I just lost a life-long friend. He joined the Navy during Korea, and did more than his fair share to fight for the freedom of the Korean people. I was there because I had to be. He was there because he truly believe that anywhere people are fighting for freedom, we (the US) should be there too. He was a member of the UDT. I didn't understand what a big deal that was until many years after I found-out. He mentioned it like it was nothing more important than stumping his toe. Yes, he was modest. After that, he was a law-enforcement officer here for over thirty years. He fought hard against bad cops, and I saw him help several people that needed help with fighting back. The "thin blue line" never existed for him. He even, much to the consternation of many local officers, ran for sheriff here about eight years ago. He spent much of the last 45 years of his life in pain. He had painful kidney stones, it seemed, almost weekly. He died from a degenerative brain disease that the doctors think was caused from decades of taking strong pain medication. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, two grandchildren, and hundreds that will miss him.
It's another good guy gone. I mean no offense to you "youn'ins," but at the rate we're losing good guys, like Steve-in-VA's father, how can the world become a better place?z