Today would have marked Dad's 88th birthday. This evening, about a half-hour before midnight Eastern Time, would be the second anniversary of his passing.
I was not able to be there when he died. My younger sister Tracy called me from his bedside in New York when he left us. I remember.
The research into his time of service in post-war China continues. I wish I could spend more time on the book. The more I learn the more complicated and multidimensional the events of 1945-1947 become.
There are a few of you who have shared with me your own stories about having a China Marine as a father or grandfather. Keep them coming! I am sure there are many more of us out there across the USA and elsewhere in the world.
I also hope that more of you from Northeastern China will share your stories of what life was like. Dad had some colorful stories of those days. It wasn't all geopolitics or military strategies. I admit to being very curious about what daily life was like in Beijing and Tianjin. How did people get by? How did they endure?
There is a good possibility that by the end of the year I will be visiting China. It was my father's wish that I go to the old places he lived and frequented daily with his fellow Marines and Chinese friends, to savor the experience and record it all. When Dad was there he recalled it as a magical time, and I expect it will be for me, too!
So, to my father up in Heaven, here's to wishing you a Happy Birthday and a well-deserved rest in peace. Semper Fi!
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