As we approach 75th anniversary of D-Day

Jun 1, 2019, 12:03 PM

Wanted to salute all Clemson WWII vets & the ever-shrinking WWII generation as a whole.

I knew a good number of WWII vets. My dad, who fought in the Battle of the Bulge in '44 & '45, my uncle Lawrence (a paratrooper w/the 82nd Airborne dropped behind enemy lines just before D-Day) & former Clemson player & iconic Clemson physician, William H. "Bill" Hunter, M.D.

My dad & Bill Hunter were the same age & both entered Clemson in '41. They had a number of classes together & became good friends before interrupting college for war. My dad was called "Bill" too.

Bill Hunter was a large man & started on the O-line for Coach Howard. He was also playing the day Memorial Stadium opened, & was among the 1st players ever to run down the Hill that day. Dr. Hunter was not a cursing man. One of my dad's favorite stories was how Hunter, when frustrated by a test question or such would say, "Ahh - CHICKEN!!"

Hunter went on to become a Marine Corp Officer & fighter pilot in the famed "Black Sheep Squadron." He doctored Clemson folks for 55 years until his death, just over 11 years ago. Sewed up my cracked head twice & made a house call when I fell from a tree & had a bad concussion (which I still don't remember). He made another house call the night my mom's stomach ulcer ruptured & rode with her in the ambulance to surgery. 15 years later, he diagnosed her cancer & later made one more house call the morning she suffered a fatal heart attack. Physically, he was an imposing man, but his demeanor was friendly, gentle & caring. Just a year before he died I took my dad to see him over memory loss issues. Dr. Hunter tested my dad - pulled me aside after & said, "You were correct to bring your father in." A year later, Dr. Hunter passed away, & 2 years after that, my dad died from Alzheimer's complications. Bill Hunter was not only a M.D., he was a popular speaker, teacher of young medical students, columnist, Sunday School teacher & as rabid a Clemson fan as my dad.

I remember one June morning in 1964, my parents reading the paper's headlines & stories & saying, "It's hard to believe D-Day was 20 years ago!" Now, most of that generation is gone; my dad & mom, my uncle, Bill Hunter & so many more.

Nevertheless, to those who remain & those who have departed, I'm so grateful for their sacrifices & for keeping us free - wherever they served.

D-Day + 75 is a good time to reflect.

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As we approach 75th anniversary of D-Day

Salute all Clemson veterans

My Dad was on an aircraft carrier during WW II. He fought

Re: My Dad was on an aircraft carrier during WW II. He fought

The saddest of all is that 95% of Americans under 40

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