HAPPY VETERANS DAY

Today we thank veterans for their service – something we should do more often, but a start…  

My Father a WW 2 veteran who cherished his military experience, justifiably proud of his service.

He claimed Coast Guard duty in the Pacific theatre, but I just knew he was a spy.

Maybe a code breaking spy – he could do tough math in his head.

But the ‘Greatest Generation’ got ‘er done: On VJ Day the world celebrated the vanquishing of the ‘Ultimate Evil’!

The reward for their service: The GI Bill, tract housing, and learning the 63 French words for surrender.

War was cool to 9 year-old me, loving playing army, taking out the ‘evil guys’.

Even the Korean War was sorta cool – I had the entire set of KW trading cards, the “MacArthur Resigns” card a neat lenticular design and the ‘hard get’.

And how could anyone get too worked up about a bunch of Koreans fighting for control of the electronics industry and ownership of the “Ultimate Kimchi” recipe?

Unfortunately, the armistice didn’t prevent the exporting of K Pop music, but we got fun TV shows like M*A*S*H.  

The Vietnam ‘Conflict’ ruined war.

We knew kids who fought and died – – and a war where soldiers average age was 19 and were exposed to hostile fire every day was hard to watch.

But watch we did, getting body count updates over dinner, and then angrily blaming those kids for the insanity, belatedly realizing something called the Military-Industrial Complex was to blame. Or maybe our ruling class…

Finally letting soldiers off the hook, “Thank you for their service” a popular greeting, offering an occasional airplane round of applause, recognizing what they’d sacrificed on our behalf.

The reward for their service: The GI Bill, learning the 63 English words for ‘No Mas’, and a whole bunch of PTSD.

The country’s reward? No longer trusting our government or institutions.

Evil vanquished? No, but some dominoes still standing.

Now, I love Harry Potter, but JK botched the ending: Evil is never vanquished – there’s always another Voldemort, or another, or another…

And sometimes evil hides in plain sight: 58,220 Americans dying in Vietnam, while over 100,000 have died of Opioid overdose, the epidemic still raging.

The Sackler family hiding in plain sight, behind their names on buildings, and philanthropic works – their Purdue Pharma the catalyst, aided and abetted by our ruling class.

But if you need a reminder of evil’s resilience, the nightly news coverage of the Ukraine War and Hamas atrocities should make you put down your phone.

Evil knows – and we conveniently forget – good people looking the other way is its oxygen.                                                                                                       

I’ve a pretty good idea what my Dad would make of today’s chaotic events:

He’d be sickened by the hateful rhetoric, knowing “Never Again is Now!” or “From the River to the Sea” is not a call for peace, but an invitation to the genocide he fought to stop.

But Dad would also remind: “I risked my life for our freedoms – including the right to speak freely”.

“My/our service honored with respectful listening”.

The First Amendment uniquely American, but under consistent attack.

Never forget, it’s your voice they want…

Today a good time for a national ‘deep breath’, reminding ourselves that words are words – not violence – and today’s dis/misinformation might be tomorrow’s truth.

And I disagree with what you’re saying, but go on…ideally, in a civil fashion.    

If Dad were here today, he’d attend a ceremony honoring Veterans, reminding us why he served:

Because his country asked,

To protect our freedoms,  

Service to others the ultimate human calling.

For 194 more posts like this –each with a wish for a hint on achieving world peace– go to beersatthenifty.com. Your phone will display every post, and you can waste an hour or two.

Or send me an email to the site, and I’ll add you to my Sunday distribution.

TO ENHANCE YOUR ENJOYMENT OF THIS POST, PAIR IT WITH THE FOLLOWING SONGS:

Being a charged subject – much like my law breaking cousin – there are plenty of great war songs. Check out And the band played Waltzing Matilda  by The Pogues, one of the great all time anti-war songs. Or Masters of War by Dylan.

But nothing captures the Vietnam conflict better than “Nineteen” by Paul Hardcastle.

But today’s offering is from Stan Ridgway, late of Wall of Voodoo – “Mexican Radio” their FM radio hit – and now a solo artist. Check out his “The Big Heat” a timeless album and “Walking Home Alone” a beautiful song. But today:

Camouflage Stan Ridgway

I was a PFC on a search patrol, hunting Charlie down
It was in the jungle wars of ’65
My weapon jammed and I got stuck way out and all alone
And I could hear the enemy moving in close outside
Just then I heard a twig snap, and I grabbed my empty gun
And I dug in scared while I counted down my fate
And then a big marine, a giant with a pair of friendly eyes
Appeared there at my shoulder and said: “Wait”
When he came in close beside me, he said: “Don’t worry son, I’m here
If Charlie wants to tangle, now he’ll have two to dodge
I said: “Well, thanks a lot”. I told him my name and asked him his
And he said “The boys just call me Camouflage”

Woohoohoohoo Camouflage
Things are never quite the way they seem
Woohoohoohoo Camouflage
I was awfully glad to see this big marine

Well I was gonna ask him where he came from
When we heard the bullets fly
Coming through the brush and all around our ears
It was then I saw this big marine, a lotta fire in his eyes
And it was strange, but suddenly I forgot my fears

Well we fought all night, side by side, we took our battlestands
And I wondered how the bullets missed this man
Cus they seemed to go right through him, just as if he wasn’t there
And the morning we both took a chance and ran
And it was near the riverbank when the ambush came on top of us
And I thought it was the end, we were had
Then a bullet with my name on it came buzzing through a bush
And that big marine, he just swat it, with his hand
Just like it was a fly

And I knew there was something weird about him
Cus when I turned around he was pulling a big palmtree
Right up out of the ground and swatting those Charlie’s with it
From here to Kingdom come

When he led me out the danger, I saw my camp and waved goodbye
He just winked at me from the jungle and then was gone
And when I got back to my H.Q. I told them about my night
And the battle I’d spent with a big marine named Camouflage
When I said his name, a soldier gulped, and a medic took my arm
And led me to a green tent on the right
He said: “You may be telling true boy, but this here is Camouflage
And he’s been right here since he passed away last night
In fact he’s been here all week long
But before he went he said: “Semper Fi”, and said his only wish
Was to save a young marine caught in a barrage
So here, take his dogtag, son. I know he’d want you to have it now”
And we both said a prayer for a big marine named Camouflage

So next time you’re in a junglefight, and you feel a presence near
Or hear a voice that in your mind will lie
Just be thankful that you’re not alone and you’ve got some company
From a big marine, the boys called Camouflage