To the right is a picture of my Grandfather (Mom's Dad) who served during the Korean War and WWII. My knowledge of the facts are a little hazy, but I know that he was enrolled in Syracuse University and left to join WWII, while my grandmother remained as a nurse in New York (I'm not actually sure if they were together at this point). Afterwards, they moved together to Florida and Texas, where Robert was a flight instructor, accumulating 5 little girls along the way.
What I do know is that my mother was very very proud of her father. In a move that I only fully understand the implications of now, she set up an award in his name at the Naval Academy. Every year, the freshman with the most improvement receives an award in the name of Robert Williams and a copy of the Old Man and the Sea. I remember being annoyed at being forced to go to the first award ceremony, with its long winded speeches and cold air and itchy tights. I didn't see the point of having a silly award for some silly young sailor that I didn't know. Although I'm sure that my mother did appreciate the freshman awardees, I can see now that it was less about them and more about wanting to preserve the memory of her father and spread her admiration for him. That, I can totally understand.
