While at the VA hospital the other day, I met an elderly man who was looking for his car. Since I knew where the parking areas were, I volunteered to help him in his quest. As we walked along I noticed he was wearing a ball cap that said simply, "WW II Vet." This was no surprise, since most of the older men and women being seen at the VA were from that (and the Korean War) era. What surprised me was the cowboy-style belt buckle with the polished U.S. Marine Corps emblem in the center - an eagle, globe, and anchor proudly displayed for any and all to see.
I quickly asked him, "I notice you are a former Marine. When and where did you serve?"
I thought I had gravely hurt him when he began to answer tearfully, "I was on Iwo Jima."
