Two Veterans on Veterans Day

CR Isleib with his engineer corps in Wales, 1944

LUCY BURDETTE: World War 2 began when my father was in college. He wanted nothing more than to join the military and fight for what he thought was right. He left college in the middle of his four years to enlist, and spent his time in the army in an Army engineer corps that arrived in Europe shortly following D-Day. He bonded so powerfully with the men in his platoon, that I sometimes wonder if anything coming after that experience felt quite as meaningful. I thought it would be interesting to ask two of my favorite veterans, my husband John and brother Doug, some questions about military service and war and the meaning of Veterans Day.

 Tell us a bit about your service, how you came to be in the military and how you think it might have shaped your life since.

 DOUG ISLEIB: I served in the Marine Corps for 28 years, the first 20 as a pilot, primarily helicopters, and the last 8 managing Marine aviation acquisition programs. You’re right about our Dad’s pride in his Army service – he definitely was the driving force getting me to join the military, and specifically to apply to the Naval Academy, I’m pretty sure I  would not have thought of it on my own! I loved being a Marine, (still do - the old once a Marine, always a Marine thing) and I loved flying. I had some interesting assignments, including being a flight instructor for fledgling Navy and Marine aviators, and serving as a Presidential Helicopter pilot for Presidents Reagan and Bush.  

My favorite tours though, were being a Huey pilot and Marine officer in Marine Light/Attack helicopter squadrons. It’s a little hard to put into words without sounding pretentious, but the joy and challenge and pride in serving with a squadron of Marines, all unbelievably patriotic, mission-focused, self sacrificing and team oriented was an absolute privilege. 

My time in the Marine Corps certainly did shape my life after retiring, both in the way I think and act and believe, and also the career opportunities to manage and support Marine aviation helicopter programs.  I felt so lucky to manage the development, test and acquisition of the replacement aircraft for my beloved Huey!

 JOHN BRADY: Thanks for asking, Lucy. Let me start by saying that this is a great day to honor all of those who have served to defend our country. I served, but mine was nothing compared to those who made greater sacrifices. (Pic to the right is John's dad Bud in his whites.)

I was in college in the late 60s and the Vietnam war was raging. So I went into Army ROTC, thinking at least if I had to go in I would be an officer, or maybe the war would be over before I graduated. Unfortunately it wasn’t. I entered active duty in the Signal Corps at Fort Gordon, GA. One day a clerk called me up and congratulated me on the orders sending me to Vietnam. I was desolate and considered going to Canada, because I thought the war was a terrible mistake, a  judgement I think history has confirmed. Fortunately I was an administrator there and was never in any direct danger. My little joke is that if people ask what I did there I tell them that I commanded an LSD. I respond to their quizzical look by explaining that LSD stands for Large Steel Desk. 

I learned a lot from the experience, maturing and becoming more responsible. I was exposed to people from all kinds of backgrounds, which helped to expand my view of the world. My tour actually included some great adventures, and afterwards I went to graduate school for international management. So the experience was life changing. That is one reason I am a proponent of universal service, as I think a year of service should be required  of every 18 year old —military, teaching, or some type of community service. 

 LUCY: The war that many of us are watching closely is the terrible conflict in Ukraine. This makes me wonder: How would I possibly have the courage to serve my country the way those Ukrainians are? Possibly because they are fighting for their own country on their own soil, there seems less choice. There is no question about whether it’s right to defend their people, it’s either serve or watch the country get overrun by the Russians. I wonder what your thoughts are as you watch the Ukrainian conflict?

 DOUG: I truly believe what you read over and over again in books written by folks who have served in combat, that while love of country and pride in service are strong motivators, and effective training is extremely important, in combat the single strongest motivator is to not let down your brothers and sisters fighting alongside you. Magnified many times over, the Ukranians fighting for their homeland have created an esprit and force that the Russians greatly underestimated.

 JOHN: Your second question is timely. The Ukrainian war is an example to me of a “good” war, at least from the Ukrainian point of view. Same for WWII.  My dad was on a Navy ship in the Pacific. The kamikaze planes terrified him, but he was proud to serve. Defending your country from an invasion is pretty concrete, ya gotta do it.

 LUCY: These days, it seems like veterans and patriotism and love for our country have gotten all mixed up with the fractiousness of our politics. What would you hope for our country as we celebrate Veterans Day? 

 JOHN: Other wars are less clear cut. An impulsive decision can destroy millions of lives. Lately our track record hasn’t been so good. As citizens we need to elect leaders that will protect our country, but have the wisdom and self restraint not to get us into wars of adventure that destroy lives and end up in failure. Our servicemen and women are too precious to waste. 

 DOUG: On Veterans Day, I wish our country’s leaders and wannabe leaders truly take to heart the unbelievable sacrifices made by our nation’s warriors, and make service to our nation’s best interests their guiding light. 

How about you Reds? Questions for our visiting veterans or comments about your experiences?

Saluting Our Veterans

CR Isleib with his engineer corps in Wales, 1944

Lucy's husband John before Vietnam

LUCY BURDETTE: We were going to talk about the relative messiness of our desks today, when we realized we'd overlooked Veterans Day. So the smaller question of messy workplaces will come later this week, as today we remember and celebrate the veterans from our own lives-- and all the men and women who made sacrifices to serve our country.
I have a number of veterans in my family--my brother served in the Marines for 25 years, my father-in-law served in the Navy, my husband served in the Army during the Vietnam years, and my father served as an Army engineer in Europe during World War II. My dad stayed in touch with his Army Corps of Engineers right up until the year he died. I often think this experience was the most important of his life. He bonded fiercely with his fellow soldiers and was fiercely proud of his service to our country. For my father and all veterans, I salute you!

RHYS BOWEN: Remembrance Sunday is a big deal in England. Everyone buys a poppy to wear in their lapel. I remember going to the Cenotaph in Whitehall, standing on a cold, bleak, November day watching the parade and the queen laying her wreath on the tomb of the unknown soldier.... with tears running down my cheeks. Also watching the service at the Albert Hall the night before when poppies fall from the ceiling.

My father served in World War II and was in North Africa then in Palestine. He took part in El Alemein. And it's funny, Lucy, but in many ways it was a highlight of his life. The intense camaraderie in the face of such hardship and danger made men know they were alive and appreciate every little thing. All my uncles were also in the British forces during the war--army, air force and navy. I think that war was the last time we had a clear knowledge of good versus evil and evil had to be stopped. Since then all conflicts have been gray areas, haven't they?


SUSAN ELIA MACNEAL: My godfather, Al Dorr, served in the Vietnam War. He then continued in the Army Reserves, and was part of the force deployed to New York City after the events of September 11. I know I felt better with him there!  Also, my father and grandfather served in World War II. Hats off to all our veterans.

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: My father was in the Battle of the Bulge. You have to imagine it--there he was, a bookish, musical, thoughtful 18 year old--he and high school classmate Kurt Vonnegut were captured by the Germans and taken to a prison camp. I say "taken"-- in reality, they were marched through the snow. Dad got a Purple Heart, and will not discuss it. Not a word about any of it. For years, all I knew what that he and Vonnegut would trade their cigarettes for writing paper.

 Several years ago we were in someone's house, in their library, and Dad saw a paperback edition of an Untermeyer poetry anthology. He pulled it from the shelf and said--this is just like the book of poetry I carried with me during the war.

I said-you carried a book of poetry? Why?

And he said--to remind me there is beauty in the world.

DEBORAH CROMBIE: Hank, what a wonderful story about your dad.

My father didn't serve in WWII.  He was already in his mid-thirties, with a business and a young child (my older brother.)  He was such a gentle, sensitive man that I can't imagine he would have survived it.

Both of my mother's brothers served.  The dashing Air Force pilot in the photo is my uncle Bill Dozier.  Neither he, nor my uncle Tom, who was in the Navy, ever talked about their war.

My husband's father, Paul Wilson, was an army doctor in Germany in the late fifties. He never saw battle but still served his country.

Reds, any special Veterans you'd like to tell us about today?