WWII Vet Tours USS Anchorage
[Editor’s Note: Through the magic of Facebook, I learned that my friend Peggy Wilcox’s dad was a World War II vet, and was going to go on a tour of the USS Anchorage before it headed out to sea. My dad was a WWII veteran as well, and I found myself imagining what it would have been like to tour the ship with him. I asked Peggy if she’d be kind enough to write a little something about her dad, and the day.]
By Peggy Wilcox
My dad is pretty cool. We hang out. He tells me to buy gold, I ignore him. He bought me a shotgun, I use it and share the spoils with him. We plant potatoes in the spring and harvest them in the fall. My dad is 92, he raised 8 kids and has a passel of grand and great grand children. He has seen the birth of radio, television, and the internet in his lifetime. I hope that we can get all the way to teleportation before he leaves, because I just want to watch his mind get blown.
My dad can be chatty. But there are about 4 years of his life that never seem to come up, and they are the years that span the time when he went from Hawaii, to the Philippines, to Japan as an officer on an LST. When PBS ran the series “The War In the Pacific,” we watched parts of it together, and he didn’t really talk too much, other than to occasionally say, “I was there.”
Where he was, was horrific – ship wrecks, and sharks, and kamikazis, and typhoons, and flame throwers, and nuclear bombs. There are things that only service men and women will ever understand, and I thank them for keeping what they know to themselves. Its a curtain I don’t want or need to ever see behind.
Yesterday I was lucky enough to be in my WWII vet dad’s entourage for a tour of the USS Anchorage. And the thing is – those men and women on the ship saw him, and understood all of the things that he and I don’t talk about. It was distilled respect, and it was powerful. They understood him in a way that I never will, and I am just appreciative that I got to witness it.
Capt. Brian Quin greets Donald Wilcox
I’d like to thank Senator Begich and his fantastic staff for making it happen; Captain Quin, who greeted my father when we arrived; Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Friel who gave him a wonderful personal tour, all of the service men and women on that boat, and, well, pretty much everyone who has ever served.
Donald Wilcox and Lt. Col. Kevin aboard the USS Anchorage
Thanks for sharing this. My FIL too was a WWII vet and I can only imagine how much he would have loved to tour this ship. He passed away less than a year ago, just shy of his 92 year birthday. His mind still sharp for the most part and his body mostly enjoying life. He would have SO enjoyed this and in Anchorage for sure!
This means a lot to you but also to many of us knowing it was shared.
As the child of Korean War vets I so appreciate all that those before have given and all that those in our service do now. VERY thankful!
“…those men and women on the ship saw him, and understood all of the things that he and I don’t talk about. It was distilled respect, and it was powerful. They understood him in a way that I never will, and I am just appreciative that I got to witness it.”
Peggy — thank you, thank you, thank you! for putting into words what I’ve been feeling for over a year, now, but just couldn’t articulate. You nailed it! When I looked out at all the current and former military men and women at my late DH’s Memorial Service, That is what I saw…”distilled respect.” Seeing it on their faces did my heart a world of good and comforted me in a way I didn’t know I needed, but I truly couldn’t find the words to express exactly what “it” was; now I have. May I borrow them from you? Again, thank you. beth.
Beth, I would be honored if you used my words. Tremendously honored. -Peggy
Thanks! beth.
This was a great read. Thank you!
Beautifully written tribute to your father and the other members of “The Greatest Generation.” Would that our present leaders? and all the rw chickenhawks be forced to observe the horrors that their decisions create to maybe ensure we have no more war! Just a thought.
Mike, my dad, a WWII vet, said the same thing when “W” was threatening to invade Iraq.