Do the Best You Can, Sergeant: If You Insist on Learning the Hard Way - Learn to Laugh

I grew up farming. I attended both public and private school. I stood at the head of my class, but naïve as country can make one. What I should have learned in Kindergarten took a lifetime. These stories are the tales I told my children and theirs when ever hard knocks came their way. During World War II, I was a member of Company D 115th Medical Battalion attached to the 40th infantry division. I served in New Guinea, New Briton, Luzon, Southern Philippines, and Korea. I have the Victory Medal, American Theater Ribbon, Asiatic-Pacific Theater Ribbon with three bronze battle stars, one Bronze Service Arrowhead (for three assault landings), and Philippine Liberation Ribbon with two battle stars, and two overseas service bars. I reached the rank of Medical and Surgical Tech. (T/3) although I had been trained to be a dental tech. My post-army life was the life of an educator in Academic Health Centers.