My Heroes: What did you/your father/grandfather do in WWII?

[CanoeStream]

Great stories Rob & Ed.

One of my dad's favorite moments in his 30 year Air Force career was while stationed in Thailand in 1966-67. The USO C-130 was in the hanger, so my dad & his Gooney Bird were mobilized to fly Roy Acuff to do shows all around SEA. He had grown up listening to WLS when it had C&W shows.

[Melody Ranch]

For many years past my passion was flying in CAF (Confederate Air Force) Air Shows. One year at the annual Air Show I was sitting under a WW-II B-25 Bomber owned and flown by a great friend. This plane had been extensively modified into an executive class transport, to include a bar, lounges, mirrors, carpeting and plush drapery. The exterior was strictly WW-II. As we sat below, the wives of some of the crew were inside "resting" up and having a few cool ones. Two young boys, about 12 +/-, airplane Fans, approached and asked if they could look inside the Bomber. As they came down the steps from the modified bombay, where the mini skirted ladies were , I heard on boy say to the other..."That War was not as tough as he'd been told."

[OilnH2o]

Today is Flag Day, and it seems an appropriate time to bump this thread back up - it's almost six years old! Besides, as several who posted earlier noted, the mod's should rename it "Fathers, Mothers, Grandfathers and Grandmothers..." - not for political correctness, but because it's true.

My Dad went in the Army in 1943 - as did my Mom. Only my Dad (they weren't my parents then, BTW) was in Illinois and my Mom in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He was trained first in teletype repair - Signal Corps - then repair of crytographic message systems. My Mom was first a WAAC, later a WAC, and trained as a telephone operator, then a crypto-teletype operator. She shipped out in the late fall of 1943 to North Africa about the same time my Dad did, but on a different ship. She went first to Casablanca, then Algiers. He landed in Bizerte, off-loaded their equipment, then watched as the ship sailed out of the harbor where it took two torpedoes, blew up and sunk. Gives one pause. They both ended up at the same 12th Air Force support unit in Algiers but of course, in different companies. In 1944 they moved with the bases (as the aircraft moved) to Naples, Italy where. as my Dad told the story, my Mom's teletype "...seemed to constantly break down more than the other girls..." and he was called to fix it. He always ended the story with "...never could find anything wrong...."

We've learned many stories over the years, but my Dad's work was actually classified, as it was throughout his career, and he never spoke of it. But, one of the best from my Mom was that she was on the shift May 7, 1945, and decoded the message that the war would end the next day - May 8. She said when the shift was over, their Captain broke out a bottle of bourbon and everyone shared it, then one of "the girls" had a boyfriend in the motor pool, they got a Duece-and-a-half and some wine and they all drove around Naples in the back, celebrating while people just stared. Then, the next day - officially VE Day - after their shift, they got the same truck, more wine and did it again, only then people were in the streets celebrating! "It was the only time we 'broke code' " she said, but the news was such a relief. Each May 8 in recent years she notes "the newspaper didn't say anything about VE Day... again." That day was important to those vets in the European Theater as was VJ Day to those who served there.

Once the war ended, they both ended up coming home separately but quickly found each other in Albuquerque, married and had 65 wonderful years with my Dad retiring as a career USAF Chief Master Sergeant. He kept his secrets about what he really did to the grave, but only after he died did we find out he had a Bronze Star from his time in Italy. He never wore that ribbon. My Dad passed away 18 months ago at 90; my Mom's still going strong at 92. They were 23 to 25 years old during those war years -- "everybody was," they'd say, and my daughter still calls every November 11 to say, "Thank you for saving the world." And, I think that generation did, in truth, do just that.

Thus, let's revive this thread!

[xrvr]

Thank you for a wonderful story,. You must be very proud of your parents service as I am of mine. Both of my parents were in WW11 also. Jim

[Melody Ranch]

I accuse him of being in a Group similar to "Kellys' Heros." Thats him in the flight cap.

[Lance M]

Looks like a rough landing

[dznf0g]

My father (still living, age 92 last December) was a Lt. JG US Navy in WWII. For most of the war he was a aviation navigator performing daily sub search from Hollywood Beach, FL up the coast through the Carolinas. In the winter of 44-45 he was assigned sea duty aboard the USS John D. Barry, an old WWI (DD248) "4 stacker" which had been converted to an oil burner high speed attack patrol destroyer (APD23, IIRC) for WWII. He arrived off the shore of Okinawa during the Naval Bombardment of the island and Marine landing.
The Barry's duties included slipping Frog Men (precursers to today's SEALs) into and out of small island outpost and radio stations to do their thing swiftly and silently. They also escorted hospital ships out of the battle zone and were a part of the "radar picket fence" It was during the latter duty that the Barry met her fate at the hands of a Kamakazi attack and was ultimately sunk.
It was on the bridge cat walk, the night before entering battle, that Dad found God and prayed only to give him strength to perform his duty for a few days, and then he could have his will be done. He has been rewarded (so far) with 92 years! And he is still as healthy as one can be at that age....still drives!

Happy Father's Day, Dad!

[wahoonc]

My dad was a tweens during WW2, my grandfather was a top notch machinist and was drafted by the government and put in charge of a large machine shop in the Midwest that produced parts for aircraft engines. My other grandfather was a farmer and IIRC was growing hemp that was used to make rope in addition to producing dairy products. Not everybody serves on the front lines

Aaron

[xo1rider]

My father passed in 2011 at age 93. I have his medals hanging on my wall including a purple heart and bronze star.

He was drafted prior to Pearl Harbor, in civilian life he was a professional musician (piano player) in New York City so of course the army made him a bugler. When the war started he and all the other privates were promoted to corporal and never saw a bugel again. He was sent from Fort Dix to Alabama where he met my mother, probably the only way a New York City boy would ever meet a girl from Alabama in those days.

Dad went overseas with the 4th Armored Division and was wounded during the Battle of the Bulge. Unlike more modern wars he recuperated in England then went back to his unit.

He finished the war as a 1st Sergeant, went back to school on the G.I. bill and lived the life typical of most WWII vets. He did not talk much about the war and when pressed about his Purple Heart just said "I felt something hit my leg then woke up in a field hospital." I think the saddest I ever saw him was when I went to Vietnam.

[StreamRollin]

My grandfather served in the British Army as a chaplain. He was stationed in the Middle East and spent much of his time helping the mortally wounded find peace as they departed this world. Here's a picture of him on leave with my mother, grandmother, himself and my aunt. This picture was taken in 1941, it's the only one of him in uniform.

My father joined the Royal Marines in 1947, he was never called to active duty but was just as proud to serve during peace time. In the years following two world wars he was ready to serve his country. This picture is of he and my mother in 1948, they married in 1951.

They have all passed on now. They were all heroes to me. Wendy

[xrvr]

My father was an MP in the pacific, mainly the Phillipines after its liberation. My mother drove jeeps and trucks as a WAC here in the states. Jim

[Lily&Me]

My father was in broadcasting.

When the war was over he married my mother and moved to the Midwest to become a radio announcer.


Maggie

[Fly at Night]

A great uncle belonged to the Devils' Brigade which stormed the Japanese-occupied Aleutian Islands in 1943.

The Japanese knew they were coming - shot-up their dry-docked subs and fled before the DBs got there. Army intelligence figured they were planning an attack on the Boeing plants in B.C. and Washington State.

My great uncle took this photo of one of their subs....

[Wayward]

My father was an engineer on a Dutch Navy supply ship. Stuck deep below decks of those unarmed U-Boat targets.

He taught me tools and mechanics, and the kind of self reliance that had allowed him to survive the war. He immigrated to America immediately after the war for which I am eternally grateful!

What he made sure I understood is what he lived through before the Nazis occupied his country. He warned me that politicians start wars and destroy nations not soldiers. The Nazis never occupied his hometown by force, they were welcomed as utopians by the politicians and intellectuals. He became American and was filled with patriotism for the Nation that had given its blood and men to save his.

[danlehosky]

My father was a postal clerk at the Marine Base in San Diego for the duration. Not bad duty.

[AirHeadsRus]

My now 93 year old father was an aircraft electrician stationed in Washington DC all thru the war.

[Whizzo]

My father served in the Ryukyu Islands campaign around Okinawa, and saw firsthand the aftermath of Nagasaki. He eventually talked a little more openly about his experiences after I was in uniform. He departed this realm in 2004. I always respected and marveled what their generation endured.

[aswbe]

My Father commanded a section of Amphibious Trucks taking in Hi explosives to blow up beach obstacles on D-day Omaha beach. He was one of a few survivors. He spoke of it only once in 1966. When I saw "Saving Private Ryan" I was stunned by how the beach scene matched his telling of his experience as he was trapped on the beach that horrible day.

The 6th of June does not pass unnoticed in our family.

[OilnH2o]

Originally Posted by Fly at Night

A great uncle belonged to the Devils' Brigade which stormed the Japanese-occupied Aleutian Islands in 1943.

The Japanese knew they were coming - shot-up their dry-docked subs and fled before the DBs got there....

Fly at Night - my post about my folks was so long I had already put in too much -- but my Mom went to North Africa on the Empress of Scotland - with the 1st Special Service Force -- the Devil's Brigade -- half and half Canadians and U.S. She said they stuck to themselves, because "they'd all already seen combat." That was the Aleutians you noted! Their story is a great one!

[Jim & Susan]

All right, All right, At Ease!

Sunday is Veterans Day. Remember. Remember all these fine folks on that day. Raise a glass, take 'em out to lunch. Say a prayer.

May God continue to bless the United States Of America.

That is all. Carry on!

CWO Jim & SFC Susan