Saturday, September 3, 2011

Learning my heritage: My Grandpa's story

I got to see my Grandpa Pahl's Bronze Star tonight.

He served in WWII in an artillery unit attached to the 66th Division (Black Panthers).

He was about to board the Leopoldville when he was instructed to board a different ship instead (Leopoldville was sunk in transit).

He served mainly in the Lorient sector, containing an area deep behind our lines where cut-off and entrenched German troops held several ports and refused to surrender.

I'm appreciative to learn this and privileged to share another example of service and duty.

I never got to know him. Shortly after I was born my parents smuggled me into his Hospital so that he could meet me before he passed. I'm told he was so weak he couldn't rip a square of toilet paper off a roll, yet he sat up and held me for five minutes. He passed away shortly after.

His example of duty and service is one that I pray stays with me my entire life, as they are very applicable themes when it comes to our Christian walks.

Thank you for your time.

2 comments:

Sarah (Koutz) Johnson said...

That's such an awesome story James! There is much we can learn from the generations before us.

tiffiebear17 said...

such an awsome story james thnxs for sharing!!!!