Duty & Honor
“The Vietnam War was arguably the most traumatic experience for the United States in the twentieth century. That is indeed a grim distinction in a span that included two world wars, the assassinations of two presidents and the resignation of another, the Great Depression, the Cold War, racial unrest, and the drug and crime waves.”
DONALD M. GOLDSTEIN
In mid-September I received a phone call from a potential new client, Kathy. I could hear the aspiration in her voice when she started to describe her request for a portrait session that would be like none other that I had ever photographed before. She was looking to capture the beauty of her father’s legacy as a Vietnam veteran as well as the deep bond that he had with his grandson Mike and his honorable, loving wife Lisa. Paul, Kathy’s father, and Mike, Kathy’s son, are Marines – past and present. I was honored and nervous at the same time to be chosen for this unique project! In honor of Veteran’s Day, November 11th, 2022, I am sharing with you a little glance into Paul Blake Cropper’s story.
Paul was a Master Gunnery Sergeant in the Marine Corps. He was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on Sept. 18, 1942. At 17, Paul joined the Marine Corps with the permission of his father. His mother passed away when Paul was at the young age of 14. During his first tour of duty, Paul was deployed to Okinawa which also included combat duties in Vietnam and Laos. He completed his 4 four years of active duty plus one year in active reserve. While on leave, Paul found employment with Cars International and spent time in several locations such as Okinawa, Philippines, and ultimately in Taiwan where he met his future wife, Lisa. When they met, she worked in a small gift shop. Love brought them together and they married on Sept 18,1965, Paul’s 23rd birthday.
Lisa was born in China, however, she escaped with her family to Taiwan at the age of 3 in 1949 when the communist party took control of China. Shortly after getting married, Paul and Lisa had their first child, Lily, in 1966. Paul and Lisa decided to move to the United States of America which required first, the help of the United States Embassy, then the US State Department and ultimately some assistance from the renowned statesman, Henry Kissinger. Paul ultimately re-enlisted back into the Marine Corps for a second tour and found himself with deployment orders to Vietnam at the end of 1968. By this time, Paul and Lisa were pregnant with their second child, Kathy. Lisa returned to Taiwan while still pregnant much to the delight of her parents who were more than happy to spend their time doting on their granddaughter Lily and looking forward to welcoming Kathy into the world.
33 years later Mike, Paul’s grandson, was born. Mike grew up just a few blocks from his grandfather and the family bond was very close. Sunday dinners became customary and traveling was important to everyone. Mike and Paul have been to Alaska together on a cruise and have even been on a scuba-diving trip with each other. Mike is a lot like Paul, and although it was rare for Paul to speak about his military service, as a young man Mike always thought the military life “would be cool.” One afternoon Mike drove Paul down to the VA to get his hearing aids and the VA made an indelible impression on Mike. Kathy, his mother, was not surprised when he started to talk about joining the Marine Corps during his Senior year of high school. While finishing school, Mike played baseball and his parents encouraged him to take advantage of both his sports and academic scholarship at college. Mike continued down this path for a year until his desire for independence won over. It was important to Mike to provide for himself through college. While he was employed at the local hospital a Marine Corps recruiter reached out to him again. He was able to join the Marine Corps reserves while still being able to finish college at the University of North Georgia. He took the spring and summer semesters off for boot camp and his assigned job training. Now, at 21, Mike is finishing his junior year at UNG, working at the hospital and attending drill on the weekends and in the summer.
Paul just celebrated his 80th birthday and he and Lisa currently reside in Lawrenceville, Ga close to their two daughters, Lily & Kathy.
It is stories like this, among the thousands of others, that remind me of the sacrifices that military families make every day. The legacy that has been left in the Cropper name is beautiful, profound, and extremely significant. With that in mind, we should all thank a Veteran, and their family members for the sacrifices they make daily to protect our rights and freedoms. So, I say, Thank you to all the men and women, and their families, for your service and sacrifice to defend my rights and freedoms.
Please enjoy the rest of Paul & Mike’s gallery as we honor those who are still with us and remember those we lost.
Happy Veteran’s Day from Jessica Tanner Photography!
