My Family Heroes

Lt. Cmdr. Gladys Patricia Hofman, USN

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Staff Nurses Meeting at U. S. Naval Hospital, Corpus Christi, TX, Patty is in the 2nd row, 1st one on the left 27/03/68 - Official U. S. Navy Photograph

My aunt, my mentor, my idol, my best friend.   Pat was fun, funny, and adventurous and I take after her. She was a  career Navy nurse and dedicated to the 'boys' she cared for.  Some she could never nurse back to health, but only see that their basic needs were met.  I have a story about that and I'll put it here. 

I think I remember all the places that she was stationed.  USS Hospital Ship Hope, Guam, Osaka, Japan, St. Alban's, NY, and Corpus Christi, TX,  where she earned a medal for volunteering to stay behind at the hospital with patients who were too ill to be evacuated during a hurricane.  She worked during holidays so the staff who had children could be with them. She died at the age of 47 of asthma and emphysema. 

I took her home to Muscatine, Iowa, to be buried.  She didn't have a full military burial because she wasn't on active duty.  The local VFW or American Legion, I've forgotten, performed the rites.  I'll be forever in their debt and look upon them fondly.  I buried Pat in uniform as requested.  I couldn't find all of her uniform and was very distressed. My dad went to Terminal Island, across the bay from San Pedro, CA, where I went to high school, and where my parents still lived. He found the WAVE barracks and told them what we needed. They saw to it that he came home with all the missing pieces so I could fulfill her wishes.  God bless them.

Merrill (Bud) David Brunson

My dad. He joined the navy after Pearl Harbor. Patriotism now is nothing like it was in 1941. My mother said when President Roosevelt did his famous radio address on December 7th they played "The Star Spangled Banner" afterwards and my dad leaped from his chair and held his hand over his heart until it was finished. How many of us would do that in our own home now?

Dad was never shipped overseas. He was a draftsman and was stationed in Norman, OK, and Jacksonville, FL. He always said he fought the battle of Jacksonville :) My dad tried every way he could to get this photo away from me because he hated it; his tie was wrinkled. HA! No amount of bribing worked. He'd have a heart attack if he knew it was on the Internet for the world to see.

Thomas Merrill Brunson

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My brother. who now lives in Missouri.  He served in the Army in Vietnam....all 6' 5" of him.  Details about Tom are on the My Brother link on the left.

Robert Gordon Bailey

My son isn't old enough have fought in Vietnam, but he reminded me of what a true patriot is.  When he was 17 or 18 there was trouble in the Middle East. He told me he'd go to war if it broke out.  My only child going to war?  I told him I'd do everything in my power to keep him from doing that.  His response was, "If every mother did that who would fight for our freedom"?  I had no argument and knew that I'd send him off, and if necessary,  lose him for what he believed in, for what I believed in.  It was those kind of men who went to Vietnam.  We owe them our gratitude. 

Bob has his degree in Finance from Cal Poly Pomona and is a Portfolio Manager.  If you need a guy who's been watching Wall Street Week since he was six years old email me from the link on the left and I'll put you in touch with him.  Proud mom :)