Emotions surrounding Veteran's Day/Major General Thomas Colladay & Camp Grayling.

So Veteran's Day came and went and I didn't write anything about it this year.  Not that I hadn't thought of writing or didn't want to write, I just didn't.  But today I decided I would, so here it goes.  I'm probably going to jump all over the place so fasten your seat belts.  Lol.

The military has always been a topic of conversation my entire life.  I'm sure like most of you, we all have several family members who served in the United States Armed Forces.  Some served in wars considered way back in the past now but we remember them.  How they fought for their country, how they prepared for a day that might require them to fight. 

My great grandfather was a Two Star General back in his day.  He served both during World War I and World War II.  He spent a good bit of time watching over his men and leading his, "boys" in France, during World War I.  My dad has a shoe box full of letters he sent home to my great grandma and let me just say, they are so interesting to read.  What a different era in time.  First and foremost, their penmanship was lovely.  Their wordings were different than the wordings we use today.  There are moments of simplicity to the writings and moments of very deep emotion and sadness.  Boys who had been killed in the war, whom he cared for.  My g. grandfather really truly cared for those men/boys in his unit and he would write and express to my g. grandmother the ache in his heart. 

My g. grandfather was known to be on the quiet side but very compassionate and dignified.  He was well liked and very respected.  He was a good soul I would like to say.  My father was named after my g. grandfather.  Thomas Colladay.  When I was a kid he was so relevant in my life.  After all, that was my dad's grandpa and I know how much I loved my grandpa's so I knew how he felt about his.  They were close.  I learned a lot about him through the years by the stories my dad would tell.  For example, in one of the letter's my g. grandfather sent to his wife, Myrtle, my g. grandmother, he says, "Get a hold of yourself Myrtle."  It's funny.  My g. grandmother was a strong minded woman.  Her father was a builder and while my g. grandfather was off to war, my g. grandmother was building one of the biggest homes in flourishing, Flint Michigan.  A big two story monstrosity with a mud room jetting off the back.  A very pretty home and she was in charge, because after all, he was in France.  She had two little boys running around and getting underfoot and workmen to get after.  The stress was starting to get to her and she was laying it all out in a letter, she sent to my g. grandfather in France.  My dad has both letters.  The one sent to France and the reply back to the United States in which my g. grandfather wrote those famous words.  Lol.

When my g. grandfather came back home to the United States, he was asked by our Governor of Michigan, to head up the development and runnings of a military camp here in Michigan.  Michigan did not have a National Guard training site.  The Governor asked my g. grandfather to head up the National Guard here in Michigan and run a new camp that he would develop.  Today that camp is known as, Camp Grayling.  My g. grandfather ran that camp for it's first 13 years of existence.  When I was little my dad would take me to Camp Grayling and we would drive up a steep hill and at the very top sat three perfectly squared slabs of concrete on top of which, sat three very neat looking military tents.  They looked more like square houses made of thick military fabric.  My g. grandfather stayed in the center tent and looked over the entire camp.  A perfect bird's eye view.  Camp Grayling sits on a beautiful lake in Michigan, Lake Margrethe.  So while my g. grandfather viewed the camp, he also viewed the lake and it was quite the sight. 

As a kid my dad took me all around Camp Grayling.  It is much different now and getting on base is practically impossible.  My dad has been able to get on base a few times in order to put up new pictures of my g. grandpa in the Officer's Quarters.  As the old ones begin to look less pristine and more faded, he takes new framed photo's up to replace those that are losing there luster.  It is always a sad day for my dad I'm sure.  Looking around at the Officer's Quarters where he used to hang out as a kid with his grandpa.  Looking at my g. grandfather's pictures on the wall and remembering him so fondly.  The past holds so many memories doesn't it.  Ones that can really tug at the heart strings.

When my dad was a kid, he would stay on the base at Camp Grayling in a house that my g. grandmother stayed in.  She was a social person, avkind person and she would often have other wives over to bake with or have tea with.  In the afternoons my dad would ride horseback beside my g. grandfather as he toured the camp.  All the wives loved the, "General's grandson."  My dad would get spoiled rotten daily with pies, cookies, and yummy lunch sandwiches.  He felt like royalty I'm sure. :-) 

Unfortunetly, time fades people's importance in the world.  We all have a similar story.  Someone we really looked up to, someone we really knew was special, in his or her day but with the passing of time, it is as if, they are almost forgotten now.  Sad really.  I try to keep my g. grandfather's name relevant in my household.  I talk to my kids about their, great, great, grandfather and they know of his importance and his value.  They also get to enjoy the cottage he built on the shores of Higgins Lake, MI.  A section of land was given to the military men in Michigan on Higgins Lake decades ago.  When we walk into the cottage, on the right hand side, all along the wall, there are pictures of my great grandfather.  Pictures of him with soldiers, pictures of him in command.  A large 8x10 of, "The General," is framed so nicely and hangs so perfectly, there on the wall.  When I first walk into the cottage for a stay,  I say, "Hello great-grandpa!  I love you! Thank you for building this wonderful cottage."  I usually kiss my finger tips and touch the glass frame, spend a moment in time looking at him.  I never met him, but I feel like I know him well.  My kids ask questions often at the cottage about g.grandpa then they run out the front door to play on the warm beach sand beside the lake.  I can't help but smile because afterall, I've been coming to the cottage since I was only 6 months old.  My dad has been coming to the cottage since he was a very young boy and oh, how I love to look at those old black and white photo's!
Every Veteran's Day I think of my great grandfather.  I think of my grandparent's who served in the armed forces.  I talk to my husband about his many months serving in Iraq.  I think about my great uncle who was killed in France.  I think of all who are serving America across the world.  So many people making a difference, providing a presence, in order to keep us safe and secure here on our continent. (America)  America is changing.  It is continuing to change right in front of our eyes.  I pray for our armed service men and women and I pray we always feel safe here at home.
 
GOD Bless America!
Happy Belated Veteran's Day. 

*Special note: In 2014 my dad, my husband, our kids and I, went on base and visited Camp Grayling.  The tradition continues.
S.