A moving tribute to Marine Colonel Lloyd Childers, a World War II hero who survived the Battle of Midway and later served in combat in Korea and Vietnam. Through firsthand combat testimony and family history, this article honors the courage, sacrifice, and enduring legacy of America’s veterans.

A tribute to my military family and uncle Lloyd that includes his account (video clips) of being shot and wounded by Japanese fighter pilots in the historic battle of Midway. My grandfather, Fred Childers, was a combat medic in WWI. His oldest sons, my uncles Lloyd and Wayne, served in combat with the Navy and Marines. His youngest son, my father Lee, served in Air Force and flew in the Berlin Airlift.

This is a tribute to my uncle Lloyd that includes his account (video clips) of being shot and wounded by Japanese fighter pilots in the historic battle of Midway. My grandfather, Fred Childers, was a combat medic in WWI. His oldest sons, my uncles Lloyd and Wayne, served in combat with the Navy and Marines. His youngest son, my father Lee, served in Air Force and flew in the Berlin Airlift.

My family has a strong military background. My paternal grandfather, Fred Childers, experienced the horror of war as a combat medic in World War I. All three of his sons followed him in military service to their country. His oldest two sons, my uncles Lloyd and Wayne, served in the Navy and Marines and fought in the historic Battle of Midway. His youngest son, my father Lee, served in the Air Force and flew in the Berlin Airlift.