50 Years After Vietnam

John Jr., David and Patricia

My baby brother David was blessed with long eyelashes, the "adorable" factor, blond hair and blue eyes. He is highly intelligent, has a long memory, and can talk at length on any subject. However, his greatest attribute is a kind and caring heart.
There's a Bible verse that says "even a child is known by his doing" and from childhood until today, David remains a caring person. It's just how he's wired.
He's also immensely patriotic. He's been to the Wall, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. He wept at the Vietnam Woman's Memorial nearby, overcome with memories of their sacrifices, and today cannot talk about the dedication of the nurses without emotion.
Patriotism and a caring heart led him to enlist at 20 years old when his country went to war in Vietnam. He served as a paratrooper on the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, stationed in Vietnam, 1967 and 1968.
The 173rd was the first major US Army ground formation deployed during the war. The brigade lost nearly 1,800 soldiers in Vietnam; notably were the many casualties at the Battle of Dak To. The 173rd is one of the most highly decorated brigades, earning over 7,700 decorations, and among those, more than 6,000 Purple Hearts.

David Braaksma, paratrooper at 20 years

Returning from Vietnam, David's bus was pelted with balloons filled with animal blood. He was publicly chided and shamed for his service.
He did what his country asked him to do. What we weren't willing to do. I always thought the men and women who served in Vietnam gave more of themselves in the service of their country than should have been asked of them.
Today, 50 years after the Vietnam War, he remains kind and patriotic. That war challenged his fiber, and he was found resolute.
As he faces open heart surgery in less than a week, I was thinking again of what he sacrificed for his country and the toll it took on him.
Hubby, Darrell, was in the Army Reserves in Aurora, Ill., during the Vietnam War, serving as an instructor stateside. When the troops came home from Vietnam, he was on call, ready to be deployed to Chicago within an hour in the event of protests in the streets.
The heroes welcome-home was late lived for the Vietnam Veterans. Today, we honor them and salute them for serving their country in a grim war that took an enormous toll on all.
David was only 20 years old at the time. What were you doing at 20?

173rd Airborne, US Army

Our father served in WWII

My father, John Braaksma, and his brother, Wally

It's not easy to sum up the pride I feel for my brother's military service or for those of my family who have served.

My father and his brothers, Wally and Ray served during WWII. I've heard many stories about how the families back home supported our troops with Victory gardens and works of patriotism during WWII, and I was reminded of that united spirit of goodwill for our troops recently at Woodland Hills Church when Dick Foth spoke.

Dick Foth, co-author of "A Trip Around the Sun," lived in Washington DC for 11 years and met with national leaders during the House and Senate breakfast groups at the National Prayer Breakfast each year.

He was a child during WWII, and was at the parade in New York when the nation welcomed home General Dwight Eisenhower. He shows a home video of Ike's welcome home and tells about the ladies in Nebraska who aided the troops during WWII. An amazing story that will make you proud of the American spirit.

It's worth a listen if you are like me and celebrate those who serve our country and those who love those who serve.

Each year we make a "trip around the sun." Dick Foth is in his 74th trip around the sun, and he recommends we make each trip around the sun an adventure.

Grandma Minnie, and How I Was Christened Patricia Ann

Grandma Minnie, Dad and me

Me at six months

As a child I let it be known to my mother that I thought my name was rather plain and I didn’t like it. I was always called “Pat” and not “Patricia” or "Trish" or "Trisha." Why wasn’t I one of those lucky girls with a pretty name?

Mom was always great at handling my complaints. She told me how lucky I was to have my name. As she explained it to me, Dad was overseas in the Army and Grandma Minnie was at her bedside when I was born. Mom described Minnie as very persuasive, which I knew to be true.

Minnie was insisting that Mom name me in part for the Queen of Holland (Wilhelmina Helena Pauline Maria, Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, 1890-1948) and wanted me named “Wilhelmina Henrietta Braaksma.”

Mom said that “Patricia Ann” was the first name that popped into her mind and at that critical moment, she said to Minnie, “I’m calling her “Patricia Ann.” End of story.

“Now aren’t you glad,” Mom said to me, sure she had done the right thing. However, after hearing that story, I was always wistful of the name that might have been, “Wilhelmina Henrietta Braaksma."

Mom, Dad and me, Madison, Wis.

Grandpa Dewey, Dad (John Dewey) and me, Madison, Wis.

Dime Store photo of mom and dad, dad on furlough and mom pregnant with me.

Family Lore: I learned to walk in Minnie and Dewey’s tavern, thanks to the floor-level stainless coolers. I would walk, grabbing the handles as I pulled myself along, handle to handle, starstruck by my reflection in the stainless doors.

Minnie and Dewey were amazing grandparents, but they fell short in the eyes of the Dutch Anglican church when they bought a tavern and were excommunicated from the church.

I was Minnie's second granddaughter and the daughter of John Dewey Braaksma Sr., Minnie's oldest son. The first granddaughter was Alice Faye, daughter of Sam and Ann (Braaksma) Meekma. Alice Faye, according to Mom’s Family Lore, was named after movie legend Alice Faye.

Alice Faye Meekma

Alice Faye was a year older than me and of course, I loved being her playmate. Alice was the cousin I spent the most time with because when I visited Uncle Sam and Aunt Ann summers on their farm in Randolph, WI, Aunt Ann gave Alice watch over me. I tagged along on her many farm chores – calling the cows, feeding the chickens, slopping the hogs, playing in the barn, milking the cows, shucking corn – oh, those were the days.

I love this photo of Alice wearing her gold locket and bracelet. Mom noted on this photo that Alice Faye was wearing my blue jumper, but I remember all of the dresses Aunt Ann had sewn for Alice and how I got to wear those dresses when I went to church with the Meekma's.
It's apparent as you look into her eyes that Alice Faye's confident nature made her a great playmate. She was brave and adventurous. She had piano lessons, played trumpet in the high school band.
She went on to graduate from college, married a wonderful man, raised a beautiful, young family and then suddenly, she had an aneurysm and was gone.  She died on my birthday in 1984. Just thinking back on that dreadful day when we heard the news, I was at a loss then and am at a loss now, sure we were meant to grow old together and missing my friend.