I was honored to meet two WWII heroes...

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CarbonSteel

CarbonSteel

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On a recent vacation to Hawai'i (O'ahu); I spent the day at Pearl Harbor. It was a lifelong dream to do this and it was so fulfilling. While there, I happened to meet two veterans that were on duty the morning of December 7, 1941.

Please meet US Army (ret.) Sergeant Major Sterling R. Cale (left) and US Navy (ret.) Storekeeper Alfred Benjamin Kame'eiamoku Rodrigues (right) who were both on duty on the morning of December 7, 1941 and continued to serve our country with dignity and distinction for 57 and 54 years respectively (on active duty and reserve duty). It was such an honor to meet both of them, shake their hands, and gratefully thank them for their service.

I remain in awe...and honor veterans every chance that I can--despite political and sometimes public opinion, without people like this and those that gave all, and the services of the many veterans on this site, we (at least I feel) that our civilian lives would likely be much different than they are now.

God Bless the Veterans!

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My two grandfathers and great grandfather served in world war two, with my great grandfather losing his life in holland . I really believe the next generation of our society does not fathom, understand or really care about the importance these people had in there free lives. The men and women who serve to protect are rights and freedoms are truly the greatest hero's.

God bless them all.
 
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As it happened, I was born in the year before that war ended. My father had enlisted about 18 months before the war began, and didn't retire until I was almost out of high school. Often over the years I've had numerous people ask me what that childhood was like. I always told them that my childhood and teen years were very typical and much like any other kid's life was; except for a few important things.

Throughout dad's service he was a gungho combat infantry type, and became a Sgt. Major. I would never have known that, except that he came home (when he was stateside!) in uniform. For all I would have known he could have been a butcher, baker, or candlestick maker! He was the most compartmentalized person I've ever known--he kept the army on the base, and home, kept at home! People find that very hard to believe or accept. Back in the day, when every civilian kid knew of and had a hero--be it baseball or otherwise--my dad was and still is MY Hero!! He's long since passed--35+ years gone--and still MY only Hero!

My only other comments were that as a kid, I grew up surrounded by Heros--real heros--there were many in the army in the 50's and 60's and if you could read a uniform you quickly knew what hard won bronze star and silver star ribbons, were, and what purple hearts and oak leaf clusters meant. There were GIANTS in those days!!

So I can understand your admiration and reverance for those guys! They really were and are "The Greatest Generation." Ever! And we will never see their kind again!
 
Originally Posted By: dparm
I would shake both of those MEN's hands.

Indeed I did and thanked them countless times; when framed by the setting of Pearl Harbor, it was more than a little surreal.
 
Originally Posted By: 2010_FX4
Originally Posted By: dparm
I would shake both of those MEN's hands.

Indeed I did and thanked them countless times; when framed by the setting of Pearl Harbor, it was more than a little surreal.


I had a similar experience at the Vietnam War Memorial in DC years ago, and one at the Reflecting Absence 9/11 memorial this past spring.
 
a friend of mine through work, his girlfriend's uncle was one of the great heroes of WWII; he was 442nd; something about uncle charlie taking out several german machine gun nests by himself; medal of honor; we owe so much to the greatest generation.
 
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