Richard is a man who looks the world in the eye. He’s a man who feels an extra heart tug when a flag goes by. He’s a man who steps a little faster when he hears the beat of a military band. He is a veteran.
He comes in all assorted sizes and shapes. He’s a big man, he’s a small man. He’s a short man. He’s a tall man. He is the Dough Boy of World War I. The GI of World War II. He’s the man who has seen Korean skies, fought the cold and uneasy battle of Berlin, and braved the uneasy booby traps of Vietnam. He is a veteran.
He is a sailor, soldier, marine. He is a flyer, Seabee, coast guard. He is artillery, infantry, medic, aviation, machinist mate, armor and ordnance. He is a veteran.
He has the quiet dignity of a man who knows the price of freedom. He has the clear eyes of a man who respects himself. He is courage living on Main Street. He is good citizenship with a smile on his face. He is a veteran.
He is a husband, a father and a friend .He is a Catholic, a Protestant, a Jew. He is rich and poor and in between. He is a veteran.
He is a man who loves peace because he knows the price tag of war. He’s a member of history’s most exclusive fraternity. He is a veteran.
He likes the majesty of America’s mountains, the tranquility of America’s valleys. He likes the bustle of America’s cities and the friendless of America’s main streets. He likes the sound of America’s children playing on America’s playgrounds. He likes to see the flag go by. He feels sad when he hears the sound of a bugler playing Taps. He is a veteran.
He is proud of his American past, alert to his American present, confident of America’s future. He likes the legends of America’s greats and all the patriots who marched through American history books.
He has bivouacked at Valley Forge, charged the hill at Gettysburg, stormed the sand at Guadalcanal, swarmed ashore at Omaha Beach, advanced on Pork Chop Hill, and fought in the bunkers in Southeast Asia, DaNang, and the Mekong Delta. He is a veteran.
In the very rear of his secret heart there’s always a tinge of sorrow a souvenir of sadness for lost and departed comrades. No matter how grey his temples grow or how many inches to his middle-aged waist, he always walks with distinct pride that isn’t given to lesser men. He’s America’s veteran with an honorable discharge. He is a first-class fighting man with a quiet walk and a sentimental grin. He is America’s most honorable citizen. He is a veteran.
Rest in peace my friend. Thank you for your service and sacrifice. We will never forget.
Nora and Gene Svatek
