College Admissions Essay: Jumper In The Air Force

The story began with the death of the grandfather who called his son to deliver the farewell advice "Son, after I'm gone I want you to keep up the good fight. I never told you, but our life is a war and I have been a traitor all my born days, a spy in the enemy's country ever since I give up my gun back in the Reconstruction. Live with your head in the lion's mouth. I want you to overcome 'em with yeses, undermine 'em with grins, agree 'em to death and destruction, let 'em swoller you till they vomit or bust wide open."

He was born during World War I. He herd the old men tell the stories of what happened when they were in World War II. All of his family members went to some war in their life time. His Uncles Guadalcanal, North Africa and the battle of the Bulge, his Cousins stories of Korea. Then finally it was his and his brothers turn, they had joined the marines just in time for the for the Cuban Missile crisis. After that his friends going to Vietnam tasting defeat the only war that America has ever lost. Finally it is his sons turn and he gets the other end of the deal. He doesn’t know if his son will be able to tell him his stories of his war or if he will have to cry at his grave.

“War stories” are shared by people all over the world, describing exhilarating experiences one encompasses during a war. However, these stories have been known for hyperbolizing details of the story, deeming it a “lie.” Tim O’Brien, the author of “How to Tell a True War Story,” examines the complex relationship between war experience and storytelling. The tale is told partly from O’Brien’s role as a soldier, as a reprise of several Vietnam stories, and half of his role as a storyteller, as a discussion on the art of storytelling. O’Brien provides detailed commentary on storytelling and blurs the division between truth and fiction through a series of paradoxical commentaries.

An older man is slumped in a rigid metal chair. He is barely visible over the multiple rows of people surrounding him. His hands clasp his seat, trying to steady the rest of his body. A few tears trail down his rough cheek. The final notes of taps echo across the gymnasium. My brain takes a while to adjust to the fact that I had just seen my grandpa cry. I had never seen this tough yet loving man break down like that. I wanted to rush over to hug and comfort him. He located me in the crowd and shook his head, smiling. This was his moment. He finally acknowledged the sacrifices he had made, and was feeling true appreciation for his service. A simple middle school Veterans Day program was what it took to break through some of the pain of his

“I have chosen guerrilla warfare to revenge myself for wrongs that I could not honorable revenge otherwise. I lived in Kansas when this war was commenced. Because I would n to fight the people of Missouri, my native State, the Yankees sought my life but failed to get me. [They] revenged themselves by murdering my father, [and] destroying all of my property.”

The first sentence of Audie Murphy’s biography reads, “Audie Leon Murphy was a legend in his own time” (“Sergeant Audie Murphy Award,” 2015), a seemingly fitting introduction for one of the bravest combat soldiers in our nation’s history. Never the less, I believe it simply does not do him the justice he earned. Audie Murphy was not just a legend in his own time; he is a legend today, and remains a legend of the future. Many people recognize his famed name and know him to be a war hero. Nevertheless, most are not fully educated on the “legend” that was, is, and always will be Audie Murphy. I, for one, intend to portray this American hero’s story to as many people as possible. Audie Leon Murphy set the standard of what battlefield courage

r. Mcloud wrote a book about Evansville in World War II. In this book Dr. Mcloud wanted to ensure people that the story of Evansville in this time would not be lost, but passed on. In the beginning of his speech, he thanked people for helping him get the information he needed in order to write his book. He also thanked everyone that set up and gave him the opportunity to have the book signing. After thanking these people, Dr. Mcloud acknowledged all of the Veterans in the room. To my surprise there were many. Dr. Mcloud then showed a picture of his father, who was a veteran from WWII. named Lachlan Macleod. He was in the navy and sailed the sea passing on desired supplies. Finally, Dr. Mcloud acknowledged his children and his wife, Jessica.

Author’s Background-Tim O’Brien was born on October 1, 1946, in Austin, Minnesota, but was raised in Worthington D.C. At the time his mother was a teacher at an Elementary school and his father an insurance salesman who later became a sailor in World War II. He thought of becoming a writer because of his father's accounts of World War II battles. Then soon after he received his draft and joined the military. He served in the military from 1969 to 1970 as a foot soldier after then leaving the army. After leaving the army he started writing and later published first writing about his personal war experiences like the ones that inspired him when he hear them from his father and called it “If I Die in a Combat Zone, Box Me Up and Ship Me Home”.

One of the great Presidents of the United States and a condemner of war, Abraham Lincoln, once said, “Military glory--that attractive rainbow, that rises in showers of blood--that serpent's eye, that charms to destroy.” Similarly, E.E. Cummings denounces war in his poems, after first hand experiences of battle in World War I. Although American society glamorizes war and the honor of sending a loved one to war, Cummings argues through his depictions of actual life on the battlefield, that this glamorization is not patriotic. People who push their children and friends into battle are not aware of and have no desire to be aware of the traumatizing experiences that the soldiers, whom they so proudly support, are facing. As exemplified through a unique writing style and the false rhetoric used by “patriots” who support war, Cummings suggests that the influence from a soldier’s home-front that pushes him to war is ironically anti-patriotic.

Gen. George S. Patton, Jr., wrote: “The soldier is the Army. No army is better than its soldiers. The Soldier is also a citizen. In fact, the highest obligation and privilege of citizenship is that of bearing arms for one’s country.” With the all volunteer military, more and more americans are being disconnected with their peers, and fewer are choosing to serve. The divide between these two americans is wider than ever before. When Veterans try to share their experiences, many people might not be able to offer empathy. Tim O’Brian in “How to Tell a True War Story” constantly reiterates that war stories could be shared in perspective of the fire fights and theatrics, but a more effective one sheds light on the soldier’s ability to make sense

For my veteran essay, I decided to interview my grandpa, Joe (my mom’s dad). When he served, he served in the army as a chef for two years. His rank was specialist, 5th class. In 1965, Joe came home from work and saw his girlfriend (my grandma) and his mom looking at a letter, crying. She gave him the letter and he felt a bus token. When you were drafted, they would give you a bus token to get to the army. He was stationed in Fort Gordon in Georgia. He stayed in the U.S because his father died when he was eight years old and he had to support his mother and my grandma.

The year was 1945 September 2nd when the news came. Accordingly to the newspaper, our troops were coming home soon. Hitler and his troops surrendered and Hitler apparently assassinated himself. The day before was a normal barefoot day for me, running the cane poles on the old Messer Creek. Everywhere I went, was briar patches that were havoc on my feet. You could her the commotion for miles or yelling and cursing the sharp prickly little devils. I knew our troops were overseas fighting Hitler and his Nazis and I was proud of them because my daddy got drafted, I prayed for them every night before I went to bed. I didn’t know when my daddy would be back, but I knew it would be soon. I was the man of the house for over six years today. Putting meat on our table, making sure the garden is taken care of, and feeding and milking the animals, for six years exactly. I had to take place of my dad, that means chopping wood, checking and fixing fences, cutting cedar fence posts if the

Tim O’Brien, an influential war time writer, has many short stories describing the horrific hard times during war and the terrible things they had to go through during their time of service. Soldiers had to go on with their duties no matter what may have happened to them during the previous days. You also have to do what is needed to stay survive, which may be the simplest task at hand or fighting for your life in hand-to-hand combat. “How to Tell a True War Story,” shows how in life everyone, whether in war or in everyday life, is required to move during the hard times in life and to complete the daily tasks that are necessary.

This heartwarming story is about a young boy and his father who visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. they’re looking for his father’s name on the giant wall of names. While looking for his grandfather’s name, the young boy witnesses a soldiers who lost both of his legs, and is confined to a wheelchair, an older couple who are embracing each other crying, and a flower that id drooping. His father seems saddened, as well as the others who are visiting the memorial. The young boy is sad because he doesn’t have a grandfather, but his father tells him that he couldn’t be more proud to see his name on that wall because he died fighting for our

If the country obliged me to shoulder the musket I could not help myself, but I would never volunteer. To volunteer would be the act of a traitor to myself, and consequently traitor to my country.”