Today is my Dad's 64th birthday. He makes 64 look pretty darned good. Dad is an Army veteran who served 22 years for this country. He flew chinook helicopters for the Army and served two tours of duty in Vietnam -- for you Libs, that's TWO YEARS not 4 months. I left home not too awfully long after he retired so that's the career I remember most.
I think back to when I was younger... we butted heads constantly. I knew I was in big trouble when he whipped out the curse words -- he NEVER swore in front of women and children. Even after two years in Vietnam and 22 years in the Army. I have always thought that an amazing accomplishment, especially in this day and age! He wasn't the easiest Dad to get along with back then. However, as I grew older, I began to understand that "easy" is such a relative term. My childhood, even with two years of Dad off to war and our constant battles on the homefront, was easy and secure compared with his. Dad didn't have much that you would consider "easy" in his childhood and then later, there wasn't anything "easy" about his struggle with memories from the war and struggles to adapt to civilian life.
I vividly recall a story that Dad told me from one of his tours in Vietnam. Bear with me here and you'll understand the relevance to his birthday... He was on the flight roster as co-pilot for an early morning flight while in-country. He said that normally someone would come to wake him in time for a flight but that morning no one woke him. He was a bit upset when he woke up thinking he'd missed his flight. When he double-checked the flight roster, he found that a pilot named AJ Bottom had substituted himself on that flight -- he had crossed out Dad's name and substituted his own as co-pilot. Evidently he and the pilot were friends and he wanted to fly with his buddy. That particular flight never made it back. They found the cockpit of the chinook, with the pilots still strapped in, partly submerged in a rice paddy. Thanks to AJ Bottom's seemingly simple substitution, my Dad came home from the war. I'm sure AJ never realized he was going to give his life that day; I'm sure his family wished he hadn't. When I visited the Vietnam Memorial Wall, I found CW2 Bottom's name on Panel 14E, Line 31. I thanked him and his family for their sacrifice. I don't think I've ever mentioned that to Dad. I'm sure it would be a bit upsetting for him. Nonetheless, every year on Dad's birthday, I hug him tight and say "Happy Birthday" and silently thank AJ Bottom for allowing us to celebrate another year of having Dad in our lives.
I am so very glad that he and Mom are retired and living back here in Louisville. I get to see him take life easy and enjoy his family for the first time in years and years... heck, maybe for the first time ever. He and my Mom are still happily married and manage to laugh about the way they annoy each other. I'm happy to have inherited that sense of humor and hope one day to have a marriage that looks like theirs by the time I retire. As you can probably tell, I am very proud of my Dad's service to this country and of the kind of Dad he is and the values he instilled in me -- patriotism, humor, and perserverance.
I think back to when I was younger... we butted heads constantly. I knew I was in big trouble when he whipped out the curse words -- he NEVER swore in front of women and children. Even after two years in Vietnam and 22 years in the Army. I have always thought that an amazing accomplishment, especially in this day and age! He wasn't the easiest Dad to get along with back then. However, as I grew older, I began to understand that "easy" is such a relative term. My childhood, even with two years of Dad off to war and our constant battles on the homefront, was easy and secure compared with his. Dad didn't have much that you would consider "easy" in his childhood and then later, there wasn't anything "easy" about his struggle with memories from the war and struggles to adapt to civilian life.
I vividly recall a story that Dad told me from one of his tours in Vietnam. Bear with me here and you'll understand the relevance to his birthday... He was on the flight roster as co-pilot for an early morning flight while in-country. He said that normally someone would come to wake him in time for a flight but that morning no one woke him. He was a bit upset when he woke up thinking he'd missed his flight. When he double-checked the flight roster, he found that a pilot named AJ Bottom had substituted himself on that flight -- he had crossed out Dad's name and substituted his own as co-pilot. Evidently he and the pilot were friends and he wanted to fly with his buddy. That particular flight never made it back. They found the cockpit of the chinook, with the pilots still strapped in, partly submerged in a rice paddy. Thanks to AJ Bottom's seemingly simple substitution, my Dad came home from the war. I'm sure AJ never realized he was going to give his life that day; I'm sure his family wished he hadn't. When I visited the Vietnam Memorial Wall, I found CW2 Bottom's name on Panel 14E, Line 31. I thanked him and his family for their sacrifice. I don't think I've ever mentioned that to Dad. I'm sure it would be a bit upsetting for him. Nonetheless, every year on Dad's birthday, I hug him tight and say "Happy Birthday" and silently thank AJ Bottom for allowing us to celebrate another year of having Dad in our lives.
I am so very glad that he and Mom are retired and living back here in Louisville. I get to see him take life easy and enjoy his family for the first time in years and years... heck, maybe for the first time ever. He and my Mom are still happily married and manage to laugh about the way they annoy each other. I'm happy to have inherited that sense of humor and hope one day to have a marriage that looks like theirs by the time I retire. As you can probably tell, I am very proud of my Dad's service to this country and of the kind of Dad he is and the values he instilled in me -- patriotism, humor, and perserverance.
Thanks, Dad, for all you are.
Happy 64th Birthday!!
Comments
I was very touch by your words. AJ Bottom is my fiancé’s grandfather. Within the last year my fiancé found a webpage stating this was how AJ ended up on that flight. We always thought he had been assigned that flight. Thank you for keeping AJ in your thought. We never met him, as my fiancé’s mom had just turned 6 when AJ passed, but he remains a huge part of our lives. Again thank you!
Truely yours,
Heidi