'I appreciate you very much'

Larry Gatlin never served in the U.S. military. Because of that, he’s spent a good portion of this life trying to pay back the men and women who have.

Gatlin, who received a standing ovation as master of ceremonies during Tuesday’s opening day of The American Legion National Convention in Cincinnati, has been a fixture on the country music scene for more than 60 years – both as a solo artist and with his brothers.

The son of a of U.S. Marine Corps veteran, he’s also traveled all over the world with the USO to perform for U.S. servicemembers. He often wears a Marine jacket he had made that is similar to what his father wore. He wears it to honor his dad, veterans and the military. Gatlin said that during a trip to Washington, D.C., years ago, he asked a friend if it was disrespectful to wear such a jacket.

“While I had not served in the military I had tried, in my own way, to serve all over the known world (and country) with the USO (and) with the United States Air Force Band,” Gatlin said. “And it was then that my friend, Gen. Colin Powell, told me, ‘Cpl. Gatlin, I order you to wear that jacket whenever you think it’s appropriate.’”

Gatlin said he was No. 296 in the draft lottery during the Vietnam War. “I was not drafted,” he said. “I did not have to go. Some of you did.”

Gatlin then asked the Vietnam veterans in the convention hall to stand up. “Let me and these other great Americans welcome you home,” he said. “I appreciate you very much.”

Mixing between light moments and seriousness, Gatlin joked that, “My father is not a former Marine or an ex-Marine. My father is just an 89-year-old Marine currently not on active duty.”

He also told the story of how his father was on a boat with 1,500 other Marines headed to Japan when the two atomic bombs were dropped, forcing a Japanese surrender. “I can say with some certainty that if President Truman hadn’t (been brave enough) to do what needed to be done – what had to be done – some of you would not be here today.

“There are hundreds of thousands of other Americans, and hundreds of thousands of good Japanese citizens – now some of our best allies – who wouldn’t be alive today, either.”

Gatlin, who became a member of Sons of The American Legion Squadron 82 in Tennessee on Tuesday, also praised the Legion’s Youth Champions, who he met onstage prior to his presentation. “These kids … are some of the most impressive people I’ve ever seen or met,” he said. “If we had about 1,000 of them, we could fix everything that’s wrong in the whole world today.”