Concert on a Clear Night

Dad never said much about serving in Korea, and it was hard to imagine him as a soldier. I remembered him singing, not fighting

- By ELLEN VAN ARSDALE, Granger, Indiana

Zoom meetings had become routine by 2020, but the one I was preparing for now was anything but ordinary. It was hard to believe it was even happening. Checking to make sure my internet connection was stable, I remembered the day I’d received an email from a complete stranger: “My name is Twighla Allen,” the message had read. “On behalf of my grandfather, I’m looking for an old Army friend of his. His name is Clair Avery. He served in Korea between February and October 1952. I’m hoping I’ve found the right family.”

She had. That Army friend turned out to be my late father, Jack Flood. Twighla had gotten his name from a page torn from an old address book that her grandfather had saved for more than 50 years. My father had filled out his Indiana address in his own handwriting.

Eventually, we organized a Zoom call so our two families could meet face to virtual face: Clair, Twighla, with my husband and two of my sisters waiting to join on our end. Of course, we were eager to hear more about Dad from his Army buddy. We knew nothing about Dad’s life during the war. Like a lot of veterans, Dad had kept that chapter of his life to himself. It was hard to imagine him as a soldier, much less fighting in a war.