The Forgotten Generation

I chose to write this story at the 50th Anniversary of the start of the Korean War . The Korean Conflict, as it was called, was a real war that the US chose not to declare a war. We are part of the forgotten generation. Born after the depression of the late 20's and spaced between the returning GI's of WW II, the baby boomers and the Vietnam War, which was declared a war, even though it was unpopular. I never remembered a war in history that would kill thousands or millions of people, called popular. The chapters you will read are pulled from conversations and tapes from Cpl. Frank Chimera and put into form with the writer. I didn't push the conversation of his disability not wanting to bring up moments in time that had been buried deep within his heart and soul and hurt. Since Frank had kept diaries while in and out of hospitals over the years and had written articles for the Paralyzed Veterans Association, he had never recorded those things that hurt the most, his wounds. We decided that he would record his experiences and that I would try to recapture his thoughts and feelings, while adding my own. I'm hoping that this will help bring peace even as painful as it is. I encouraged him not to speak if it hurt and I'm sure it did. To Frank I am deeply appreciative to allow me to share these unpleasant experiences with him and for his trust in God, who he feels continues to shine down on him. That's Faith. I have known Frank for more that 50 years as we attended high school together, but had no contact for more than 30. Frank has been confined to a wheelchair since l953...many years more than the Doctors in Korea, Japan, Hawaii and both the Naval Hospitals in California and the Army and Veteran Hospitals in the US predicted. Life expectancy, as described to Frank by his immediate Doctors, was 15 to 20 years. The fact that he has managed to survive these expectations is a credit to his will to live, his lovely wife Pat, their children, the Medical Profession and certainly not lastly, God, in which Frank and his family, have great belief.