Eight year ago Veterans' Day memories

Salute to a sailor on veterans' Day, Susan and I with my Uncle Mike in LaFonda, Santa Fe, early 2000s. --Leith Laws photo

Some days seem unsettled, at first for no apparent reason, even on a pleasant, peaceful back porch day like this.

 Friends' Facebook posts have begun showing up, mentioning Veterans' Day tomorrow and featuring old photos of loved ones, parents and ancestors who served in the military.

Though I'm not a veteran, I come from a long line of veterans who served four countries in North America: the armies of the 13 colonies before there was a United States, the Republic of Texas, the Confederate States of America, and  obviously, the United States of America.

Most recently of course, my favorite veteran is my oldest son Vance Clark, retired after a career with the Air Force.

But what got me to thinking, and why I realized I felt unsettled, was that eight years ago today, I spoke at the funeral of my favorite uncle, Michael Henry Clark, at the National Cemetery in Santa Fe.

I've written about him many times over the years, and won't rehash that, but he and all the other veterans deserve a salute and a "Thank you." 

Thus this brief writing, and remembrance, and bringing peace, even with some sadness, but more with price and thankfulness to what had been an unsettled day.

A favorite photo, above, he and Susan and I at the bar in La Fonda from a few years ago is on a shelf in my office/studio room.

If you care to read my comments at his funeral on that day eight years ago, on that sailor's final port of call, here are two links:

• A sailor's final port of call
• Reflections on a final port of call

Saludos, mi tio. Gracias.

And, also to M/Sgt. Vance Clark, USAF Ret. (Photo from his retirement ceremony)

My heritage of veterans in three countries

Do you have favorite veterans in your family, in your life?
I started out to write simply about my two favorite veterans, but the more I thought, and looked at photos and memories, the harder and more emotional it became. 
I come from a long heritage of veterans from three countries. 

My favorite veteran, M/Sgt. Vance Clark, USAF

Two years ago I sat in the Albuquerque airport, sketching the Manzano mountains, a day after burying my favorite uncle and one of my favorite veterans, Mike, in the Santa Fe National Cemetery. Search this blog for veterans or Mike, and you'll find numerous posts over the past few years.
But he's not my favorite of course. First-born son, M/Sgt. Vance C. Clark, USAF, holds that rank. There's no way I can put in words how proud I am of him, of his patriotism and loyalty.

And I have known many veterans as other relatives and friends in my life, including many former students. If I try to list them all, I'll leave some out, but they have been blessings to me, not necessarily for their service, but for just who they are. But some have to be mentioned, and every time I think of one, another name comes up. 
Stop and think about how entwined veterans lives are with this country, with our lives. I won't use the overused word "hero" to describe them, because most would decline the term. But it is appropriate to honor them today and tomorrow for what they mean to all of us, in so many ways.

Cdr. Steve Curry, USN

I'd have to add Col. Charles Fleming, USMC, who was a colleague at OSU, and helped me earn my doctoral degree. He's since paid the price for Agent Orange, but I so remember having to celebrate the Marines birthday every year. 
I've been blessed with many former students who were veterans. They are more mature and focused on their studies that most students. They don't gloat nor wave the flag, and in fact, if the enrollment sheet didn't specify "veteran," you wouldn't know it in most cases.
 Near the top would be Commander Steve Curry, US Navy, a former student who has remained a good friend, and two years ago booked me on the USS Abe Lincoln for a Tiger Cruise. More recently there has been Andy Jensen, who shares Ray Bradbury and a love of reading and writing. There have been many more. 

Petty Officer 2 Mike Clark, Grandmother, Dad

Uncle Mike was my Dad's favorite brother, hence my middle name.  But two other brothers served, Rex and Champ in the US Army. Dad didn't serve of course, having lost his leg jumping a freight train in 1932, but he spent much of his life drawing portraits of veterans.
I know from genealogy work from Vance, Dad, and my aunt Vera "Sissie" Culp that my ancestors served in The Revolution, War of 1812, Mexican War and Spanish American War. Not sure of WWI.

CSA grave, Vicksburg

And I can't conclude without honoring those ancestors of mine who served in two other countries, the Republic of Texas, and the Confederate States of America.
They're in my blood.
It's little wonder that I am drawn to the POW/MIA flags, and to the veterans' gravestones in cemeteries, or my affection for wandering down the ranks of graves in national cemeteries, whether at Santa Fe, Arlington, Gettysburg, Vicksburg, Fort Smith, and elsewhere.
Join me and snap a salute to your veterans, past, present, and for the future.

First day of school duty

Final port of call, Santa Fe

Eternal duty, Vicksburg National Cemetery

A soldier's rest--Memorial Day, and a rose

The unusual gravestone stands out among all the rest of the uniformed stones at Santa Fe National Cemetery. My uncle Mike told me about year a few years ago, before he was also buried there Nov. 10, 2011.
Prone to wander cemeteries and emotionally involved with military cemeteries--both National and Confederate, I've wandered many, and written about them--Santa Fe, Fort Smith, Gettysburg, Vicksburg, Manassas. Just search this blog for Memorial Day and you'll see.
I've photographed it in spring, when covered with snow. He's leaning against a tree, hat in hand, as if  wounded, dying. Once, there was even a rose draped across the soldier's lap.  New Mexicans don't forget their veterans..

The inscription is intriguing as well. Pvt. Dennis O'Leary died April 1, 1901, at age 28, 9 months. 
 Here's what the Santa Fe National Cemetery records tell: "A few private headstones are in the cemetery. The most unique marker is a sandstone statue over the grave of Private Dennis O’Leary. O’Leary died on April 1, 1901, at the remote Fort Wingate in northwest New Mexico. Originally interred at the fort’s post cemetery, his remains and marker were transferred to Santa Fe National Cemetery in 1911.  Local legend claims that the bored O’Leary carved the statue with the date of his death. On April 1, he committed suicide, leaving a note directing that the marker be placed over his grave. Military records contradict the story, citing tuberculosis as the cause of death, thus leaving the statue and the private’s death a mystery today."