1941年12月7號（平註：日本偷襲珍珠港）
我今天（2021年12月7號）給我母親打電話，感謝她為她的國家所做的一切。這一天改變了我母親和父親的一生，同時也改變了千百萬人的生活。
戰爭開始時，母親剛剛結束了她在加拿大一個秘書學校的學業，她毅然加入了美國海軍陸戰隊，成為了美國第一代職業女軍人。她乘火車到北卡羅萊納州，在那裡開始了新兵訓練，之後她被派往首都華盛頓為海軍陸戰隊總部工作。

（瑞克的母親，美國第一代女軍人）

我母親在海軍陸戰隊服役直到戰爭結束，1949年，母親遇到了我的父親，之後他們結婚，1950年，我出生了。
婚後，母親不得不離開海軍陸戰隊，為此，她抱憾終身，因為她是那麼熱愛軍隊。
珍珠港戰爭爆發之後，我的父親加入了海軍陸戰隊，他在太平洋服役並參加了幾次島嶼戰役，之後我父親一直在海軍陸戰隊服役。
在他們結婚後，我母親成為了軍人家屬，她跟隨着我的父親從一個軍事基地轉移到另一個軍事基地，和她一起的還有越來越多的隨軍家屬。母親曾多次穿越整個國家，她幾乎從來不需要看地圖。在每一個軍事基地，母親都會加入軍屬俱樂部，而且自然而然地，她都會被當選為俱樂部主席。她幫助了許多年輕的軍人妻子和她們的家庭，幫助她們度過了家庭分離以及沒有丈夫獨自生活的艱難時光。
我母親承受了父親的長期酗酒以及戰後創傷心理綜合症（PTSD），儘管那時的人們還不知道有這樣一種心理疾病。我父親經歷過三次戰爭，（平註：二戰，韓戰和越戰）在他試圖撫平戰爭帶來的心理創傷的同時，人們看到的仍然是一個合格的海軍陸戰隊隊員。
父親1975年去世後，（平註：瑞克的父親安葬在美國阿靈頓國家公墓）我母親開始不停的搬家，她搬到了加利福利亞。在我的妹妹成年之後，母親就一直在旅途中，她去她想去的任何地方，她有各種各樣的露營方式。記得有許多次，當我從家中的窗戶里望出去，會看見母親的帳篷就在附近的一個角落裡，她說：我來了！幾天之後，她就離開然後去拜訪另一個老朋友或者某個家庭。
有一次母親在一個朋友家中住了3天，在她離開的時候，那位婦人問她：請問你是哪位？原來我母親找錯了人。但是那個女人並沒有生氣，因為那幾天她們在一起非常開心。
還有一次，我妹妹和我母親背着行囊去瑞士旅行，她們去尋訪一個遠房親戚。她們敲開了一戶人家的門，在那裡停留了兩個星期，她的親戚完全不懂英語，母親就用我的祖父母（平註：瑞克的祖父母一戰時從瑞士移民到美國）的老照片和她的親戚們交流。

瑞克的母親（左一）父親（後）祖母（中間）祖父（右一）

我母親60歲時重返大學，然後她搬到了我妹妹那裡。她開始了她培訓海軍陸戰隊新兵的計劃，她任命自己為總司令。

我母親的一生中有許許多多的故事，但是1941年12月7號這一天，她的人生徹底改變了，而我們也因此變得更好。

瑞克的母親在94歲時去華盛頓參觀國會大廈，在那裡受到參觀群眾的熱情歡迎，人們爭相與老兵合影

正在國會大廈參加活動的前美國副總統（現任美國總統）拜登也停下腳步與老兵交談並親吻她的臉頰

拜登總統屈膝半跪在瑞克的母親面前，感謝她為國家作出的貢獻

我永遠是一個軍人

（附：英文原文）
December 7 th 1941
I called my Mother today to thank her for everything she has done for her country. This day changed hers and my Father’s life along with millions of others. 

She was finishing up her studies at a Secretary school in Canada when the war started. She joined the group of women who went on to be the first Woman Marines. She traveled by train to North Carolina to start. Basic training. Then she was sent to Washington DC to work for Headquarters Marine Corps. 

She stayed in the Marines after the war and met my Father in 49. They were married and I popped out in 1950. She had to get out of the Marines after getting married and she was never happy with that outcome. She loved the Marine Corps. 

My Father joined the Marines a few days after Pearl Harbor and he served in the Pacific seeing action on several of the island battles. He too stayed in the Marines. After they married, my Mom became a Marine Corps wife. Following my Dad from base to base, generally by herself and the growing number of Marine brats that she had in tow. She crossed the Country so much she hardly used a map. She always joined Wives Club at every Base and somehow she would alway be elected President. She help so many young Marine family’s get through the rough times of long separations and living alone without their husbands. 

She put up with my Dad’s drinking and PTSD. Even though they didn’t have that diagnosis back in his day. They were expected to suck it up and be a Marine even after being in 3 wars. 

He died in 1975 and my Mother kept moving. She moved out to California and traveled after my sister became an adult. She live in several types of Campers and went wherever she wanted. I remember many times looking out the window and seeing my Moms camper tilting around the corner. I’m here she would say. Few days later she would be off to visit and old friend or family. She stayed with one old friend for 3 days and as she was leaving the woman asked her who she was. My mom got the wrong person. But she wasn’t mad because they had a great time together. 

My mother and my sister backpacked through Switzerland and she quite naturally looked up a distant relative and knocked on their door and they stayed there for two weeks. Even though they didn’t speak English. She Communicated through old pictures of my grandparents on my fathers side. 

She went back to college at age 60 and then she moved in with my Sister and began her work with the Young Marines program. Herself rising to the rank of Commander. There are stories within stories about my mother. But on this day in 1941 her whole life changed and we are better for it.