Honoring My Dad -A National Guard Veteran

Isn't he handsome? What an amazing, dad and all around humble guy!
Today I decided it was time to "interview" my dad and find out about his experience in the military. I'm ashamed to admit that I'm 40 something years old and until tonight, I didn't know what his military involvement was. When I asked him if we could talk about it he said, "Oh, I didn't really do much, I was only in the National Guard from 63 to 69." Well dad, I'm here to say that by honoring your duty to your country, to go when you were called is really "doing much!" In fact, your actions have always spoken louder than your words, and after visiting with you tonight, I learned that you began leading by example at a very early age and I feel honored to be your daughter!

Here are some things I learned about my dad tonight:

1. After 2 years of Missionary service to the Lord in Australia, he joined the National Guard and signed on for 6 years of service to our country.

2. He did his basic training in Fort Leonard Wood, MO from October 63 - April 64.

3. He married my mom 2 months later on June 12, 1964.

4. They would not spend their wedding anniversary together for the next 5 years because he was required to attend summer camp in Guernsey Wyoming for the 1st two weeks of June each year.

5. He received approx. $125 -150 for his 6 weeks of basic training and reported for active duty one weekend each month for the next 6 years.

6. During his first 3 years in the National Guard he trained with the engineer unit as a heavy equipment operator. He drove Cats, front-end loaders and 2-ton trucks, and practiced demolition training using ammonium nitrate. (He used it on a couple of snake holes just for fun...no suprise, if you know my dad like I do :D)

7. In June of 66 his unit changed from engineering, to 8 in. Self-Propelled Howitzer Training. In other words a "REALLY BIG GUN" as dad put it! The projectiles from the Howitzer weighed approx. 150 lbs. and when shot out of the gun could be seen flying through the air at 1700 ft. per second. The "Guns" were accurate up to a 20 mile distance. The forward lieutenant of this unit had a life expectancy of 3-4 shots because once the enemy located them, the ambush would begin. That October all engineering units were called up to Vietnam, but since dad's unit had changed to Howitzer training 4 months earlier, he did not have to go to Vietnam. (I'm sure Heavenly Father was blessing dad for his earlier years of Missionary service)

8. Because of his Missionary training, dad felt comfortable taking charge of organizing the services for their Sunday meetings. He would line up talks and prayers and find a location in which to hold the meeting. One Sunday they held their meeting on Dog Creek, along the Snake River, about 15 miles south of Jackson. That day they sang "America the Beautiful." "Oh, beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties..." To this day he always thinks of that time along the Snake River and has a difficult time singing that song without being overcome with emotion.

9. When dad wasn't doing weekend trainings and summer camps he was working on the ranch and spending time on Greys River herding sheep up and down the mountain. He credits this activity for the shape he was in when he went to summer camps and had to march 7 -15 miles at a stretch. He had no problems keeping up and was in the best shape of his life. Some of the city boys had a difficult time with the long marches and had to give up after 4-5 miles from sheer exhaustion and blisters the size of silver dollars on their feet.

10. In Guernsey, his unit spent time training on floating bridges brought in from Fort Carson Colorado, which were layed across the North Platte River. They learned how to build them, set them up, drive the heavy equipment across them (which dad said, "was a bit exciting") and tear them back down again.

11. One of dad's memories was being called to Jackson Hole with the National Guard to make sure the Hell's Angels didn't cause any mischief. The motorcyle group was on their way down from Yellowstone and the town of Jackson was worried there might be some trouble. The police force and the National Guard lined the streets of Jackson leaving 2 openings at local gas stations. The message was, "You can stop for gas if you need to, but then you'd better head on out of town!"

12. At the end of his 6 months of basic training in MO, dad tried to appeal for an early release to get home in time for lambing season. He didn't have any luck with that. He was told he would make it home in time on his scheduled release date. Somehow, 6 weeks prior to his discharge, his papers had become lost and no one seemed to be worried about it until they realized if they didn't get him sent home at the 6 month mark he would become eligible for veteran's benefits, hospital benefits,veteran's pay, etc. Suddenly at the 6 month mark his papers were quickly located.

13. On a Christmas break (during Basic Training) he caught a cab from Fort Leonard Wood @ 2:30 flew to St. Louis, then backward to Chicago on American airlines to avoid a 12 - 24 hr. layover in Denver. In Chicago he had to run quickly to the other end of the airport terminal to catch a United flight back to SLC. The stewardess actually held the plane for dad, who was the last soldier on the plane before the door closed to prepare for take-off. Upon landing in SLC he headed straight for 134 G-Street to see his finance, my mom, for Christmas. This was not their happiest reunion because he had missed some letter writing to mom while he was doing field training, sleeping in pup tents outside in the rain and snow, in the middle of December. By the time he made it home for Christmas, sick and barely able to stand, my mom was ready to return the engagement ring because she too had fallen gravely ill with pneumonia, hadn't received her weekly letter, and was sure her soldier had gone off and found another girl. Lucky for their 7 children (Toni, Carolyn, Merrill, Amy, Matt, Elizabeth and Monte) we had then, and still have today, an incredibly brave, courageous and dependable father. Dad, thank you for the way you have always lead by example, thank you for your service to this great country in which we live, thank you for your patience, love and guidance, and most of all, thank you for being my dad. I love you!