VETERANS DAY COMING UP

As this retirement facility is soon to celebrate Veterans Day, we veterans were asked a few questions to answer in writing and then two additional comment type questions. The first one for comment was "Most memorable moment in service." This was easy to answer now but I'm sure it was a moment of great sorrow and of great happiness at the time. The great sorrow was knowing the world's first two atomic bombs killed numerous innocent people. The great happiness was knowing the war was over. 

The other question for comment was "One interesting story (that happened to you)." At least I had the whole back side of the page to write this. During the writing of it, the perfect title presented itself. Don't let that scare you off; it's not about grammar. I wish I could copy and paste here, but I cannot do that with this Chrome demon running this blogging business. So I'll type it up once again.

A STUDY OF PARENTHESES

In May of 1945, the celebration of victory in Europe (VE Day) gave military personnel extra leave time. Three of us WAVES rode the subway (free because of our uniforms), into Manhattan where we had two days of freedom (having to be back at barracks by midnight). Late Sunday night, as we walked from the El train (the subway came out of the earth in front of Yankee Stadium and became the Elevated), back to our barracks (nice apartments in the Bronx), we ran into an Italian Block Party. When those patriotic Italian American citizens saw our uniforms, they ran to us and hugged us FOR WINNING THE WAR (in Europe)! Tables of food and drink and music filled the street (this block was roped-off) and they invited us to help ourselves to the Italian goodies. But we declined. It was almost midnight. Still they begged us to stay. Finally one WAVE said we had to leave for she needed to go to the bathroom! A dear lovely lady invited her to her own house for that purpose. We all three went, of course (for we had promised to stick together). The modest house was clean and lovely, with patriotism everywhere. We apologized for using the beautiful (hand-embroidered) guest towels. Our hostess said she'd be thrilled to show them off (and tell who had used them). We soon got away after hugs all around again. Once we were out of their sight, we high-tailed it back to the barracks. It was four minutes till midnight. The most important part of this story is the patriotism these Italians expressed for our country (and theirs).