DESTINY OR A LEGACY Fifty years later to the month and the day this December 2001. My son and father, two members of the same family arrive at the same locale to serve and protect "Our Nation." The Grandfather knew the place as K-6 even though now it has the utilization of another name. The routes to and from the destination have changed, but the location of the assignment is identical. The Armed Service has changed, but the protection of "Democracy and Our Nation is Equal." The living environment has changed a lot, but the existence has not. How can it be that a Grandson on his first duty assignment arrives to serve in the same forward place as his Grandfather before him did on his first overseas duty assignment exactly fifty years prior during the Korean War? Is it destiny or a legacy? An unmitigated link between the two of them is the Grandfather's daughter and the Grandson's mother served over 20 years in the United States Air Force. Is this a factor, not likely, just a truly exceptional continuation for a family's Armed Service heritage. The memory of a Grandfather, a Mother, and now a Grandson. The Grandfather remembers how he had to travel for approximately two weeks aboard a ship and all the seasickness of all the men and what they had to endure on going over, during and finally going home from this foreign duty location. The memory of how the runways were made of metal strips over packed dirt. The feeling of bliss when you receive mail from home and how that has not changed. His job of servicing the "Corsairs" and a dog he found and learned to love named, "Skoshi", which he could not bring home. The vivid recollection of the friends you met along the way, boot camp, the camaraderie, and the good and bad memories alike. The many friends you gained that were killed in action that were 17 just like you. So many young men were dying that were age 17 and younger, as many had lied about their ages, as one of my Uncle’s had done. How and why they changed the age to enter the war zone to be at least 18. Did this event allow this Grandfather to have the fortitude be a survivor; it may have been highly probable. Was this destiny or a legacy to have us and for us to able to follow in a likeness of his footsteps? Fifty years have passed for this Grandfather, almost half that for a daughter’s time since she entered the Armed Service and a Grandson whom is just starting out. Things may have changed here and there visually, but conceptually it is all quite the same “Service to Our Nation”. The knowledge that this is allowed to pass significantly into our family’s history is conclusively unique, one of a kind and completely ours. It is authentically documented that this family has a history serving with the Armed Services in establishing and the preservation of this “Great Nation of Ours” and how we all came back home from the different “Wars.” The two brothers of the Grandfather served in World War II and served in the landing invasions at Peleliu, Okinawa, Philippines, and others. The two brothers additionally served in the Korean War and how all three brothers were in the Asian theater at the same time at War and all three were afforded to come back home and lead successful lives. There father before them survived through World War I, but suffered substantial problems later due to the use of the “Mustard Gas” during this War. He too came back home to be able to have and raise a family, but did die very young. Many of our ancestors have given service to “Our Nation” in keeping our Freedoms. In the beginning at the birth of our nation, our forefather on my maternal side, named, Francis Dodge fought in the Revolutionary War and was one to helped bestow our Freedoms we have today. He was just one of our nations many hero’s of long ago who received a pension for his exemplary efforts and service to “Our Nation.“ Destiny is providence, fate or just luck and a legacy is an inheritance, heritage or a tradition. At what point does “Destiny” end and a “Legacy” begins? Does one go hand in hand with the other? Can you have one without the other? Our family has so many stories for us to tell, but this has just become one more story to add in our collage of service to “Our Nation, the United States of America” from the beginning to now. Was it just an ordinary day in December 2001, a mere fraction of time with exactly 50 years in it? Is it just destiny or a legacy for a Grandfather and a Grandson? What do you think?