[June 16, 2024] I was reeling in a largemouth bass as hard as my little hands could work the fishing rod. And I was scared of falling out of the boat and into the deep lake water where my weak swimming ability would surely put an end to my life.
I’m now a Boomer-Geezer American, raised by combat veterans returning from World War II and the Korean War, like all my friends. Like me, these men liked to fish, hunt, camp out, and have time with their sons to teach us how to be real men. Without exception, these were our Dads, and for sure, they weren’t our buddies.
These were the men that when they called you, you came to them right now, without any delays, no pussy-footing around, and without complaining. With Mom, you might get a few extra minutes and push the envelope to wait for her to use your full name. “Douglas Reid, get in here.” When Dad called, you quickened your pace and stood like an Army recruit before a highly disciplined Drill Sergeant. The men in my town were the real deal. No nonsense. Right to the point. Protectors of the family. That was my Dad among these other highly respected men.
As I look back on those times in my neighborhood, I see that not one dad looked or acted like those actor dads on those popular television shows – after we finally got a television set to watch. The real dads did not sit around the house in a suit and tie, dispensing advice to well-dressed kids quietly playing in the living room. These dads were working men, gone most of the day and often working into the evening. They were sometimes called out as volunteer firefighters to fight a house fire or rescue a family flooded out of their home when the river banks overflowed.
These dads dispensed advice like “Stop crying, or I’ll give you something to cry about.” Those men who had returned from combat had little tolerance for crying over a scraped elbow or black eye. “Suck it up and move on.” And I’m grateful these men were there for us. You immediately knew you were in the presence of a dangerous man, dangerous to those who might attack his family, but he was patient enough to show you how to reel in a fish or give you a pat on the back for landing your first largemouth bass.
The time I fell on broken glass in the dirt field across the street, we were playing Cowboys and Indians with about a dozen of my friends. After sustaining a few gashes with blood everywhere, Dad washed me up, put on the antiseptic Merthiolate and then a Band-Aid on the cuts, patted me on the rear end, and sent me back outside. Maybe I should have gotten a tetanus shot and stitches, but I survived without either. Nothing for the pain, not even an aspirin. Aspirins were reserved for my Mom for her headaches that happened once a month.
And I didn’t ever think about talking back to my Dad or whining or quitting or making up excuses for not doing what I had promised to him or to anyone’s dad. They demanded, and they got respect, which is better than fear. Fear was there but underneath the respect. Let out a four-letter word, and you would hear, “What’d you say?” This was not an honest question but a comment about your attitude that needed adjusting. They were fully prepared to do the adjusting, and also, heaven forbid, they just might tell your dad.
I was fast to fall into line: the obedience line. “Do as I say, boy!’ sure got my attention. Those fathers from my town were the kind you wanted near you. Behave around them, and your life was far better, not easier because you had to work for it. Or you could be a brat or disrespectful, and then you didn’t want to know what would happen to you. The only “time out” they ever heard of was in sports. If lucky, you might get sent to your room “without supper.”
Dads are important. My Dad taught me and my brother about emotional maturity and how much going with the hormones could get us into trouble. He told us about girls and how to be a good man around them. He also taught us how to bait a worm on a hook, tie a Bowline knot with a rope, change a car tire, paint a fence, mow the grass in straight lines, care for our dogs and cats, shoot a shotgun without getting knocked down, put up a tent in the dark, swim, float, canoe, and cook on an open campfire. Most of all he instilled in us the desire to succeed, to care for the family, to never betray those around us, and to be a devoted Christian, all the core ideals of manhood.
Dads represented stability. Like a rock in the stream, little could you move one of these men. They’d been tested in the crucible of fire and lived to tell their tales. I could sit all day and listen to them talk with each other, Midway, Guadalcanal, Saipan, D-Day, the Bulge, Salerno, the Chosin Reservoir, Old Baldy, and Heartbreak Ridge until I was lost in their stories. These men had made up their minds they were going to live a good life, and nothing was going to get in their way, especially no snot-nosed whippersnapper kid who was “still wet behind the ears.”.
Dads can also be your ally. But you had better be right and not lying. He would come to your aid against those who would do you harm. At the time, one of my Junior High teachers accused us of cheating on an exam. Not all of us, anyway. My Dad came to school to confront the teacher face-to-face, and that teacher backed down, reversing the decision to fail the entire class. Yeah, go, Dad.
It takes someone special to be a good father. I’m sure my Dad would be proud that I became a responsible man, mostly responsible, and that I’m not a burden to anyone.
This Sunday, today, is Father’s Day, and I wish every dad out there that they have a wonderful day of strong love, good food, and respect for what you do. My Dad is now gone for two years, and I miss him dearly. Happy Father’s Day to all those real dads out there. God Bless.
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NOTE: See all my letters here: https://www.theleadermaker.com/granddaughter-letters/
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Dads are important. My Dad taught me and my brother about emotional maturity and how much going with the hormones could get us into trouble. He told us about girls and how to be a good man around them. He also taught us how to bait a worm on a hook, tie a Bowline knot with a rope, change a car tire, paint a fence, mow the grass in straight lines, care for our dogs and cats, shoot a shotgun without getting knocked down, put up a tent in the dark, swim, float, canoe, and cook on an open campfire. Most of all he instilled in us the desire to succeed, to care for the family, to never betray those around us, and to be a devoted Christian, all the core ideals of manhood.
Excellent article my friend.Dad are critical in the family. They are normally the disciples person. I didn’t have a father growing up but was blessed to have many family men’s and older men in the community help me.
… today, in our “modern” world, we no longer think this way. Look how the world is turning out.
Gen. Satterfield, you’ve done it again with another wonderful letter to your granddaughter. Such love.
God Bless General Satterfield and his family.
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 Yes! 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Gen. Satterfield, by his own admission is a Christian. Good man!
I gotta say this letter surprised me. Well done!
Welcome aboard Semi Truck and interesting moniker you have there. I think you will find these “letters to my granddaughter” by Gen. Satterfield both interesting and giving insight into the mind of Gen. Satterfield as a boy. What interests me and most others here is that now we can begin to connect the dots from his experiences as a kid to his successful military service. But welcome and I hope you can learn just as much as I have by reading these articles daily. And I also recommend that you get a copy of Gen. S’s latest book “55 Rules for a Good Life” at Amazon (see link about). You will find the book fantastic.
Got that right Good Dog. 😀
Welcome aboard semi truck. My friend Gen Douglas Satterfield loves comments. He’s not going to cut you off if he’s don’t agree with your comments.
More than beautiful. You granddaughter will treasure these letters and her children and your family forever.
That is true and what is now keeping the rest of us from doing the same? Some of you may write to your children and grandchildren for their futures, but most are not because ??? because ??? well there is no good reason. Sit down and write something for them. Tell them stories that you think are interesting or funny or important. Tell them in such a way that they can themselves learn to be a better person.
Gen. Satterfield, it is amazing that you can go from such a lovely letter to your granddaughter to discussing the evil of Hamas from one day to the next. Thank you, sir.
“Dads are important. My Dad taught me and my brother about emotional maturity and how much going with the hormones could get us into trouble. He told us about girls and how to be a good man around them. He also taught us how to bait a worm on a hook, tie a Bowline knot with a rope, change a car tire, paint a fence, mow the grass in straight lines, care for our dogs and cats, shoot a shotgun without getting knocked down, put up a tent in the dark, swim, float, canoe, and cook on an open campfire. Most of all he instilled in us the desire to succeed, to care for the family, to never betray those around us, and to be a devoted Christian, all the core ideals of manhood.” – Gen. Doug Satterfield telling us what we all should know by now but needs saying. Dads are important. That is why, IMHO, that we celebrate Fathers’ Day and are happy to enjoy the day. For those who still have their fathers alive, call them and wish them the best for one day they will be gone. And it matters not how they treated you in the past, it is your duty to show them respect and others will see that you have acted properly and with love.
Heck, dads do alot.
Valkerie, what Gen. S. is saying here is only the tip of the iceberg. There is much much more that real dads do for their families and he has captured much of it here in his letter. As part of his series “Letters to My Granddaughter”, Gen. Satterfield is educating us and doing so with a tad of fun along the way. We all read his letters and laugh or smile has the little boy Doug Satterfield and hurting himself and doing stupid things and dangerous things (like putting a firecracker in a beer bottle then throwing it). That is all about the learning process and a good thing his mom never found out or she would have been horrified.
❤ Another GREAT letter to read and enjoy and love. ❤
Hi RED, great to hear from you. We miss your humor in your articles, so please write more. Oh, I also see what you mean here but remember that Gen. Satterfield is writing to a young girl who is his granddaughter, not to his military unit.
Gen. Satterfield just a note to say I too appreciate these letters. Sometimes they are a bit sissy, and I don’t mean that in a bad way, just girlie. Now that does not either express my appreciation for your letters and I know the letters are to your granddaughter. Any way, keep them coming to at least 100 or, maybe, more. Have a wonderful happy Father’s Day.
We hope you write another article for us soon, Red. Big fan of yours.
Most of us are fans of Sadako Red. Me too! But more so, I’m a huge huge huge fan of Gen. Satterfield’s letters to his granddaughter and today on Fathers day I am not disappointed at all.
Beautiful letter to Gen. Satterfield’s granddaughter. That girl is one lucky granddaughter. I wish that I had letters from my grandparents that told me about their times and their successes and struggles. Now that would be something to treasure forever. And, on top of that, these letters can be passed down the generations in the family and will always be appreciated because the letters are loving, tell stories of how to be a better person, and the ways of being a good boy for Gen. S’s family. Thank you sir for what you are doing for your granddaughter and for us too.
Willie, and Gen. Satterfield, from these letters being an inspiration, I’ve started doing the same thing. I send my kids letters now and keep copies in a box under my bed. If something ever happens to me, all of the letters will be there for all my kids and grandkids to read again in the future.
Another letter, makes my day. HAPPY FATHER’S DAY — and never forget the great fathers.
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY !!!!!!!!
Yes, and I will repeat it and all good fathers deserve recognition for helping take care of their families by protecting them from the crazies that are running free today (thanks Congress for removing all the insane asylums) and criminals (thanks Democrats for releasing all the violent offenders) and whackos (that are encouraged by do-nothing DAs. It is a tough world and we need strong men to help us all. That is what I call common sense. Happy Fathers Day to all.
Yes! The world needs strong men. Particularly we need strong fathers.
Patriot Wife, correct, and BTW, well said. This does give new meaning to Fathers Day. We need good men to be good fathers, husbands, brothers, protectors, those setting high standards for their kids, involved making their neighborhood better, safer, and worthy of having a family grow up there. Weak men do not apply. Get stronger first. Be a good Christian.
Well said, and like others have noted == Happy Fathers Day ==
Gen. Satterfield, caught me by surprise with this letter but I should have predicted this special day for fathers that you would have one dedicated to Fathers.
Gotta love all these letters and thanks, sir, for having a single page with all of them. For those new to this website, all 79 letters to date can be found here:
https://www.theleadermaker.com/granddaughter-letters/
Wow, nice!
👍❤😁👀😊✔😍👏💋😉💕😎✌
Just what I was thinking …………. 👩🏻💼
Lana, indeed, “wow” and now we are at No. 79 of the 100 letters that Gen. Satterfield said that he would write to his granddaughter. My hope is that the letters continue. Each one of these is a treasure in itself and is both entertaining and informative about Gen. S. as a little boy. We are starting to see him grow up and it is like we are with him during those times. He tells us of his family and relatives and those things he got in trouble with and his thinking at the time. That is why I’m happy that I discovered these letters some time ago. Each day that I log onto his website, I hope for another letter and here we are today and I love it. This one is about Father’s Day and, of course, perfectly timed.
Melissa, yep! Another great letter from Gen. Satterfield about his time as a kid. One thing that I have to note is that he is not spending his time “looking at his iphone.” he he he he….. those stupid phones were not yet invented.
That is why I’m one of the longest time fans of Gen. Doug Satterfield and now esp. of his letters.
Thank you, JT. You are one of my original readers and that is greatly appreciated.
A BEAUTIFUL LETTER to your granddaughter, Gen. Doug Satterfield and thanks you for sharing!