Child of the Greatest Generation

By Richard Rocha

Child of the Greatest Generation. The country had just gone to war with Japan, and a new patriot is born in the small coastal town of New Bedford, Massachusetts. The date is January 20, 1942. Sit down and enjoy the memories of growing up as a child of the greatest generation, who, as a young boy, came to understand what patriotism and love of country meant to him. As the years go by, take a journey with him and how he discovered a gift to write patriotic stories of paintings and photos that are found throughout the book mixed in with his memories, such as "Just an Old Piece of Cloth," "Woman Warrior," "The Eagle" to name but a few and each with the photo or painting that inspired him. A book worth reading and sharing with friends and family.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jun 18, 2020
• ISBN: 9781098027094

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Child of the Greatest Generation

Richard C. Rocha

Copyright © 2020 by Richard C. Rocha

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

The Eagle

American Patriot

A Light in the Harbor

Just an Old Piece of Cloth

America, Where Are You?

Unknown

Ribbon of Blood

A Conversation

I Am Here, Can You See Me?

Woman Warrior

By Dawn’s Early Light

The Storm

From the Shadows

In Closing

I dedicate this book to those who gave me the inspiration and believed in me and instilled in me what it means to be a patriot and why I love this country I call home, the United States of America.

To my mother, Laura; father, Manuel; and stepfather, William.

To my brother Ron and sister Dale and their families.

And most importantly, to my beautiful wife who has believed in me since we first met in 1960. Patricia Suzanne (Foutche) Rocha.

To our sons—Richard, Marc, and Stephen—their families, and of course our angel in heaven who is never out of our thoughts Marc William.

To the best in-laws a man could ever ask for, Roy and Ann Foutche.

To my best friend, Tony Molino, since 1957 and my best man in 1965 and one of the meanest and most badass marines you will have ever met. Semper fi, my brother. You have always been there in good and bad times. Love you.

To all my brothers and sisters who, like I, raised their right hands and took an oath that has no expiration to defend our country. Especially to my grandson Technical Sergeant Marc T. Rocha Jr., United States Air Force. To my granddaughter Airman Savannah Rocha-Atondo, United States Air Force. To my grandson Private Prince Glover, California National Guard.

Finally, to my creator, who made it possible for me to write this story and continues to bless me even though I am far from worthy. In his words, He who is without sin, cast the first stone.

In times of change, the patriot is a scarce man; brave hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, however, the timid join him, for then it cost nothing to be a Patriot.

—Mark Twain

Hey, kid, don’t let them forget what we did OK.

Remind them that we are a special people us Americans.

Remind them of the Red, White, and Blue

Write your stories of patriotism.

Remind them to keep the pledge and most of all.

Remind them to love one another

God gave us this place we call home

The United States of America

The Star-Spangled Banner

In 1814, Francis Scott Key wrote the poem Defence of Fort McHenry. The poem was later put to the tune of (John Stafford Smith’s song) The Anacreontic Song, modified somewhat, and retitled The Star-Spangled Banner. Congress proclaimed The Star-Spangled Banner the US National Anthem in 1931.

Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light,

What so proudly we hail’d at the twilight’s last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro’ the perilous fight,

O’er the ramparts we watch’d, were so gallantly streaming?

And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,

Gave proof thro’ the night that our flag was still there.

O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen thro’ the mists of the deep,

Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,

What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,

As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?

Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,

In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream:

’Tis the star-spangled banner: O, long may it wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!