About today

This image was a personal piece that I submitted to the Nation back in 2006.  They ended-up running it as the cover art for their issue commemorating the 3rd anniversary of the war. I posted it a long while back but thought it was a good one for the day.

Today was a great opportunity for me to get my kids thinking about the holiday and what it means.  I told them the story about how back in 1966 when my parents were searching for a name for their new baby boy, my dad chose to honor his best pal, Brian Medford, who was serving in Vietnam at the time.  Brian was shot 8 times in the stomach and legs by a 10 year-old Vietnamese boy with a machine gun.  Members of his platoon shot and killed the boy.  Brian survived his injuries and returned home, needing to learn to walk again.  I vivdly remember meeting him in 1973.  He wore cowboy boots and walked with the aid of a cane.  My father lost track of him a number of years ago.  I think about him every Memorial Day.  I hope I get to meet him again some day.

On a side note, my 6 year-old asked me why they have so many "sales" on memorial day.  I have to admit, I was at a loss for a good answer.