Webster’s Dictionary definition of a hero is “a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities”. When I first asked my grandpa if I could interview him as my veteran he said, “I’m no hero; you need to interview someone who actually went into combat”. I do not want to downplay the veterans that came back with purple hearts and medals. They are definitely the heroes of war; but we cannot forget about those heroes that never actually went to combat. My grandpa made me realize that it is not only the guys on the front line that fight the battle; it is the Yeomen backstage scheduling ships in and out of the harbor. It is also the men on the Carriers fueling the planes.

My grandpa was brave, I could tell. I know he would do any job that was asked of him. When he told me he was only eight-teen when he left for duty, I kept thinking, I will be eight-teen in six months. I cannot imagine dropping everything at this stage in my life and going off to war. He said he was not even scared. Grandpa was an only child and he thought it would be good for him and give him a chance to see the world. At this stage in my life, I just want to get into a good college.

My grandpa was an only child and his parents did not speak English. He probably would have gotten into a little trouble if he would not have enlisted. His parents more than likely realized that, therefore, they did not try to stop him. If my mom finds a brochure from one of the armed forces’ branches addressed to me before I see it, she throws it away without hesitation. Again, I cannot begin to fathom my parents supporting my decision to go to war. He said he did not write to his parents much. That would kill my parents. Besides that, I do not think I could take the pain of not communicating with my mom and dad. He must have been raised so differently than I am. Maybe, but I think the times were different then today.

I don’t know much about the Navy. For that matter, I do not know much about the different branches of service. I still have a lot of questions for my grandpa about why he chose the Navy over the other branches. He never said that he did not want to go to combat, but I never directly asked that question. I wonder how he would have handled the killing and all of the artillery. In civilian life, Grandpa is always quick to respond and actually the bravest man I have ever known.

My grandpa held many jobs after he returned home. They all seemed to be pretty dangerous, such as building electrical towers. His longest career was as a St. Louis City Firefighter. He received many awards and honors as a firefighter. He had a natural instinct to protect and lead. He retired as Captain of the Fire Department. As a captain, my grandpa always put himself in harm’s way before his team. He was very proud of his career path. I am certain that the United States Nay helped to mold him into the man he grew to be.

A lot of times veterans are commonly bitter when they return from war, and I understand that they would feel that way. Most of them have probably been in combat and faced the unforgettable. They made it home but they are scarred for life. Most have lost good friends that fought beside them. Some lost limbs, some lost their minds, and some lost every bit of dignity and pride they ever had. I am glad my grandpa is not one of those veterans. I have a feeling if he was one that went to combat, he would have been a brave soldier.

My grandpa was beyond happy when he was answering my questions. His face lit up more and more with every bit of information he was able to remember. I am very glad that I did more listening than talking during the interview. It brought my mom to tears when she watched the interview. It was just amazing to see her father open up to me and to be able to describe his memories in great detail. Even though I spend a lot of time with him, I feel like he shared a piece of his life in thirty minutes that will stick with me for the rest of my life. I hope to one day share this with my children. I do not even need a copy of the interview because there is no possible way I will ever forget all he shared with me in the thirty minutes.

If I could rewrite Webster’s definition of a “Hero”, it would be someone like my grandpa who at eight-teen years of age, not only left his home, but went overseas to a foreign land, to serve his country, willing to do whatever was asked of him. Likewise, he was willing to do the interview despite believing that he was not a hero. He returned humble and remained humble, appreciating what life dealt him and what he could give back.