C is for Courage

Welcome to Day 3 of the A-Z Blog Challenge.

One of the greatest things about being a writer is that I get to make up stories, like those in my SEAL Brotherhood series, about heroes. Today we toured the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Museum in Fayetteville, North Carolina. There were some true stories of courage plastered all over the walls of the place.

The Museum was first commissioned shortly after JFK launched the directive that created the SEALs we know of today, back in 1962. A fact I learned today was that the first SEAL Team was said to be Team 10, created so our enemies at that time would think that we had another 9 already in action.

Very inspiring to hear tales of what these brave men and women have done in spite of odds that defied logic. One story told of a captured Special Ops soldier who had convinced his captors that he was a lowly procurement officer. But when his picture and military service information was printed in Newsweek Magazine, he was heavily tortured and nearly lost his life. Another was executed because his name was released as an apology by an anti-war group in the U.S.

 I often wonder if I had what it would take to make this kind of sacrifice. I honor and respect those, as well as the families they left behind. We truly have much to be grateful for.

It was a fascinating afternoon spent reading about the past. Free to learn and honored to be able to pass it along to my friends and family.

Don't forget to catch the other A-Z Blog participants by clicking here