GaryOsberg.com

Dad served in the Pacific during World War II.  Like a lot of veterans, he did not talk about it very much.  After he died I found a book that he had written some notes in, beginning with, “I have a closet full of regrets”.  It was an unusual collection of thoughts, ending with a reference to December 13, 1983, the day that he finally decided to quit drinking.  On that final page he also noted, “I am no big believer that battle fatigue is the cause of my drinking, but there were the 2 ½ months at Okinawa that I do not care to talk about.  It was so unreal”.  The battle of Okinawa proved to be the bloodiest battle of the Pacific War.  A total of 219,000 persons lost their lives in that one battle.  12,000 of our troops died and 36,000 were wounded.

In 1998 I had a chance to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.  I was able to find the name of the one young man from Upsala that died in that war.

Now, you can visit the half-size replica of the wall at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery near Little Falls.  It will be on display from today through Monday the 27^th. Tomorrow at 2 PM there will be a special program “honoring military men and women who have served our great country with honor and dignity”.  The location is 15550 Highway 115, Little Falls, MN 56345.  For more information go to www.themovingwall.org

The show this week is live from the Chapman Theater in Tulsa, Oklahoma with special guests, hot jazz, western swingers, The Hot Club of Cowtown and legendary blues roller Elvin Bishop along with the usual cast of characters.  Enjoy the show.

“Reason and calm judgment are the qualities of a leader”.  Tacitus