WWII Vets: Creating A Better Society... My Old Man...

[dflprincess]

7. People forget that PTSD is not something new

My dad's mom told me that he said he'd kill himself before he ever went to war again. And I remember reading that when the couseling centers for Vietnam vets finally started opening up the counselors were surprised how many WWII & Korea vets showed up asking if they could get help too.

The big reason (according to my mom) that Pop was an enthusiastic supporter of John Kennedy was because JFK was a combat vet and Pop had more faith in someone who had been there doing his best to keep us out of another war. I don't think he'd be real impressed with a candidate who thinks being a Morman missionary is on a level with going to war.

I'm sorry your dad had such a hard time & I'm sorry for how that must have affected you as well. No one ever really thinks about how war affects those who may not have even been alive during the fighting.