my father was a forward artillery observer in the 88th inf in italy in WW2, and while he took me hunting many times, he RARELY did, example, we used to dove hunt around a stock pond, and sure, he took his shotgun, but, while i hunted, he had 2 fishing lines going, and usually caught more catfish than i killed doves lol, and took me deer hunting every year, and could gut/clean a deer faster than any man i have ever seen, but i never saw him kill a deer - he never talked about the war (except funny stuff) to me untill the last 3 or 4 yrs of his life, and he told me that hunting never held the allure it had before, he always wanted me to be able to experience it if i wanted, but he just didnt enjoy it anymore, would hunt if he needed to eat of course, but not for fun/sport anymore- - he told me a lot of stories about the war (bad ones) but only in the last few yrs....when he passed away i wrote the obituary, mentioning he was in WW2, FO, 88th in italy, etc and most of my friends told me they didnt know he had been in the war, this is after countless hunting/camping trips, he was one of those rare father who takes a whole passel of kids out every weekend hunting/fishing, literally, we went almost every weekend , a helluva role model imho
2 days before he passed, he told me not to worry, he'd had one helluva life, and had resigned himself to the fact that he probably wouldnt live thru the war, so all those yrs he had between WW2 and '93 were a bonus, which at one time he never expected to have, and he had tried to live them, every day, to the fullest - made me cry, not him - a few yrs before he died i got all his medals from the Dept of Army ( a helluva feat initself) and an old 88th inf patch, and put it on like a picture frame, w/sgts stripes, artillery badge, all medals, etc and gave it to him for his birthday, almost saw a tear in his eye that day though
he was a helluva man
sifu
