Today is my birthday

Today is my birthday, and  I must admit that I feel my 85 years.  If you were reading this blog last year you may remember that I lost my 19th birthday.  I've told about arriving in San Francisco August 3 to load on the Blackhawk Division to invade Japan.  Atom bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, bringing Japan to surrender August 14.   A little over a week later, August 23,  we left to take troops to occupy Japan. We stopped in the Philippines to let the Blackhawk group off and take on the troops that had occupied those islands and then  proceed to Japan.  With all that was going on, I forgot I had  a birthday until weeks later. I used to say I could be 19 any time I wished, but my kids put an end to that by recognizing me as 19 before the church congregation.   Just too late to celebrate.

I have been enjoying for several days a copy of a photo album sent to me by John White, son of  Mark White, a former shipmate on the USS Pickens.  I never knew Mark, who served as a pharmacist mate as well as a photographer,  but I feel that I have come to know him through much material John has sent to me. If living, Mark would celebrate his 98th birthday tomorrow.

Happy birthday tomorrow, also, to my brother in law Frank  Cascio.  Thanks again to him and Carol for hosting the recent Lowe reunion.