I touched History Again...

[Ray,IN]

This is a very worthwhile and respectful thread about WW II veterans SeaJay began. Please, refrain from making it political.

[CorsairIIAT]

Please don't go there guys. I want this thread to continue. This has nothing to deal with current conflicts. It has everything to deal with the GREATEST GENERATION. Which saved this great Nation. Which by the way when I entered my building today I popped to and saluted the flag at half staff. The flag pole at our building is in Memory of one of our flight test Pilots we lost in his last flights at our command before he was scheduled to go back to sea duty.

[Nonno]

SeaJay, I've enjoyed reading your many posts about touching History as well as your other veteran related posts. Thank you!

This past Veterans Day, I was e-mailing my cousins about how I missed and was thinking of my dad. As a Coast Guardsman he manned the initial landing crafts on D-Day at Guadalcanal. Well, one of my "senior" cousins (my generation spans approx 40 years) shared how as a young girl she still remembers seeing the Service Flag with 5 stars displayed in the window of our Aunts home. Those stars represented her 4 sons, 2 Marines & 2 Army. The 5th star represented her baby brother, my dad. Coming from a large Italian family, other cousins and Uncles have also served. Thank God all returned home safely.

I also am honored to have been touched with parts of our countries great History. I am a proud cousin, nephew, son and fellow Vet.

[CorsairIIAT]

Hondo keep this about the GREATEST GENERATION And nothing else.

[DBOL]

Father -in-Law was at Pearl that morning in his bunk,had just got off watch from Mid night till 6am is Barrecks was distroyed.He ended with his bunk on top of him and foot locker at end of Bed gone with all personnel stuff School ring etc.everything gone to his left.He was suspost to be on watch,but a friend had a date the night before and got my father -in law to trade so he could stay out late that Army Air corp man died when his Watch post was distroyed that morning First wave!
Between first and second wave Father-in-law and two other Texans set up 50 cal and shot three planes down.
Some 50 years are so later he went back and interviewed with aBoatson mate at Memorial and told of shooting down a plane that went down over Mountains,he pointed to where it went down and 6 months later the old Boats called him in Frankston Texas telling him they found the plane in the Jungle and it was #100 and something,that was a good day for my FIL Harry E.Williams Tech Sgt.

[rmmpe]

My SubVet group has 2 WWII Vets and both wear Battle Mission pins.

At less than 2% of the Navy's entire strength, WWII Submarines destroyed over half of Japan's ships and suffered a higher loss rate than any other Military branch; 52 Boats & 3,505 lives.

I am honored to be in their presence.

[Seajay]

Several years ago I was at a gun show. I took a break to get one of the fine gourmet hot dogs and a fabulous vintage can of Pepsi cola and a select bag of chips. (later I had a Pepto tablet for dessert) I took my sumptuous meal over to a picnic table and sat down. A father and son asked if they might set with me as they were feasting also. The son was carrying a Carbine rifle that he had just bought so we started talking. His father was a stately gentleman with military bearing as I could see. I asked his dad if he was ''military'' and he said yes. He said he served with Gen Patton in the Italian Campaign. He had been a tank commander and had three shot out from under him. He said one of the tanks was hit by an 88 which came thru the front of the tank, BETWEEN HIS FEET, and out the back of the tank and exploded in the dirt behind the tank. He was blown out of the tank by the concussion of the shell. Only he survived the hit with a few shrapnel wounds. He said he was afraid to ''look down'' when he found out he was not dead. We talked for maybe 45 minutes and he was a fascinating person. He told me he never drew a ''sober'' breath while he served with Patton and he always went into battle with a shine on his boots. He said Patton was just as mean as the movie portrayed him and just as tough on his men as the movie showed him. He said they feared Patton more than the Germans. I could have sat there all day and just listened to him. His ''son'' turned out to be his ''grandson'' and I told the grandson to get a tape recorder or better yet a video camera and just let his grandfather talk. He was true walking history with first hand knowledge as to how the war was fought and he could tell you about it from the ''I'' prospective. Lots of things he talked about I had seen on the history channel and had read about in books so I knew he was either well read and researched or he was telling the truth.

Please guys, like the ''mod'' said, lets stay on subject 'cause I would love to continue this thread. Respects to all for your political opinions, and it is your right to have these opinions. Lets keep it friendly..

God bless our Vets......

[hondo122]

Originally Posted by CorsairIIAT

Hondo keep this about the GREATEST GENERATION And nothing else.

I Apologize if I went off track, I was speaking up for members of that generation who are no longer with us to speak up. Nothing makes me prouder than the sacrifices that they make to insure our freedom, my Pop had 4 brothers that served in Europe my Mom had 2 brothers that served in Europe and 1 in the Pacific, all survived, though my Uncle Lou ended up with what is now called PTSD which affected him the rest of his life.

[hondo122]

Originally Posted by CorsairIIAT

SeaJay,

As well as you write here. Maybe YOU should start recording the GREATEST GENERATION'S Memorys. Its too late for my dad we lost him in the 70's. He was a Navigator on B-24's. All he would do from those days was teach us boys how to navigate using the stars. He talked very little of that part of his life.

Sorry your Dad didn't tell you tails from the war. My Pop and I would sit for hours with his box of pictures and he would tell me all the stories that went with them. He bunked with the unit photographer and had plenty of pictures and stories. He was an Armorer with the Army Air Corp.

[Seajay]

All forgiven,,,,,,,All forgotten... CARRY ON REGARDLESS..... (Bob quote)

I went back over to WallyWorld to get a ''squeeze bulb'' for my outboard motor. I walked thru the door and there stood another WW2 vet. I almost fell over. This guy had on a ball cap with WW2/Korea Veteran on the front and a Silver Star ribbon, a Purple Heart Ribbon, and another one that I forget right now. He was ''propped'' on a shopping cart. Good Grief ..... I immediately came to attention, saluted this gentleman and extended my right hand. He returned my salute and we shook hands and I told him what a pleasure it was to be in his company and how grateful I was for his service to this country. He said he was sixteen years US Army and he didn't consider himself anything special........... ''ANYTHING SPECIAL SIR?????'' That is a Silver Star ribbon on your cap Sir'' ''and a Purple Heart also''. ''MY GOD SIR, What would call ''SPECIAL SIR''???????.......... ''Well son, I just happened to be in the Wrong Place at the Right time and I got shot in the butt to boot''......''Nothing special about me son'' ''You would have done the same thing if you had been there'' ......
I saluted him again and again thanked him for his service to this nation. I went on back to sporting goods and found my boat part and while I was there Willa called to remind me to go to get the meds she had ordered. As I hung up the phone it occurred to me that I had a camera on the phone. ''DUUUUHHHHHHH'' Why the hay didnt I take this guys picture? It must have been a Marine Moment and I forgot my phone would shoot pix. (ever since I became an honorary Marine, my logic is slipping and I cant ''thimk'' of long words no more and my ''spelting'' is slipping too, also... cough cough) I went back over to the door but the man was gone. I said Shux and Fudge under my breath and kicked myself for not taking his pix. From now on I will take pix if the vets will let me for a visual record of the guys I meet.
We are in Florida and two days in a row I have stood in the presence of greatness and was too dumb to record it. From now on, with their permission, I will take pix.
Considering the amount of Senior Citizens here in Florida the Odds are strong that there is a disproportionate number of WW2 Vets down here.

I want you guys to do this for me. When you see one of our WW2/Korea Vets....TAKE THEIR PICTURE PLEASE AND POST IT ON HERE .....
Let us honor them for their service to this great nation....

God bless our vets and keep them safe.....

[RustyJC]

Here's a trivia question for you:

My dad was a combat engineer in the Army and saw combat in WW2, yet after the war he was ineligible to join the VFW. Where did he serve??
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Dad saw combat is what is sometimes called the Forgotten War. He was stationed at Fort Richardson, Alaska and saw service at Dutch Harbor, Attu and Kiska in the Aleutians. It was hard to get him to talk much about his wartime experiences, but he did share once about running an armored bulldozer pushing fused barrels of gasoline into caves to burn the Japanese defenders out since they would not surrender. He had a Japanese army issue sword that hung in the garage that he brought home as a war trophy - I remember using it when I was a young boy to cut tree branches, etc. I also recall that the sword had a wooden sheath that was singed by fire....I guess I now understand why.

I do remember that he carried a $1 bill folded up in a pocket of his wallet until he died in 1997. I asked him why, and he said that it was in memory of his best friend. Dad was single when he was in the Army, but his best friend was married with young children. Dad was scheduled for home leave and had a seat on a C47 that would leave Anchorage, go to Fairbanks to pick up other military personnel and then head to the "lower 48". He was playing poker the night before the flight and won the dollar from his friend - he also got permission to swap his leave and seat on the C47 with his friend so that he could go home to see his wife and kids. The plane left Anchorage for Fairbanks the next morning and was never seen or heard from again - it crashed in the mountains of the Alaska range with the loss of all on board and was only found in a glacier in the last 15-20 years, IIRC. It was only by the grace of God that my dad wasn't on board.

This was indeed the Greatest Generation, and I hope we never forget the sacrifices they made to keep America and our allies free.

Rusty

[RovinOn]

Our local newspaper just published a hard bound book containing the stories of all the local servicemen and women from the area.
The book covered everyone from the Revolutionary War up until present.
There were several WWII vets associated to the local Nursing home Facility in which my wife works.
One of the gentlemen had been a top turret gunner in a B-17. As fate would have it his plane was shot down and he was captured by the Germans and held in Stalag 17.
The other gentleman went to fight with the Greek Resistance under the OSS.
Anyway since I have this book I thought it would be an honor to have them sign it for me, neither could believe my wife when she ask them. They couldn't understand why I wanted. My wife told them that I said it would be a great honor to have their singnatures and I was honored that they did it for me and that I appreciated what they did for the country and I was very glad that they had survived to tell their stories. I have not met thest two gentlemen but sometime soon I will be paying them a visit.

Regards,
RovinOn

[jackrobinryan]

Might be a little long in telling this story but worth the read if you have the time.

As a hospice patient care volunteer in N VA some years back, I was matched with a gentleman in his last few months to assist, get him to doc visits and in general help however I could. After a few weeks and several visits, his son found out my interest in history and particularly the WWII naval part. (as my Master Chief father in law had sparked) He said "Dad, tell Jack your story"

As a Radioman on a torpedo bomber flying off the Yorktown CV-10 (the one at Patriots Point, Charleston) Gordon, his pilot "Pops" and gunner were shot down on their and the new ship's first combat action. Captured by the enemy, they spent the next 2 years in Japanese prison camps.

(I always get chills telling this story.)

Gordon proceeds to tell a little of the details, but only good things, like rooming with Pappy Boyington in his second year and flying home with him after being released. (there were a few celebratory drinks involved.) Not much about the hardships. This good and decent guy was mainly interested in saying how he missed his late wife and proud of his son and his family that he never thought he would see. As sick as he was, he was thankful for the extra years he was given. This guy has a letter from President Truman welcoming him back home....

His pilot, when he retired was Admiral James Condit, was kept at the Tokyo rail yards and if you've seen The Fighting Lady movie, you'll see him and his crew. "Pops" painted his name on the roof of the building so US planes flying over before the surrender knew where to drop in. He was recovered from that prison in time to be one of the POW representatives at the signing of the surrender!!!

When Gordon passed and his funeral at Arlington cemetary was arrainged, I had the privilege to witness that event. And to meet and chat with Admiral Condit the evening before. He told me thanks for helping his friend! Amazing. Here I am, talking to someone who witnessed and made so much history, and he's as humble as can be. He passed a few years back.

One of my most favorite experiences as a volunteer.

There were sooooo many others like these guys. Definitely the Greatest!

[Seajay]

i went up the the grocery story and walking out I met this man. His name is Paul. He served 21 years in the US Army WW2 Europe theater, Lived thru D Day June 6. Combat wounded, real nice guy. Made me feel very humble and he didnt even try.......

God bless our vets......