Living without limbs

A childhood dream

Ever since the age of five I have wanted to join the army. My father is in the army, my uncle is in the army, my grandad was in the army, I guess you could say that it runs in my family.

At the age of five my dad disappeared on his first expedition with the army, he was to go and take control of the citizens at the Pearl Harbour bombings. I remember him trying to explain to me, a five year old child with no understanding of the world yet.
" I have to disappear for a while son, these damn Japs have done it again, I don't know how long I will be but look after your mum my little soldier."  He said. 
I just looked up and pulled a blank expression. This was the day that my childhood dream was born. For many decades my family had been involved in the army, my grandad served in World War One, he died as the war came to the end when a German gunner broke free from the camp that my grandfather was in control of. He shot all the men my grandfather was in charge of and then my grandfather himself.

This is the reason my father and uncle wanted to join the army, they wanted to fulfil my grandfathers dream and keep his dreams alive for as long as possible. Or at least that's what they said, I do t believe them. I believe that my father is scared that he wouldn't of made his father proud unless he joined the army, of course he was wrong, he had done many things to make his father proud.

My mother hated my father having to disappear as did I, the worst thing was not having my father around for most of the days. However, my mother did a great job of raising me on her own, she loved the fact that my father had taught me to be disciplined from such a young age and that I would do anything to defend her. After all, she is my mother and I do love her, I would never let anything happen to her.

I believe the army was the biggest mistake my father had ever made, he was first callers into action when some Germans who seemed to hate the English began to kill civilians in Devon. My father was rushed there in command of the search and rescue team looking for some of the still missing victims, this was a pretty ordinary job for my father, he was trained to do this sort of thing. As he joined he was asked what he would kin his speciality to be, he chose to be in charge of a search and rescue team. He was the successful boss of many men.

When my father reached Devon he realised how bad this situation was, he saw that the place had been tore to shreds by the Germans. This inspired his next actions, he evacuated the whole town and he made sure that no one or nothing could be damaged any more.

He began searching for the body by checking every building writhing a ten mile radius of the attacks. He found nothing, he extended the radius to twenty five miles in a hope to find some more helpful evidence. When he did this he still found nothing.
He decided to try and think more simple, he checked all the river and lakes and any form of water to check for drown bodies. He found three of the still missing four in lakes, the last one he found hung from a 'welcome to Devon' sign.

He knew from this very first mission how much of a success his task force is. Hearing his story over and over again was a driving force for my dream. Only one thing kept me going through my whole life, fulfilling my fathers wishes.

My decision to join the army was made even easier when my father requested for me to join the army on his deathbed. He died of natural causes, nothing out of the ordinary. This was the thing I had longed to do all my life but now was the time, I felt I was ready. 

My passion in life and my lifelong childhood dream had finally been put on a silver platter for me. I never believed I had the guts to do it but this one significant event has thrown my lifelong dream into action. Finally I have fulfilled my dream and my fathers final wish at the same time.