PART 11 – I Had Spent Years Keeping My Navy Memories to Myself, but That Morning My Grandson Wanted to Hear Every Detail

After the admiral finished speaking, the room gradually returned to its usual breakfast activity.

Caleb had several questions.

He wanted to know what an aircraft carrier looked like.

He wanted to know whether sailors slept aboard the ship.

He wanted to know how someone became an admiral.

I answered what I could.

Some of his questions made me smile.

Others reminded me of Danny.

My son had asked similar things when he was young.

I told Caleb that the Navy involved more than ships and uniforms.

There were responsibilities.

Long days.

People depending on one another.

And moments when a person had to act even when he was afraid.

"Like the admiral?"

"Exactly."

Caleb looked at my ribbons.

"Did you get those for helping people?"

"Some recognize different parts of service."

He nodded.

Then he pointed toward my name tag.

"Does it still say the same thing?"

I smiled.

"It hasn't changed."

He leaned closer to read it.

HALLORAN.

He said the name quietly.

I had never thought much about how it looked to him.

It was simply my name.

The name Danny had carried.

The name Caleb carried through his family.

I rested my hand on the table.

"Your dad was proud of his family."

Caleb looked up.

"Did he talk about me?"

"More than you can imagine."

I stopped there.

I did not want to turn the breakfast into a conversation filled with sadness.

He had already experienced enough of that.

Instead, I asked him whether he wanted more food.

He nodded.

I helped him reach the serving tray.

He began eating again.

A little later, I noticed Admiral Carrick speaking with several people near the front.

He looked toward our table.

Then he excused himself from the group.

He approached us.

"Enjoying breakfast?"

Caleb nodded.

"Yes, sir."

The admiral smiled.

"Good."

He looked at me.

"Chief, I hope you don't mind that I interrupted your morning."

I shook my head.

"Not at all."

He glanced at Caleb.

"Your grandfather was a good man to have around when things got difficult."

Caleb looked at me.

I felt embarrassed.

"Admiral, you're making too much of it."

Carrick shook his head.

"Not enough, Chief."

Then he gave Caleb another friendly nod.

I watched him walk away.

Caleb turned toward me.

"Grandpa?"

"Yes?"

"Are you proud of being in the Navy?"

I looked at my old uniform.

Then I looked at the boy beside me.

"Yes, son."

He smiled.

"Me too."

I did not correct him.

I simply reached over and straightened his blazer.

Click here to continue reading: PART 12: When I Looked Across the Room Again, I Saw Something I Had Not Expected From the Men Who Had Witnessed Our Conversation