Where do I fit, politically?

The term "neoconservative" has been bandied about in the media quite frequently to characterize those for whom military power is seen not as a destabilizing force, but rather a power to be wielded for good. Much as "liberal" has been used as a derogatory term by conservatives, "neocon" has been used (by self-described liberals) to charicature conservatives of this bent in a negative light.

I suppose that I fit into this category.

My father introduced me to reading, history, philosophy and economics. He read voraciously, encouraging me to do the same and throughout my youth, often engaged me in debates on important issues of the day.

The origins of my world view are derived from those of my father. My dad was Judson C. Davis, Jr. He was born on May 15, 1921 in Charleston, West Virginia.

Knowledge of my father's early years are sketchy, but here are some of the essentials. When he was very young, his father Jud Sr. divorced his mother Besma. Unable to make ends meet and take care of a child, my grandmother was forced to work and place Jud Jr. in the care of someone else (grandparents?). I'm not sure.

Even so, my father related to me how poor he and everyone else was in the late 1920's - especially in West Virginia. I know nothing of the intervening years.

He enlisted in the US Navy on March 7, 1941 as an aviation cadet. He was wounded on November 30, 1942 in the Battle of Tassafaronga aboard the cruiser USS Minneapolis. During this battle, a line of steaming US cruisers and destroyers were surprised at night by a volley of Japanese long lance torpedoes. One struck the USS Minneapolis, blowing off her bow.

After being treated for his wounds, he trained as a TBM Avenger pilot (torpedo bomber). Beginning in February of 1945 as part of VT-84 on board the USS Bunker Hill, Jud flew many missions over Tokyo. In April of 1945 during the massive invasion of Okinawa, a task force of Japanese surface ships - lead by the battleship Yamato - was sent south towards Okinawa to oppose US forces.

My father's was one of approximately 300 planes dispatched to find and sink this task force on April 7, 1945. The Japanese task force was spotted and US planes attacked.

During the battle, the Yamato was struck several times by bombs and torpedoes. While I'd like to think that my father's was the one that finished her off, it's impossible to know. Nevertheless, for his actions during the battle my father was later awarded the Navy Cross.

It was in May of 1945 that hundreds of Japanese kamikaze pilots were sent on suicidal missions to destroy American aircraft carriers. My father was aboard the Bunker Hill when it was struck by two kamikaze on May 11, 1945. Somehow, he survived - but many of his squadron mates were killed.

In his war diary, my father, then 24 years old wrote: "Having been but a few days since it happened, I find it very hard to believe that so many of my friends could be wiped off the slate in one blow. We had been living and working so close that only a pilot who has spent a year in training and months at sea (constantly together) with a particular squadron could comprehend it all."

After leaving the Navy to go to school, my father re-enlisted in 1947 and fought in the Korean War flying Vought F-4U Corsairs.

Why do I tell you this? Only to relate to you my concept of who my father was and what he represented to me. He felt very uncomfortable with the term "hero" as self-applied, but in my mind, he was every bit the hero. He shaped my world-view.

Lipo