World War Two veterans

[1sttruck]

Mt father and grandfather became members of the Alaska Territorial Guard' in WWII, which was created after the army realized that it didn't have enough troops to monitor the coastline of Alaska when WWII broke out. To this day being in the guard is common in the 'bush' in Alaska, and one village has probably the only Quaker denomination that is also a member of the military. When my father turned 18 he joined what was then the Army Air Force in 1946.

My wife's father was drafted in the German army in WWII at the age of 15 (as I recall), and he served in an anti-aircraft unit on the Eastern front. He was wounded, made it to US lines to surrender, and although conditions were initially very bad he eventually received what he described as excellent treatment. He was a loyal supporter of the US for the rest of his life. One of my wife's great uncles was killed at Verdun in WWI.

A salute to all veterans, especially to the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, the British Army, and the other allied forces by their side, for holding out alone as long as they did.

 

[Kestas]

My dad fought both Germans AND Russians in the Lithuanian army.

 

[obbop]

Honorable mention..... he isn't here to speak for himself.

Grandpa's brother. Mom's uncle.

Wounded on Omaha Beach, D-Day 1944.

Died three days later.

Buried in the Colleville sur Mer cemetary in France.

 

[Racerjk]

I lost a great uncle on Saipan in WWII.

You should hear my grandma talk about him and what it was like when they got the news of his death. He's still over there too. My grandma has his flag and his Purple Heart also.


RIP J.F. Clark

 

[Gary Allan]

Father was in the Pacific theater. Standard routine. Endure endless barages of little islands ..climb down cargo nets and walk onto a beach. No heroic tales. Never got into that stuff too much ..at least not about the killing. He mentioned the conditions a bit. Like how the Filipinos were almost starved to death when they liberated one of the major islands. Got some medals and a irritated stomach lining and couldn't hear a "bang" without jumping and never awoke when prodded without coming up swinging. My mother and I learned to call him from the doorway.

1sttruck, I believe that you mean the Army Air Corps. ..which my father was attached to the 5th Air Corps.

He was disabled in an industrial accident somewhere around 48 years old. He died after sustaining servere burns in an accident at home in 1985. He had joined the Army before the war broke out.

I was too young to understand is comments on the Vietnam War when he stated that "they" were having the poor fight it. He wasn't a well educated man. He was the "oops" last child of a large family and was shifted from relative to relative due to the advanced age of my grandparents. He never made it past the 6th or 7th grade. The man was a relentless worker and had wisdom and a kind heart ..and knew when to apply both in good measure.

My uncle Stanely (mothers side) was in some unit of distinction in the Seige of Bastogne. 1xx(??) Armored Ordinance Maintenance Battalion (IIRC). He drove a halftrack. The only tale that he brought back with him was that, at one point, they captured a German armored car and were told to destroy the currency. Allegedly they were later given the same currency for tender in the occupied areas.

 

[HappyHyundai]

Wow.. this thread is a "Page turner"!!!!

RIP to the ones who died.

 

[obbop]

Oh heck....

Guess I gotta' mention the old man. He was a WW 2 Marine, Pacific Theater.

Part of the Marine detachment aboard the General Thomas Collins, a troop transport ship, if i recall the name right.

Old man died in 1977, right after Elvis.

The old man kept applying to get into the same unit as his brother, UJ Uncle Jim. Nope....the Marines said he was needed where he was.

Other ships in their convoys were attacked by aircraft but the Collins was never singled out.

Not being in direct action during the war affected the old man. I believe it led to the carrer path he followed, cop, fireman, then with the Atomic Energy Commission AEC during the Cold War years where he rose to a high rank and was in charge, at one time, of part of the civil defense procedures for the San Francisco Bay area and the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory LRL (name changed later). He was even sent out for the H-Bomb tests in the Pacific... brought back some nifty pics. Things sure were hectic for him, however, during the Cuban Missile Crisis....he wasn't home much.

Anyway.... that war affected people in many ways, even those who were not in the thick of the fighting. Those on the fringes were affected in different ways.

If I recall correctly, on average, in modern warfare, for every person on the front lines doing the actual fighting there are around 20 in support positions. Transporting the food, fuel and ammo, repairing weapons and equipment, tending the wounded, a thousand-and-one tasks that must be done to keep the minority at the front lines.

All did their duty. Some may not have any medals on their chests but, without their efforts, those with the madals would not have been able to eventually win the war.

"Hand salute" to all of 'em!!!!!

 

[wantin150]

My Grandfather was in an artillery division in WW II. He doesn't speak about it much at all so I have no stories to pass along. He saw a lot of combat in Italy is all I know.

My hat is off to all the guys (and women) who fought and supported our efforts.

 

[obbop]

"Although the government says I am a Vietnam Vet"

All my experience indicates you are considered a "Vietnam-Era Vet"

"Real combat vets don't like to talk about their experiences."

I respect your opinion but, in MY opinion, broad sweeping generalizations that apply something to an entire group of people, a very large group of people, is typically demonstrably false.

You are, assuredly, not proclaiming that there are battle-hardened vets who do NOT speak of their adventures?

Sure, you can't believe everything you hear but it's hard to disagree with the guy whose wall is slathered with Presidential Unit Commendations and whose DD-214 lists all the government-issued medals. When that person speaks their words are worth listening to.

 

[Cicero17]

Do you feel better now?

 

[Cicero17]

Real combat vets don't like to talk about their experiences. When I hear a guy telling all kinds of stories, I have learned to take it with at least a grain of salt.

I have a good friend, our mayor, who was at Iwo Jima as a marine. One day he stopped by my office on an anniversary and talked the most I have ever heard. He almost cried as he talked about his best friend being killed. No stories of heroism or anything, just a kid very scared and doing what he had to do.

My paternal grandfather was career army and served in both WWI and WWII. Never went overseas in the first war, served in India in the second. The only scary part I know of for him was as the ship went through the Med and they were all in fear of German subs. I have and use the Rosary he carried.

My father repaired teletypes on Guam after it was considered secure. He told a story once about going hiking with two buddies and surprising about 3 Japs hiding in a little camp. They hit the ground and the Japs ran, so no heroics on either side. He has a shirt and canteen he got from that. One of the things he emphasized was picking up the food they found to force them to surrender.

Although the government says I am a Vietnam Vet, I never went any closer to Vietnam that Fort Ord, CA.

My kids and I now honor the soldiers of the Civil War as reeanactors for Co A of the 20th Maine (Little Round Top bayonet charge) Sometimes you get more of a feel for it than others. Artillery going off behind you makes you jump, a full company firing there muskets at you makes you wonder how anyone could survive, and wool uniforms are killers when its 90 degrees out. Monday we reenacted the Union assault on Battery Wagner (the movie Glory with the 54th Mass). As we marched out I really could feel the spirit of those men as they marched to battle knowing many would fall. Its a strange feeling that can bring a tear to your eyes.

I always honor soldiers, especially those who were scared ****les and did their duty anyway. I also always honor the common foot soldier from every side in every war.

Don Lynch

 

[TurboLuver]

Both grandfathers were in the Pacific Theatre during WW2. One was an Army Medic, the other survived (barely) the Bataan Death March and 3.5 years in a Japanese POW camp in Kokura, which incedentally happened to be the primary target for the second nuclear bomb dropped on Japan. Luckily the city was shrouded in cloud cover and the bomb was dropped on Nagasaki.