We are so thankful for the men and women who have served our country and defended our freedom!
For Veterans Day, we asked veterans across Sagora communities to share their experiences with us, including the lessons they learned and their favorite memories from their time in the US Armed Forces. We’re so thankful for those who shared their experiences with us. Here are the stories from veterans at Elison Senior Living of Pinecrest:
Eugene K. served in the Army.
Richard H. served from 1945-1947.
Gil C. served in the Air Force.
Dick L. was in the Army from 1953-1955.
Bill J. was in the Navy from 1941-1945.
Walter H. was in the Marines.
John C. was in the Army.
Norb R. was in the Army.
Fisher T. was in the Air Force.
Bill C. was in the Air Force from 1958-1960.
Frank L. was in the Army.
Jack M. was an infantryman in the Army.
Delford M. was in the Army’s 47th Division playing in an infantry band.
Glenn P. was in the Coast Guard.
Leonard R. served in the Air Force from 1955-1975, working as a pilot and electrical engineer. He earned an engineering degree thanks to his service and played witness to atomic testing in the Pacific. “The largest was 35 kilotons,” he says. “It was very impressive. We were only 35 miles away.”
Richard C. served in the Air Force from 1953-1957 as an Air Policeman. He served in Korea from 1953-1954. His service shaped the rest of his life, because it helped guide him to a new career. “I did not want to become a policeman in civilian life,” he says.
William L. served from 1956-1977 in the Navy, with a short stint in the Army as well. He was a Lieutenant Commander, Supply Officer, gaining an officer commission after enlisting as a non-commissioned officer. He says he was deeply impacted by his service, learning to modify his lifestyle to fit the circumstances around him at any given time. He says that young people should consider the Navy and look at it as a way of life in which they can reap tremendous life-long benefits.
William W. served in the Army as a Radio Teletype Operator from 1962-1964. During his time in the service, he witnessed the Berlin Crisis, the Cuban Crisis and President Kennedy’s death.
Donald “Coach” M. played bass drummer in the US Marines Marching Band, serving from 1946-1948. HE also played quarterback for the base football team at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, earning the job after he proved his toughness by knocking down three of the team’s biggest players on his first day with the squad.
Price B. served in the Army from 1952-1954, playing the trombone. He was able to participate in national celebrations in the nation’s capital during his time in the Army.
Malcolm K. served from 1967-1971 as an electronic technician. He was stationed in Cuba, where he gained a broad understanding of electronics, he says.
Carl S. served in the Army from 1954-1956, working in an artillery unit that operated a 280 mm Atomic Cannon. He served with his father at Ft. Knox. Prior to his service, he worked in a physics lab thanks to a college degree in the subject. “I quickly found out the Army is a great equalizer,” he says. “No matter your background, you become uniform.”
Jack G. served in the Navy from 1957-1961, where he learned discipline and to always be happy.
Larry I. served in the Army from 1967-1969 in a recon unit. “I will never forget when we got word that Robert Kennedy was killed,” he says.
Joan T. served in the Woman’s Army Corps from 1953-1956, working as a swimming instructor. She met new friends and used the GI Bill to get a college education.
Thomas L. worked in the Air Force from 1955-1975, working as a security policeman. He learned to be very patient when waiting. While at Ubon Air Base, he met Bob Hope and passed him a message that the ambassador wanted to meet with him.
- Caito was a company commander in the Army from 1970-1972. He learned leadership skills and discipline.
Ronald S. was in the Air Force from 1959-1982, serving in communications and electronics. “It made me appreciate the freedom and bounty available in the USA and nowhere else in the world,” he says.
Dennis K. served in the Coast Guard from 1958-1970, working in Port Security. He played trombone in the band alongside his brother, who played French horn.
Lee R. served in the Army from 1944-1948. He enrolled in a training program that helped him get an engineering education, later graduating from Cornell.
Bob W. served in the Navy from 1957-1959, serving at the Pentagon as a cryptology watch officer. He met his future wife in Washington DC.
Murph B. served in the Army from 1956-1957, working in virology. He met his wife while serving. “I gained a strong desire for peace in the world,” he says. “I prayed that the virus would never be used.”
Floyd “Dutch” B. served in the Navy from 1951-1959, working as a cook. “All young people should think about some time in the service of their country,” he says.
John E. served in the Coast Guard aboard a cutter in Boston. His service took him to Bermuda.
Dean B. served in the Army, issuing ID cards to military-dependent family members. He says he learned discipline during his time in the service.
Chris S. served in the Coast Guard, working in a variety of roles. He enjoyed serving on an icebreaker in Antarctica and working as a Public Affairs Officer. He was a part of the 1996 Olympic Weather Support team.
Jennifer N. served in the Army as a field combat medic from 1996-2000. “I became stronger mentality and more able to handle adversity,” she says.
Joseph M. served in the Navy during World War II aboard PT Boats. “The service helped me reach 96 years and to look forward to more,” he says.
Bob M. served in the Air Force from 1951-1955, working as an engine machine mechanic. “I changed from a boy to a man,” he says.
Niles L. served in the Army as a radio operator from 1951-1953. He learned cooperation and says he wishes he considered the Army as a career.
Richard S. served in the Army during the Korean War. He was a buyer for meat products that would feed all branches of the military. “It laid a foundation for me,” he says. “I learned every facet of production, shipping and warehousing in the service.”