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

[eubank]

Originally Posted by Jim & Susan

Lynn, contact your congressman/woman. He/she can tell you how to replace those medals for your dad (for free, I might add).
Jim

Good idea. Our representative, Tom Udall, is really good on veterans' affairs, so he may be just the one.

Lynn

[Chuck]

Originally Posted by Roscinante

It always pissed me off (pardon my French) that my dad died at age 85 having served in WWII, Korea, and VietNam and couldn't even get an "honor" guard at his funeral.

Thats too bad. As a former military bandsman, that was part of our job. The trumpet players all had a rotating "on-call" status, and if a call came in from *any* vet, they'd be sent to do the job. They'd drive quite a distance, too, sometimes taking a couple of day's worth of time to do a 2 minute performance.
But since there were so many from the wwII era, and so few active-duty now, since the end of the cold war, they must just not have the resources anymore. I've heard horror stories of mechanical bugles and tape-recorded taps being used ...sacrilege, imo.

[Uberlanders]

And for the other side of the coin:

Jim's father had his whole life ahead of him in '38. We have this amazing picture of him with a suit on and riding his new motorcycle somewhere in Germany. He like many other men his age were drafted into the German army. The last thing on their minds was fighting a war; they had just endured a terrible economic depression and were enjoying Germany's new economy.

After being drafted he was eventually sent to Russia. He was captured and sent to the Gulag where he somehow survived the rest of the war. Living in deplorable conditions, doing hard labor with little clothing and felt boots, he made a pact with a gentleman he met there. They discovered they were from the same town and in fact lived only a block from each other. They decided if one of them made it out, they would go back to the other's family and let them know they died an honorable death.

Jim's father made it out and went to this man's home. A young girl in her teens answered the door and was scared of the very thin man who was standing there. Jim's father took it upon himself to help this family through the tough economic years that followed in Hamburg. (Hamburg was almost destroyed by allied bombings) That young girl eventually fell in love with Jim's father and they were married. Later they moved to the United States.

Kathleen

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by chuck

Thats too bad. As a former military bandsman, that was part of our job. The trumpet players all had a rotating "on-call" status, and if a call came in from *any* vet, they'd be sent to do the job. They'd drive quite a distance, too, sometimes taking a couple of day's worth of time to do a 2 minute performance.
But since there were so many from the wwII era, and so few active-duty now, since the end of the cold war, they must just not have the resources anymore. I've heard horror stories of mechanical bugles and tape-recorded taps being used ...sacrilege, imo.

A CD was used to play "taps" for both my father's memorial service, and my brother-in-law's service. I tried to get something a little more, umm, personal for either of them, and was told that with the number of veterans dying every day, they were unable to provide anything else, unless you were a full-bird colonel or 4 stripe captain, or higher, in rank.

[Chuck]

Originally Posted by overlander63

A CD was used to play "taps" for both my father's memorial service, and my brother-in-law's service. I tried to get something a little more, umm, personal for either of them, and was told that with the number of veterans dying every day, they were unable to provide anything else, unless you were a full-bird colonel or 4 stripe captain, or higher, in rank.

and a mere bugler doesn't even "rate" a bugler... how ironic is that??

[rseagle]

I have two heros, my dad and his brother, my Uncle Clarence. Only a year apart (1925 and 1926), they had a rough life during the Depression when their Ol' Man abandoned the family of a mother and 5 kids. Dad being the oldest, had to keep up with school and work part time jobs to help the family survive.

When WWII arrived, he enlisted in the Army after high school in 1943. He was selected for the Army Air Corps and became a flight engineer on a B-24. He was sent to India where he flew cargo over the "Hump" (Himalyas) into China. He had several close calls with the mountains, bad weather and Jap Zeroes. Their C-87 cargo and C-109 tanker versions of the B-24 were unarmed. They painted broomsticks black to convince the Japs that they were armed. He survived the war with a Distiquished Flying Cross and an Airmans Medal, as well as all the Campaign medals. He is alive today, and we're going to see him and Mom on Christmas Eve.

My Uncle Clarence enlisted in the Marines. He fought on Iwo Jima with the 4th Marine Division in the "Meatgrinder" with the 3rd and 5th Divisions on each flank. I once asked him if he had killed any Jap soldiers. He smiled and said "I don't know if I killed any, but I sure as Hell shot at alot of them" He was wounded in the eye from grenade shrapnel and lost his sight in that eye. He never was awarded a Purple Heart. That pisses me off! I think his records burned in the St. Louis fire. Uncle Clarence died of lung cancer on July 4, 1990. He was a smoker.

Both men did what they had to do. Times were tough. but they kept going and carved out a safe and comfortable life for themselves and their families.

For that, I'm very very grateful!

[ALANSD]

My dad was 19 when he went to England in 43. He was in the Army infantry and right in the middle of the D-Day, landing in Normandy. Spent a long time marching and crawling to Germany, ended up in Berlin.
Had some great stories to tell, including one where he and his partner were "guarding" a silo at night in bitter cold. They had only a small oil lamp. The other guy left to get some hot chocolate drink mix and when he came back my dad had fallen asleep, kicked over the lamp, and the silo was on fire. Nice mess. They did not get in any trouble over that as there was much more to worry about then whatever was lost in that silo.... they laughed about it when they told the story after getting together for the first time in 50 years.
The family has some Nazi memorabilia that he got off of his kills...a luger, bayonet, sheath knife, uniform items and other things. He passed almost 10 years ago, not long after attending the last of his WW2 soldier reunions with all the guys from his unit.

[Cottonboll]

Dad graduated UT School of Pharmacy '32 so being single and with a skill he joined Army Air Corp to avoid the draft "ha-ha". found himself island hopping with the Air Corp till the end of Pacific campagin. Because of his scientific ability and his Tennessee roots he and some of the other guys in the Medical Staff had a still in the jungle at the end of the runway. Toyoko Rose reported hitting a fuel dump when they bombed the still. Co said "no more boys". Never talked about it much but teared up watching MASH everytime.
Mom Lost her first husband 14 days after D-Day in France. He was 34 when drafted. In his last letter he wrote that his hair turned snowwhite crossing the Channel. Yes Tom They are the Greatest Generation.

[ga501]

WOW!!! What GREAT stories!!
My dad, who died 16 years ago spent his time as an electricians mate....
on submarines...17 years total under water.
Upon his passing, an honor guard from the local vfw played taps
and provided a 21 gun salute. While not current military, these brave men
stood in 20 degree temps./20 mph winds in short sleeve shirts,
their vest and hat the entire funeral!!! Such stamina, and fortitude and honor is hard to come by these days.
His stories of being depth charged..every light broke but the one in the
engine room; of being involved in a mission to remove mines from a harbor
in the south pacific....they go on and on...eating sea turtle 'cause the
ship's stores were empty...and sheep from austrailia, too.
Then came Korea....
I was honored to follow in his steps as I, too joined the navy..as a
machinists mate.
May that generation continue to inspire us for generations forward.
Steve

[juel]

My father was a radio man on a Destroyer Escort, U.S.S. Connelly #306, during the war. In his later years it was a favorite subject for his grandchildren., He loved to tell them about the war. This year I visited the only remaining Destroyer Escort in existence. My father died a year ago and it is at this time of year I miss him so much. Thank you for starting this thread.

[Sugarfoot]

What a great thread to remind us and pay tribute to those who served. Such wonderful, humorous, touching, and very personal stories. It's sad that we have already lost most of this greatest generation.

None of my family went over the pond for WWII so no great war stories were passed down. Dad was an Army medic/ambulance driver and an uncle was an Air Force medic; both were assigned stateside during the war. Mom was a teenager, but remembers knitting sweaters, socks, and bandages for the Red Cross to be sent overseas for the soldiers. She tells of a few blackouts on the south Florida coast when German U-boats were suspected off shore.

[63air]

My dad died in '89. He enlisted in the Army in 1941 and spent most of the war island hopping in the Pacific. My grandfather (also Army) spent his time in the trenches in WWI. My dad always seemed to know what I needed in the care packages he sent to me when I was in Viet Nam.

[azflycaster]

My dad could never pass the physical for the military. He suffered from Polio as did many other members of both my parents families. It always troubled him that he could not serve. He was very proud that both of his sons were able to serve their country.

My father in law was in the Army Air Corps and served in Brazil. Many of the planes that went to Europe went through Brazil because it was the shortest route across the Atlantic. He did have one confermed kill while in Brazil, a farmers cow refused to identify itself when it wondered too close to the base. They ate very well the next day. We celerbrated my Father In Laws 86th birthday yesterday.

[maxandgeorgia]

Like some others on this thread, my dad was unable to serve because of a collapsed lung, but he then chose to work in a defense plant in St. Louis for the duration of the war. He has been gone since 1964; there are so many questions I wish I could ask, now that I am grown up enough to realize how little I know. My mother will be 89 this spring. What a generation they shared! ~G

[Tarheel]

My dad went to work as an apprentice boilermaker in the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in 1936. Two years later he lost his hearing due to driving rivets without ear protection, none available at the time. When the war broke out in 41 dad tried to join, but because of his hearing problem was rejected. He worked on navy ships unil he retired in 1972. Many men like him that stayed behind played an vital part in the war effort. I know the pride he took in doing a job. Good enough didn't cut it with him, it had to be done right. I know that well because as his son this was the bench mark set for me. I lost dad in 2000 in due to his exposure to asbestos and silica while working on Navy ships. He was a good mentor and a true friend that I miss terribly specialy at this time of year.

[cooperhawk]

My Grandfather (who was one of Roosevelt's Rough Riders) sent seven sons and six son-in-laws to WWII.

My dad was in Patton's third Army and was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge. He told me before his death that he and another soldier lay in the snow and played dead for three days until the allies retook the area.

He didn't relate much of this to me until I returned from Viet Nam. I guess then he felt a kinship with me.

After he was wounded he was taken to a small field hospital just outside of Paris where the Surgeon was my Wife's Father and one of the nurses was her Mother. True Story. How's that for a small world?



If you want to know more visit our web site. Select> Families,> War Years.

http://www.cooperhawk.net

[dmaiden]

My father was a water tender on a destroyer in the South Pacific. I can't imagine what it must have been like to be in the bowels of the ship while battles raged all around him.

His favorite story though, was when he and some buddies stole the officer's ham and took it downstairs and cooked it and ate it. MMMmmmmm. Stolen Ham.

My mom was a WAAC in Camp Crowder Mo. She recently went on her first helicopter ride at the ripe old age of 89.

[davidz71]

My father flew C-47 transports over the Burma Hump while in the Army Air Corp. I remember him telling me that he missed a flight out for leave and thought he would be stranded at the base. There was a C-47 that had been fitted with additional fuel tanks that needed to be delivered so he said he would do that to get where he was going. He told me that something happened when he switched over to the other tanks and the engines lost power. He was never able to get them back up before the plane went down. He wasn't hurt but his leave ran out as he waited to be picked up. What a bummer.

[Roscinante]

Posted a thought about my Dad earlier but it may have been deleted cause I used some"French" in expressing my anger at my Dad not getting an "honor guard" at his funeral. He was 85, a paratrooper, in WWII, Korea, and VietNam. Had Bronze Star for Valor, Purple Heart, and other decorations. Just makes me mad.

ANYWAY...my memory was of Dad giving me his Master Parachutist wings at my Mom's funeral (died 3 mos before my Dad). He pulled me aside, gave me the insignia, and then told me I was the only one of his five sons to "earn" them. I was approaching retirement from the U.S. Coast Guard at the time. He was proud of me starting as an enlisted person and working my way up to Chief Warrant Officer.

The holiday's make you think of how much you miss those who have passed on. Lots of memories flood me everytime I see some particular holiday event, see my own kids or grandkids. My parents were charter members of THE GREATEST GENERATION. They sure left big footsteps to fill.

IF you still have your parents around, tell 'em you LOVE them A LOT this holiday.

[Mac1]

Jerry,
There is no question your Dad deserved an Honor Guard, I'm sorry he did not get one. Somehow, I don't think it bothered him because he understands that those most important to him were front and center to send him off and to this day miss him, as do I - my father. (He didn't have an Honor Guard either.)

He did tell me another story about one of his missions he felt a breeze then looked up an saw a 3 - 4" hole in the cockpit above his head - then he looked down and saw one between his legs (an anti aircraft round went straight through the plane. I guess I'm lucky to be here.

Everyone who posted comments, I cannot thank you enough for your participation. I know my tear ducts still work, and I know that I told my Dad I loved him every chance I got after I returned from Viet Nam for ten years before he passed away (and every time he told me he loved me as well - I will cherish that for ever especially around the holidays as his birthday was December 24th). I second Jerry's recommendation to tell your folks who are with you this holiday season how much you appreciate and love them. Merry Christmas everone!

Mac & Linda