Dad was 18 in 1942 when the dress blues picture was taken. He's about 19 or 20 in the picture taken in New Zealand. Lot of growing up in a hurry.

Dad was such a good looking guy and so open and friendly that in his younger days girls would swarm around him like he was some kind of celebrity. Drove my mother nuts.

He was so terribly wounded in the war that he spent a year and a half in a body cast. Nearly every bone in his body had been broken after the Japanese had blown him out of his fighting position. If he hadn't been a basketball star in high school and a Marine as well he wouldn't have had the physical stamina to survive. He was 6' 0" and 192 llbs when he went into the body cast - he was 5' 10" and 130 llbs when he came out of it. Doctors told him he'd never walk again - he did and within months. Doctors told him he'd never have children - he had five. And Doctors told him he wouldn't live to see 50 - he died at 71 though he was in and out of hospitals for decades. My grandfather lived to be 98 and passed away within years of his son. To me and my family my dad was among the last casualties of WWII. If not for that, he'd be here still.

He was 6' 0" and 192 llbs when he went into the body cast - he was 5' 10" and 130 llbs when he came out of it. Doctors told him he'd never walk again - he did and within months. Doctors told him he'd never have children - he had five. And Doctors told him he wouldn't live to see 50 - he died at 71 though he was in and out of hospitals for decades. My grandfather lived to be 98 and passed away within years of his son. To me and my family my dad was among the last casualties of WWII. If not for that, he'd be here still.

It shows never let anyone tell you what you can't do.

Your father is as hard core as people come. Oorah and I hope he is resting in peace.

Originally Posted by AussieNick

It shows never let anyone tell you what you can't do.

Agreed. I can't imagine what it must have been like to suffer like that. Your dad is a credit to you and the legacy of the US Marines in general.

I thank you all for your kind thoughts. Dad certainly deserved them. He left me a tremendous legacy both in actions and in words. Each time in life I have hit a hurdle and been tested if I had the mettle to strive further I thought of my old man and what he went through and that he overcame it. But as dearly valuable as that lesson was I treasure his words of wisdom most. There were many, but these were the best of all:

"You come into this life with nothing and you leave with nothing. The only thing that matters whether you were here at all is the impact you have on the lives of other people."

"There are only two things in life that you can absolutely depend on 100% of the time. What you can do with your hands and what you can do with your head."

Great looking and brave guy, your dad is. His quotes are awesome.

I wish my dad was as cool as yours!

I wish I had known your father, Charge. But when he was like in his 50's, or he'd have stolen me all the girls.

Wow what a studmuffin!

Sound like your dad is a true marine. If he still alive, I would salute him when I'm wearing my JROTC uniform.