I'm a U. S. Navy Vietnam Veteran

My half-brother’s father and my father both served in WW II and the Korean War.

My brother, Frank, and I each followed tradition by joining the U. S. Navy at later dates.

Taps and Amazing Grace have always brought me to tears thinking about my dad dying at age 52 as a migrant farm worker all alone in a tiny shack with just his puppy outside whining to be fed. They didn’t find dad inside for three days because they all thought he had gone off on another toot. I suspect his liver finally just dissolved or exploded from all the alcohol consumption. This has always struck me as ironic and an example of what booze can do to a life. My father used to be a Lineman for PG&E and a damned good one. One of my fondest memories of him is watching him climb with such ease up and down those wooden telephone poles. I beamed with pride and a huge smile as his foreman proclaimed to another worker one day my dad was the “best damned lineman they had anywhere in the company”.

Later he became a fully licensed Electrician and even helped wire the big Mormon Temple in the Oakland hills where he took me for a tour before it opened, proudly telling everyone I was his son. And later he opened his own TV/Radio Repair shop in Oakland off High St. So he was far from ignorant. And now he lies in an unmarked grave on Potters Hill in Traverse City, Michigan, a fact I hope to remedy some day; because he should be in Arlington Memorial Cemetery. Such a very sad waste and end of a real warrior who as a Torpedoman’s Mate, with his team, on the USS Princeton (CV-37) aircraft carrier were responsible for modifying torpedoes that took out the Hwacheon Dam in Korea via one of the first airborne torpedoes for that use, and turned the tides of the war…

And I’m proud to say most of the men in our family since have also served. I volunteered at age 17, so young, innocent and naïve. That’s certainly NOT the way I came out. As a 2-tour, Vietnam, brown water US Navy veteran who was in gunnery aboard two LST’s over a two year period I recognize that most civilians have absolutely no concept of what it's like in a conflict other than from movies that often sugar coat it. My first onboard duty was on a ship in the middle of a tropical typhoon between the Philippines and Vietnam. The USS Ft. Marion (LSD-22) rolled within one degree of capsizing. One night, while serving on the USS Polk County (LST-1084), we were beached when an VC attack hit in the dark of night with bullets and rockets flying everywhere and star shells illuminating soldiers running for cover. Since I was in Gunnery as a Fire Control Technician, my General Quarters location was on the bow near our front guns where I could watch the whole thing. Another time, while entering a Vietnam river, the LST behind us was hit by an enemy rocket. Luckily it was a dud and didn’t explode. There was the constant beat day and night of bombs going off in the distance and sometimes close by. To this day the sound of an overhead helicopter or diesel engine takes me back there. I watched two marines ready to kill each other with their combat knives in our mess line over the last cookie.

When you pull the trigger on a 40mm or 3” 50 gun, as I have, the shockwaves vibrate and rock you to the bone. Among other things I was ordered to do, I’ve had to point a loaded gun at innocent children to warn them away from our ship while they were in wooden float bowl boats begging for food. I’ve walked among them in their towns hoping none of them would pull the pin on a grenade and toss it in my direction as I passed by. So many of my fellow veterans and friends experienced a whole lot worse so I’m one of the lucky ones. I made it home safe and sound with all my body parts working. I wish I could post a video, that came with an original email to me, on my FB page but I don’t seem to be able to. It shows actual film footage of a 1945 attack off the coast of Okinawa on the USS Laffey that survived 22 Kamikaze pilots and their planes by not sinking. But it still cost many brave American sailors their lives and massive damage to the ship.

Some people protest my wearing an American flag pin upside down-an international sign of distress. I feel our country is truly in distress at this time. A lot of US veterans are starting to do this not out of disrespect, but instead to demonstrate their love and concern for their country. Life will teach you cannot pacify a bully. Most veterans understand, "If you want peace, prepare for war".

If I have upset you with these memories, I sincerely apologize as that was not my intent. Nor am I asking for your recognition or sympathy. But please take a moment to acknowledge those who put it all on the line to serve and protect us. When you pass a armed service member, or for that matter any firefighter or law enforcement officer, take a minute to stop and thank each and every one of them for risking their lives for your freedom and safety.

God Bless America and those who have served and those who continue to serve in her military. Happy Memorial Day one and all. Appreciate your freedom because of the many who have sacrificed for it. All gave some and some gave all.

Gary R. Cramer

May 28, 2016