Smart Veteran Too

With gratitude for those who have served in our military and for others called to serve at home to support war efforts, I recall my writing on Veterans Day 2016.  The post honors our veterans and brings back memories of a patriotic neighbor who gave Kay and me advice for raising our five children:

My “Smart Philosophy Too” post on 24 September 2014, added more about a colorful character in our young family's life: Rowland Smart, our East Mill Creek pioneer “blogger.”  Veterans Day brings back fond memories of "Rowley" and other super heroes, both living and dead.  A short lunch break will do here.

“Rowley was nearly 90 years old, a WWII (Europe) and Korean War veteran, good Christian ... frequently shared his sage advice ... [and] personal experiences – true (we believed) stories from his amazing life.  I still have them in Grandfather’s file cabinet (my OCH)” – built strong like a tank.

Now in 2016, again I found in that WWII-standard cabinet the interesting message Rowley wrote and shared with neighbors on 29 October 1991, from which I posted excerpts 28 May 2012, titled: 
"Camp Davis North Carolina"

“During the fall and winter of 1943-44 when I was assigned in the 247^th Radar and Searchlight Battalion, our outfit was Camp Davis North Carolina.  This camp was an anti-aircraft training center for training officers for the U.S. Army.  It was known then as Officers Candidate School.  That is why they called these officers O.C.S.  They were nicknamed “90-Day Wonders” because the training was for 90 days and if they passed the training, they became 2nd Lieutenant.  I can say one thing: it was real tough and hard doing 90 days of training, both mentally and physically.  They really earned their gold bars as 2nd Lueys, I used to say to myself.  …  I was the communications Sargent [sergeant] in our outfit.  I saw to it that they never made any mistakes that were assigned to Comm. Officers.  …  When we left Camp Davis, we went to Camp Stewart Georgia, and then to Camp Gordon for advanced infantry training, and from there to Germany to combat as foot soldiers.  That was the end of my anti-aircraft life and training.  …”

I thank Rowland Smart and all veterans for their remarkable, courageous service to our country.  May God bless them and the United States of America!
For freedom!

a year ago with Sister Cannon at Meadow Brook
Michigan, 10 November 2017

military memorial at Antelope Island State Park

near our former frontier home in Utah