a peculiar tradition on my mother's side of the family; all Navy, 'cept for that one Great Uncle who served in the Army during WW1.

He finally listened to someone in the family while serving, he did not come home during his leave, he went rappeling and white water rafting on a continent 5,000 miles from home. Man are we jazzed about that. We wish there were more pictures, LOTS more pictures. The pictures let us know he is ok. However, we in the family know he is ok because he is fulfilling his destiny, at least a part of it. He is also the only male in his family. His siblings may or may not agree with why he is so far away from home but they hold onto the hope that while he is away, he finds moments to remember them and they support his decision to serve his country wholeheartedly.

For my part, I have not heard from him in two years. I am ok with that, now. He is a man, not a little boy. The consequences of his choices are his as are the rewards. When he leaves the Navy, he will have the education I could never give him, basic medical care and the ability to further his education in any field he wants to explore. For my part, I hope he does alot of exploring. I hope he exceeds even his own expectations. I wish him Godspeed and love him wherever he is.