The Ultimate Father’s Day Gift: A Lifetime of Gratitude

Dads are superheroes. Cape-less warriors that can fix any scraped knee, protect you from bullies, and be there to catch you before you fall. This Father’s Day, Red Crossers share stories of their dad’s influence, sacrifice and service. Red Cross Provides Emergency Communications in Vietnam: Reflection for Father’s Day By Brittany Jennings, Regional Communications Officer, Eastern North Carolina At 18 years old, my dad, Walter Elzie Penland, enlisted in the Marine Corps. It was the Vietnam War era. He hadn’t received a draft letter, but he’d seen his three brothers deploy and he simply felt it was his job to serve his country. It was from an island in the East China Sea that my dad wrote my Nana, asking for my mom’s hand in marriage. On that island, more than 21 hours away from home, he also ran 11 miles a day carrying more than 30 pounds of gear; endured several typhoons and heat waves exceeding 120 degrees; and experienced an emergency landing when his plane caught fire over the Pacific. It’s where he also received a phone call from the Red Cross saying his brother was in a car accident and he needed to come home. Every single day, brave men and women enlist in the military to make sure we are safe at home. And today, we celebrate the dads out there. Happy Father’s Day to my daddy, and to all fathers in the armed forces. You are our heroes. Brittany hanging out with her dad at Christmas as a kid. Serving the Armed Forces, Thanks to a Fat...
Source: Red Cross Chat - Category: Global & Universal Authors: Tags: SAF Source Type: news