his dedication is to my father, who served in WW II as a Supply Sergeant in two locations: first, in the Aleutian Islands and then later in Paris (Le Bourget Airport). My dad was in law school @ the University of Toledo, in Ohio when he signed up early for the war effort on: Aug. 4, 1941. My dad told few stories about his wartime experiences. However, while in Dutch Harbor, Aleutians, he said if you spit it froze to ice before it hit the ground. He also shared another experience he had during his time in the Aleutians ~ One day his unit got a coded message saying that the Japanese were going to bomb their area! He said the Tule fog rolled in and they weren't bombed. And later in Paris at the airfield a message was received from General George Patton saying the Nazi's were coming back to Paris and no help was on its way. Luckily in both instances the messages didn't turn out to materialize. For future generations reading this message: I want to emphasize that according to many people who knew my dad before the war and then again after he came back, they said “he was never the same”. Upon my dad’s return from the war he tried to finish law school @ Ohio State University; however, he was too distracted to focus and dropped out. By then he was married to my mom, June Vesta McElroy, nee Favors and my older sister, Michelle Lynn was already born. My mother always said those early days, upon my dad’s return from the war were difficult. She said she would wake up in the middle of the night and find my dad trying to crawl up the bedroom wall. He was obviously suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In the mid-1965’s my dad started having war flashbacks. He went to see a psychiatrist, who told him he needed to revisit the places that were haunting him. So, we went to Europe for the summer of 65’ and spent time in Paris. At the time, my sister, Paula Janet Jonsson, nee McElroy and I were not told about my dad’s mission. My parents would get up early and travel around Paris, mostly around the outskirts, near Le Bourget Airfield chasing his nightmarish dreams. We were staying in a hotel just off the Champs Elysées and we’re instructed not to cross any streets if we went out, before their return. Being teenagers we usually slept-in, had breakfast and then we’d walk around to the back of the large city block and slip into a courtyard where children were playing. We somehow communicated that we needed to leave by noon to meet our parents. At noon, someone would show us the time and we would return to the hotel to join our parents and tour the sights of Paris. Until many years later, we never knew about my father’s Paris mission. My dad spoke fluent French and although my Dad taught us many things, I regret he never taught us French! My dad was always a good provider for his loving family. I mention his difficulties to illustrate that war is to be avoided in almost all circumstances. In my opinion the wars’ that could not be avoided were; the Revolutionary War, Civil War, WW I and WW II. I close by saying that those who serve and served in the military deserve the highest level of respect and praise. Karla Jeanne McElroy ~ Memorial Day 2020.