The theme for Corner View this week is "On My Wall."
I took a myriad of photos in several rooms of my home.
Then after downloading them, I chose the following.
In my bedroom beside the front window
and
next to the dresser set with all sorts of precious 'memories'
hangs the calendar of photos of my two year old Texan grandson.
My daughter made me one before this one.
I cherish these calendars designed out of love and gratefulness
for this precious "little man" God blessed her and her husband with.
Just glancing over at it and seeing his grin brightens up my day
and helps lighten any load I'm carrying.
This grandson reminds me in many ways of my father, "Big Roy"
who's been gone over four years.
In the dining room hangs a priceless photo.
It is of my father with a group of his buddies
right after they were freed from a German POW camp
by General Patton's troops.
Dad was captured during the Battle of the Bulge.
Framed with it is one of the three telegrams my mother received:
the first one telling her he was "missing in action,"
the second one telling her he was "a prisoner of war,"
and
the third one telling her "he had been released."
My Dad
My father is the sixth man from the left. He is in the right hand corner.
His name: Roy Milton Hilliard.
He lost a lot of weight. You can see his clothes are hanging on him
as they are on the others.
Dad wondered why we didn't put the POW telegram in.
I'm not sure how it was decided .
One of my brothers arranged for several of these to be made.
Dad is gone now, but one of these hung on a wall where he lived right up to his death.
Words cannot tell how much this means to me.
For more on Dad and his German POW story,
go here.
For more interpretations of this week's "Corner View," check out Francesca's.
my sister made the same calendar for my mother and she loves it too ... full of sweet memories
ReplyDeleteThe calender is great. We did that for my parents too.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine getting that telegram. I'm so glad your Dad came back home.
Your grandson is adorable! I really like the photo of your dad and his buddies along with the telegrams. I'm so thankful for all the servicemen/women do for us and scarifies. I'm sorry he and his buddies were held captive, and happy they were released. xo
ReplyDeletei have a photo of my dad that i cherish, from his ww II service. he came into the war late, and didn't see the action that his older brother saw. they were so young...
ReplyDeleteand of course you smile when you see your adorable grandson's face :)
A wonderful post and memorial to a loved one. I lost my only brother in WWII.
ReplyDeleteSweet grand-son and beautiful memory of your father. I'm touched, because I'm Belgian and the "Bataille des Ardennes" as we call it in French really means a lot. My grand father was born in that region and he helped people to cross the 3 borders (Belgium, France & Luxembourg). He was denounced but a neighbour reached to inform him on time and sent the police to another house, where a man (with the same name as my grandfather)was so old and ill that he had to stay in bed and the police just could conclude there were a mistake. So my grand father escaped from POW or who knows. He just told us that a few years ago, justifying his silence by a "there's nothing to show off about that, it was the only thing to do". Now, he's still with us, a young man of 95 years old!
ReplyDeleteI hope that your father and his buddies were aware how thankful we are here for their engagment. I'm sure he rests in peace.
It was interesting for me to read about your father. As a child of peaceful times it's hard for me to imagine what it means to struggle for life during a war, but of course I heard a lot of stories of the elder people about that, too. To me it even sounds very ironic to have to "fight" for freedom...it's nearly antagonism. Luckily I don't know what it's like to be in that situation and I cross my fingers I never have to! By keeping such memories alive I hope we all become aware to never let happen something like this again! So lucky your father returned home back then.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes from Germany!
Thanks for sharing these memories and pictures of your father. How proud you and your family must be. And what a gorgeous grandson you have too.
ReplyDeleteThat is a wonderful story, about your father. And your grandson is a lovely little fellow. I bet your heart swells each time you see him!
ReplyDeleteYour post reminds me of the stories we each carry with us ... They say "If these walls could talk" and in a sense yours have! Thank you for sharing that beautiful tale!
ReplyDeleteOur walls tell stories of our lives ... this was an interesting series.
ReplyDeletenostalgia on the wall is a fine thing. it eases the soul, i think.
ReplyDeleten♥
I can't imagine what it must have been like for your mother to receive a missing in action telegrams, and then the happiness of learning about your father's release! You have the past, and the future on your wall.
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing this with us. the story of your father - how very brave of them.
ReplyDeletethe picture of your grandson too - priceless. how lovely that you have both generations displayed on your wall.
Priceless pieces of history, Beth! We owe your dad and his comrades so much; they were so brave and endured so much for our freedom. Beautiful post! I like the way you included your grandson, who is just starting life.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week!