He Was Sent to War in his 20s

He was sent to war in his 20s,
    Plucked out of dental school,
    Transported from the flat fields of the Midwest,
    And plopped onto a ship in the middle of the Pacific.
A life changed when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.
 
He was sent to war in his 20s,
     Floating in the ocean,
     First off the coast of Japan,
     Then off the coast of Korea,
Fixing teeth ravaged by war.
 
He was sent to war in his 20s,
      His life just beginning.
      A wife back home waiting.
      A baby born, soon another,
A family separated by war.
 
He was sent to war in his 20s,
     A part of the Greatest Generation.
     A man whose actions spoke louder than words.
     Actions that taught me how to live a life,
     Worth living.