[5th MEB]

My Father never considered himself any kind of hero, he said he was just a Soldier who did his job.
From Normandy, to the Bulge, to Linz Austria.
Liberated a few Concentration camps along the way, and couldn’t wait to get back home.
After he died I wrote to the Army and got a copy of his Unit Diary.
The things that were written in there scared the crap out of me.
And that was long after I spent 5 years in the Marine Corps, 68 to 72.

MY FATHER ALWAYS HAS BEEN AND ALWAYS WILL BE, MY HERO.

[niteowl77]

My Father never considered himself any kind of hero, he said he was just a Soldier who did his job.

Looking back, I don't think any of the men - not just my uncles, but other adult males who had seen the elephant - ever wanted to be referred to as a hero. I particularly remember one of them laughing and drawing out the word "no" in a most self-deprecating way when the word "hero" was used.

I didn't want to take anything way from GHWB, but he was hardly unique.