Life and Times of a Young Recruit
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF A YOUNG RECRUIT
BY DAWNE ZACHARIAS
PFC Craig LaMarr Zacharias walked off the plane and looked out over the airport it was nice to be home in the USA. The pilot came up behind him and said, “Thank you for your service soldier and welcome home.”
Craig answered, “It sure feels good to have America under my feet.” During the conversation, Craig noticed that the door in the belly of the plane had opened, a group of Marines had moved in and were waiting for the go-ahead, they approached the plane and in groups of four removed the caskets of 60 soldiers who had fought and died in the line of duty. The disembarkment was as sober and respectful as if before the President of the United States. Craig automatically went into a full salute till all had passed by. He knew he would miss a special trust, few would come to understand, an abiding love, a brotherhood in arms, whether in life or death. When all 60 had safely been brought into the airport, he slowly lowered his hand to his side, it was time for him to go. As he walked thru the Airport hallways, he noticed the advertisements of flying to different places in the world, but for him, no other place on this earth could ever compare to the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave. The Airport Concourse led to an area of individuals who were carrying signs when Craig approached he realized the signs of hate were towards him as they gathered around him calling him a ‘baby burner.’ Craig thought he had left those things behind in Viet Nam, but it seemed like he had to face a new minefield of hate here at home, it was undeserved disgust from those he had served. This public response to a war he never started, for the service, he stepped up to give and his life he stepped up to lose, had it been required. Craig was a returning Veteran from the Vietnam war. He learned that day there was no positive recognition for the Vietnam soldier. The enemy now had an American face.
Everyone told Craig LaMarr Zacharias that he needed to go, when he was 18 years old, he was happy to serve and signed up for front line combat. He had a family history of military service, and now he had fulfilled his responsibility to God and Country. What would he have to do to survive being a Vietnam Vet?
He was born in Caldwell, Idaho, to Clay and Mardell Peterson, on January 11th, 1951. The oldest son and second child in a family of four. His father, Clay LaMarr Peterson, was a Navy Ace in WWII and served on the Ticonderoga Flight Ship. He had all the awards that he earned on his uniform, and it was in his closet towards the back, covered with plastic. Craig could see his uniform it was hanging on a hook all by itself on the wall and easy to see. He marveled at his Dad’s ribbons and medals, he was proud to be his son.
Craig was a happy and adventurous child and enjoyed his freedom to come and go from his home. He grew up thinking that every child left the house in the day and returned home for dinner in the evening. He found that he spent a lot of time alone, there were instances that his brother or sisters came along and joined his daily routine. When he was five, he heard yelling coming from his parent's room, and he went into the house to investigate. He saw his dad throwing things into a suitcase and heard him say he was leaving. Clay had been unfaithful and left the marriage to be with the other woman. Craig went over to his mom and stood by her as she poured out her pleas for her husband to stay with her. His dad walked right past them and out the door, he never came back. Craig was a tough little kid, but when it came to his mom, he was a loving son and very protective of her. Craig's eyes went into a squint of dislike towards his father as he turned and walked out. After the door slammed shut, Craig went over to his mom and sat beside her as she had fallen to her knees, on top of dried quilts she had just brought in, all energy of hope had left her. Her thoughts were about the 4 children she needed to raise and care for. Her mother Opal Maxey was over at their home every day helping Mardell, and she would sing songs that they loved and had learned in Sunday school, she took away the dark cloud dad had left. She assisted in the kitchen with the chores and when dinner was over, and the dishes were washed and put away, we all went into the living room to watch TV. As time went by the family seemed to adjust, and finally, Mardell met someone new, and after a year of dating, they got married, his name was Ray Zacharias. They went to Elko, Nevada to get married and grandma, Opal Maxey, stayed with the kids. When they got home after the honeymoon, he had a friend who was a lawyer and willing to help him adopt Craig and his older sister Diane. He had promised Mardell, that he would stop his drinking if they got married, but there was no change, it continued. In the evening Mardell and Ray would sit in the living room and read the Newspaper, Look or Time Magazines. One evening after being tucked into bed for the night, Craig had a disturbing premonition of his mother dying, and he jumped out of bed, ran down the hallway and quickly by her side.
He said to her with tears in his eyes, "Please don't die, mom.”
Mardell picked him up and said to him, “I am not going to die, at least not until I am very old, and it is time for you to get back to bed." She walked Craig back to his room, and after tucking him in the second time, he was able to think about the ice cream dreams his mom always shared with them before going to bed.
The Appointment
Two years later Mardell went in to see her Gynecologist, she had been in a great deal of pain during menses, the doctor did some testing and found that one of her ovaries was inflamed. Further testing was recommended even surgery to find out about a nodule seen on ultrasound. An appointment and plan to go to the hospital in Nampa was set. When the day arrived Grandma Maxey stayed at home, and Mardell was on her own walking into the surgical center. This would be outpatient surgery the plan was for her to take a cab home from the hospital.
She was prepped for surgery, and with the Doctor, he reminded her of the discussion they had in the Office. She listened as he told her and if situation which was that if by chance the tests showed cancer he would perform needed surgery for her best recovery. Mardell agreed, and signed the paper with her consent. She was wheeled into the operating room, and the anesthesiologist put her to sleep for the procedure. When Mardell was opened up the Surgeon was shocked at how advanced cancer had become. He noticed the lining of her peritoneum, many nodules had seeded in the lining from the tumor on the right ovary, it was useless to do much more than removing the ovary and the tumor. She was in the hospital for a week before being able to come home. The news of the cancer was given to Ray her husband, and he was gone within the week. He said he would not be saddled with 4 kids for the rest of his life. The Grandmother sat down with the kids and told," your mom will be coming home in the next couple of days lets get the home ready and have everything beautiful for your mom." They changed sheets, and blankets, clothes were washed, carpets were vacuumed. Grandma and the kids went out to buy flowers to put in a vase and one balloon that said, “Welcome Home.”
The day came that the Taxi brought her home, Grandma went out to help Mardell into the house when she arrive. She had already been walking around the nursing station at the hospital. Mardell was welcomed by everyone in the house, and she was helped into the home safely.
She asked her mom, “Where is Ray?”
Her mom answered, “Let's get you into a comfortable bed and I will answer your questions.”
Mardell could not have been greeted by a more, warm, welcoming party than what she received. Her home was clean, and the flowers and balloon lightened her mood. The news was given to Mardell about Ray’s leaving, she said, “I was thinking he would be willing to help, he had adopted two of the kids." But this came as quite a disappointment to her. Finally, she shook her head and said,
“I am not surprised.”
One by one her family seemed to hear about the news of Mardell’s weakening condition, by the time 6 months had passed, she was surrounded by her mother Opal, Uncle Maxey and wife Karen, Aunt Phillis and her husband, Siron. They had come to be there for Mardell, they would leave after dinner, everyone was helping to fix meals and take care of the kids. During May, Craigs mom was bedridden almost all the time. Arguments about where the kids should live ensued. All Craig could think about was what he said two years ago to her, and a pang of guilt set into him that took hold in his heart.
Many years later Craig reflected back and wrote,
A Ten Year Old Boy’s Promise
During the first ten years of my life, I was around my mother
When she passed away, she never knew how much I loved her
When I stood next to her grave by myself, I informed my mother
I would be back, at that time guilt set in and remained in me until
I was married, and my wife took me back to my mother's gravesite
When I was in my 60’s and the guilt left me
Today, my mother was the most excellent mother a ten-year-old boy
could have.
By,
The Homeless Warrior 12/07/2018
When I found Dawne I felt thrilled, she has been an answer to my prayer.
For both of us, its been a long road, the challenges have developed courage in life that
bonds us together and together we are making our own memories, this story is not
over yet.
Craig watched in the last month that his mom would be retaken to the hospital and home. He noticed she was losing a lot of weight and the day before she passed away, Craig remembers her as they helped her to the bathroom that she looked at him and gave him a smile he will never forget in his memory book of favorite photos. When she passed away, he heard the call to the doctor, and he sent his nurse to come and be with us. The coroner and we were taken into another room where someone talked with us about what was going to happen, while the other person attended to the body. Mardell's body was put in thehursem, and they left before the kids were finished asking their questions in the room they were escorted too. When they came out there was a peace that came over the home no more worry or pain, they knew their mom was in Heaven now. They would see her again.
The family stood outside as the Hurse pulled away. The severe questions now were," are the kids going to stay together or should they be split up? Craig gathered his sisters and brothers into the living room, and they sat in a circle. He said to them," whatever happens to us whether we are together or not, I will find you." As each child was taken to separate places, the loss of mom and family was felt deeply. Marsha, the youngest sister, went to North Dakota, Diane the oldest went to live with Grandma Maxey, Brad the youngest went to live with the Brown family in Caldwell, Id. Craig went to live with Mardell's sister Phyllis and her husband, Siron.
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