the men who served their country in my family are not “losers” or “suckers”, mr. president.

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Our late father did not serve in wartime but he did honorably serve his country between Korea and Vietnam. He was an officer in the US Navy. This photo unless I am mistaken is from Okinawa which was a place he was posted. He wasn’t a “loser” or a “sucker” for doing so.

My Uncle Jack served in the US Navy during wartime in World War II. He also served his country honorably. He wasn’t a “loser” or a “sucker”.

My maternal grandfather, my Poppy, served in the US Naval Reserve in Philadelphia during World War I. He did not see active duty during wartime, but he served as his country asked. He wasn’t a “loser” or a “sucker” either. He also was registered as his country asked during World War II.

I even have seen thanks to Ancestry.com my paternal grandfather’s registration for World War II although he wasn’t called up.

My lovely father in law is a World War II veteran. He served with honor in the US Army.

I don’t have any ancestors or relatives that I am aware of who were extraordinary men except to their families who loved them. They weren’t super soldiers or anything like that but they served as they were asked. None of these men were “losers” or “suckers”.

There are many more who served in the US Military throughout time in my family. The ones I mention are just the ones who came to mind first.

So imagine how I feel about how our current United States President categorizes members of the armed forces?

See:

The Atlantic: Trump: Americans Who Died in War Are ‘Losers’ and ‘Suckers’. JEFFREY GOLDBERG SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

The Guardian: US veterans and soldiers divided over Trump calling war dead ‘suckers’
Some service members expressed skepticism after bombshell report prompted an outpouring of condemnation. By Edward Helmore. Mon 7 Sep 2020 15.38 EDT

Now Trump denies all of this (of course.)

But this horse is very much out of the barn. And it’s ugly. Especially coming from someone who never has served anyone except himself first. He umm avoided the draft a few times as a matter of fact. Four times. So he wants to describe deceased US Military as what now?

I have a dear friend who served in the United States Marine Corps fighting for his life dealing with kidney cancer. So is the President calling him names too?

Sorry not sorry this is a very big deal. Words matter. Respect for those who served matters.

2 thoughts on “the men who served their country in my family are not “losers” or “suckers”, mr. president.”

  1. Agreed! My dear departed father-in-law lost three inches off his leg in Normandy. He was “one of the lucky ones”. A gentler, kinder man would be hard to find. He wasn’t a loser or a sucker either. Thanks for posting.

  2. Based on the uniform pictured, it looks like your Uncle Jack may have attended one of the maritime schools or perhaps even the U. S. Merchant Marine Academy in New York.There were two in the early years of WWII. They were called Merchant Marine Cadet Schools and were located in Pass Christian Mississippi and San Mateo California.

    After several years of temporary facilities, Congress appropriated funds in 1942 for the purchase of the former Chrysler estate for an Academy at Kings Point, Long Island, New York. It is one of five federal academies; the others being Annapolis, West Point, Coast Guard and the Air Force Academy.

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