Thread: Dad's Birthday

Today would have been my Dad's 93rd birthday. Despite a lack of formal education he was probably the smartest man I've ever known. An accountant by trade, he could do math quicker in his head than I could hammer it out on a calculator. He read at least 4 books a week. We once went to a used book store in Tampa, I bought several good books because they were very reasonably priced. When I asked him why he hadn't bought anything, he calmly replied, "I didn't see any that I hadn't already read. In his younger days, the word is he was quite the skirt chaser. He was a turret gunner on a B-17 over North Africa in WWII. He was credited with 5 enemy aircraft destroyed (3 Italian and 2 German) and got 3 Purple Hearts. The last Purple Heart, some anti aircraft artillery came through the turret and nearly tore his leg off. In fact, the doctors wanted to amputate his leg and he told them to get stuffed. The man I grew up with was nowhere near that salty. He was an unassuming family man who worked his butt off daily to provide for his wife and set a good example for his boys. He taught me nearly everything I know about being a man and if I can execute it half as well as he did, him and I will both be proud one day. I raise my PBR to my Pop on his birthday! Cheers.

I'm sure he'd smile if he read this.

Regards,
Mike

Nice sentiment. Good for you Old GI.