Since yesterday was Veterans' Day, my husband and I got out some of his father's WWII items. I want to share a two of my favorites.
My FIL was in the famous Bushmasters Infantry which served in the South Pacific. They were called American's Jungle Warriors. The Bushmasters had almost two dozen American Indian tribes represented as well as Hispanic Americans and Japanese Americans who had joined the Army from their internment camps.
My FIL created the little flag below from a small parachute. He listed each man he served with. The drawing in the center depicts a palm tree and a red sun rising. Because the flag was kept in the dark, it is still very easy to read each name; it never faded.
The next thing I want to show is a pair of Army shorts that he'd saved. They are as small as a bathing suit, actually probably smaller than bathing suits at that time. My father-in-law was 6'2" and all leg. I wish we had a picture of his actually wearing those shorts. But it was terribly hot and I suppose it was a relief to wear those tiny shorts. 
My father-in-law spoke to my husband and me of his actual service only one time and it isn't something I want to repeat. But he often mentioned the men he served with and he had such an admiration for the American Indians and Hispanic men he got to know so well.There is a Bushmasters Museum in Arizona. We would like to donate these items if they'd want them. The Bushmasters still exist today and are deployed to Afghanistan.
