Veterans Day stories floated around our communities Thursday as we saluted those who have served in the military.
Some stories were touching, some poignant and some broke hearts by telling about those who didn’t come home.
Anyone in the military knows they could land in harm’s way. Loved ones waiting at home play supportive roles.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Katie Graves of Marysville recently took time out from her Navy duties to bring a sweet family memory full circle.
In 1994, joining the Navy was far from Graves’ mind. At a family gathering in Spokane, the 14-year-old slipped into the olive drab Army uniform of her grandfather, hiking up the pants and tucking in the jacket.
It was a funny moment, but also a life-changing moment.
Listening to her grandfather’s war stories helped seal the military deal for Graves.
Dwayne Lewis, who now lives in Everett, was drafted in 1953 in Spokane and headed for Fort Lewis, then Korea. In Spokane, a typical worker was paid about an $2 an hour at the time. Lewis was making $1.10 an hour in the Army, leaving his family to pinch pennies at home.
Decades before cellphones or e-mail, soldiers stood in line at the radio to call home. Lewis’ daughter, Victoria Graves, said her father braved the long line one day and reached an operator.
“The operator asked his mother if she would accept the collect call from her son, Dwayne, in Korea,” Victoria Graves said. “You know she said ‘yes.’”
Lewis’ mother, Hazel Lewis, kept calm about how much that phone call set the family back. She said she couldn’t put a price on something like that and just paid the bill.
Besides the war stories, Katie Graves learned to love to fly with her grandfather as he piloted his small airplane. After she graduated from Marysville-Pilchuck High School, she joined the Navy. She was deployed on the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier during airstrikes against Afghanistan after Sept. 11, 2001. Eventually, the carrier made a port call in South Korea.
“She never forgot the stories her grandfather told her and how much family means,” Victoria Graves said. “She was able to almost walk in Grandpa’s footsteps.”
The love and pride this family has for its country is passed on through the blood that runs in their veins, Victoria Graves said.
Her daughter, who is stationed in Oklahoma, just re-enlisted for six more years. When her ship was docked in Korea, Katie Graves’ grandfather’s war stories came to mind.
In this cellphone age, there was no need to wait in line to reach home or to reverse the charges.
Katie Graves, emulating Dwayne Lewis 50 years ago, telephoned her beaming grandfather in Everett.
Dwayne Lewis has another poignant story for Veterans Day.
Columnist Kristi O’Harran: 425-339-3451 or oharran@heraldnet.com
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