we just got back from a coach tour through Missouri and Kansas. There were 36 in the group and at each meal we sat with different people. During one of the evening meals, I had the good fortune to be at the same table with Earl, a world war two veteran and Japanese prisoner of war. I don't warm up to strangers quickly, but Earl made friendship easy. during our conversation, I quickly became aware that our standards for family, work ethic, respect and discipline were high on each of our lists. Earl didn't walk very well, a quad cane was constantly by his side, but his mind and personality were razor sharp. Earl is a remarkable man, with vast experiences and a fond memory of how this country was and should be today. he is someone I shall not forget and made my trip that much more enjoyable.
talking with a WW 2 veteran
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My Father served in the USN during WWll - 6 months on a Submarine as a Fireman, a year on a Sea Going Tug, and I believe for a couple of weeks at the end of the war as a Prisoner of War Guard in NJ. I know almost no details as he never liked to talk about his experiences. I had a Great Uncle who served in the Pacific and he was just as closed mouthed.
After the War he became a Federal Agent and never talked much about the 28 years he did that either.
In fact, most of my Dad's friends also served during the war and I never remember them talking much about their time in the service either.
After the War he became a Federal Agent and never talked much about the 28 years he did that either.
In fact, most of my Dad's friends also served during the war and I never remember them talking much about their time in the service either.
I talk to a WWII veteran most every day and visit about 4 days a week. He's my Father. Pop spent 33 months overseas, served in No. Africa, Italy, France and Belgium. Was awarded three campaign stars along the way. I just got him home from a pacemaker change out today. Still going at 93+.
He never talks of his army service. He has said it was something to forget and not dwell on.
There's not many of them left. If you know or have known any WWII veterans keep their names, deeds and sacrifices in your thoughts. They are only forgotten when we no longer acknowledge them.
LTC
He never talks of his army service. He has said it was something to forget and not dwell on.
There's not many of them left. If you know or have known any WWII veterans keep their names, deeds and sacrifices in your thoughts. They are only forgotten when we no longer acknowledge them.
LTC
Jim in Wisconsin
Member
Last year I was going to the grocery store and saw an older car with CO plates that said Pearl Harbor survivor. Thought the fellow was in the store but he was in the car when I came out. He was a coxsn on one of the boats picking up sailors from the harbor. didn't talk long as he was picking someone up, but he seemed sharp, and apparently was driving from CO.
Stu1205
Member
I love talking to WWII veterans. They are living history.
Every time I see a veteran wearing a hat or anything denoting
their service, I always stop and say, "Thank you for your service."
My Dad served in the Marines during the last two years of WWII,
on Guam and Iwo Jima.
He will be 89 this December. His short tem memory is not so
great, but oh the stories he can remember and tell from 70 years ago.
God Bless all our veterans, especially the ones from
"The Greatest Generation", and God Bless all of our men
and women still in service to our great country.
Stu
Every time I see a veteran wearing a hat or anything denoting
their service, I always stop and say, "Thank you for your service."
My Dad served in the Marines during the last two years of WWII,
on Guam and Iwo Jima.
He will be 89 this December. His short tem memory is not so
great, but oh the stories he can remember and tell from 70 years ago.
God Bless all our veterans, especially the ones from
"The Greatest Generation", and God Bless all of our men
and women still in service to our great country.
Stu
Collo Rosso
Member
I love talking to WWII vets. Truly the greatest generation. I'm the son of a WWII vet who served in 3 theatres of war, N. Atlantic convoy, Mediterranean and closed the war off Okinawa. Stayed in the reserves and was gone when Korea started.
I lost him on his birthday in 2011.
In 2010 he went to Washington D.C. with the honor flight network. He loved every second of it. If you guys see the honor flight network raising money sometime A few bucks would be appreciated. Google them if you don't know about them. What they do is wonderful.
I lost him on his birthday in 2011.
In 2010 he went to Washington D.C. with the honor flight network. He loved every second of it. If you guys see the honor flight network raising money sometime A few bucks would be appreciated. Google them if you don't know about them. What they do is wonderful.
I talk to a WWII Army veteran once in a while at the grocery store. he is always sitting in the truck while his daughter shops for him. he is still pretty sharp. I'd seen him several times before I noticed his WWII veteran cap. he saw action on Guam, Tinian and Siapan plus some others I can't remember. I told him I was in Guam about 40 years ago and everywhere I dove and snorkeled there were grenades and ammo clips overgrown with coral. lee
model70hunter
Member
My Dad did North Africa, my uncle did the islands in the Pacific. Both only spoke to me about their experience after they were older and after I had been in the Military.
My brother, sister and cousins were amazed when I told them the stories, they never heard our fathers discuss the war.
My brother, sister and cousins were amazed when I told them the stories, they never heard our fathers discuss the war.
My old man was in the Navy in WWII. He was stationed in Central America, primarily in support of defense of the Panama Canal (though never actually in Panama). Even though he never saw combat, he had some interesting stories, mostly about living the life of a beach bum, the usual military bureaucratic, er, stuff, etc. Three of his four brothers served, two navy, one army. I was under the impression that the army vet saw combat in Europe, but nobody ever talked about it. I have a bunch of pictures of Dad and his Navy buddies, including an autographed one of him with Sally Rand in a bar in Miami. Pretty neat.
feralmerril
Absent Comrade
I still have one uncle alive that was in world war two. He is 95. At one time I had 8 or 9 counting some aunts husbands. Also had one uncle in the first world war. I need to go home and see uncle art.
ggp0049
US Veteran
There are four generations of military service in my family. G/grand was Captain of Greek Palace Guard. Grandfather was WWI and passed as mustard gas casualty. Dad was WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Dad was Navigator/Bombardier and managed to get shot down in each. Shot down in B-17 over Poland, picked up by Russians and repatriated to England after 3 months. During Korea his plane was hit and it RTB and burned on runway. In Vietnam, was shot down and picked up by an "A" Team. He retired after retuned to CONUS. Two of the three uncles were career Air Force as well and other uncle was WWII Navy. They truly are the greatest generation. Numerous cousin as well. I'm the 4th gen, retired Marine. You pick up the tab and I'll tell stories for a couple weeks.
Very, very sadly...
Very, very sadly and to our great disadvantage, we are on the cusp of losing all of them from WWII.
Know what is a kick? To have a vet tell you the story of an action they were in, then go research that action in history. You are talking not only to an eye witness, but a participant. Several that were recounted to me:
Conditions on Iwo Jima. I knew the medical officer that jumped out of a jeep on the beach and hid under an overturned craft in the water when his jeep exploded from an artillery shell. He said there was no place to hide, you couldn't dig a hole because the sand was just like sugar. He also related the nervous night in a hollow in the rocks with Japanese trying to use the dark to ambush the group.
The USS Panamint was participating in the Okinawa action (Shima) and was cruising 800 yards from the S. Hall Young when that ship got Kamikazied. My FIL was the chief of the Panamint crew that went to the ship to fight fires and rescue personnel. He had a piece of the plane that (appeared to have blood on it) for a long time, but after he died no one could find it. Later, a plane dropped a torpedo at the Panamint. The Captain, ordered hard right and dropped anchor to swing on the anchor chain to avoid the torpedo. I believe I would have kissed the Captain's feet for that quick thinking.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...3g59UW4VDnM94G37w&sig2=PmfVrKXgvx5PJxkMyvY_Ag
Fun story. Prior to the invasion of Japan a friend of mine was on an island base. Every day he ran his motorcycle through the hangar, jumped a ramp and sped off. One day drove into the hangar and he said all he saw was a LOT of twinkling brass. There was a very high level meeting in the hangar planning part of the invasion. He was taken aback, but he was committed so he jumped the ramp and took off, leaving the brass scratching their heads.
This is post war, but a vet I knew was also on the sub Cochino when it sank from a series of battery explosions in 1949. He was thrown against a bulkhead and was there when the exec entered the battery compartment and shut the hatch behind him. The hydrogen in the room exploded and they could see flash around the edge of the hatch and they assumed the exec was dead. The hatch opened and he came out of there, badly burned but alive. The Tusk was alongside and took the crew off of the Cochino, but several of the rescuers got washed over the side and the special new 'survival suits' they were wearing caused them to float upside down, drowning them. My friend got upset at this point.
He went below decks on the Tusk to get a cup of coffee and when he went back up the sub was gone. Only one of the Cochina's crew was killed, but six rescuers drowned. Awful.
USS Cochino (SS-345) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I had the good fortune to attend school with a lot of these guys using their GI Bill. I had a great time listening to their stories. And like I said, I read the history and had them placed during the battles. Made it much more vivid to me.
I don't romanticize about war, but you have to admit this stuff is fascinating, exciting and terrifying all at once.
PS: The Cochino survivor told me that if you were had to fight a war, the South Pacific was the most beautiful place to do it.
Very, very sadly and to our great disadvantage, we are on the cusp of losing all of them from WWII.
Know what is a kick? To have a vet tell you the story of an action they were in, then go research that action in history. You are talking not only to an eye witness, but a participant. Several that were recounted to me:
Conditions on Iwo Jima. I knew the medical officer that jumped out of a jeep on the beach and hid under an overturned craft in the water when his jeep exploded from an artillery shell. He said there was no place to hide, you couldn't dig a hole because the sand was just like sugar. He also related the nervous night in a hollow in the rocks with Japanese trying to use the dark to ambush the group.
The USS Panamint was participating in the Okinawa action (Shima) and was cruising 800 yards from the S. Hall Young when that ship got Kamikazied. My FIL was the chief of the Panamint crew that went to the ship to fight fires and rescue personnel. He had a piece of the plane that (appeared to have blood on it) for a long time, but after he died no one could find it. Later, a plane dropped a torpedo at the Panamint. The Captain, ordered hard right and dropped anchor to swing on the anchor chain to avoid the torpedo. I believe I would have kissed the Captain's feet for that quick thinking.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...3g59UW4VDnM94G37w&sig2=PmfVrKXgvx5PJxkMyvY_Ag
Fun story. Prior to the invasion of Japan a friend of mine was on an island base. Every day he ran his motorcycle through the hangar, jumped a ramp and sped off. One day drove into the hangar and he said all he saw was a LOT of twinkling brass. There was a very high level meeting in the hangar planning part of the invasion. He was taken aback, but he was committed so he jumped the ramp and took off, leaving the brass scratching their heads.
This is post war, but a vet I knew was also on the sub Cochino when it sank from a series of battery explosions in 1949. He was thrown against a bulkhead and was there when the exec entered the battery compartment and shut the hatch behind him. The hydrogen in the room exploded and they could see flash around the edge of the hatch and they assumed the exec was dead. The hatch opened and he came out of there, badly burned but alive. The Tusk was alongside and took the crew off of the Cochino, but several of the rescuers got washed over the side and the special new 'survival suits' they were wearing caused them to float upside down, drowning them. My friend got upset at this point.
He went below decks on the Tusk to get a cup of coffee and when he went back up the sub was gone. Only one of the Cochina's crew was killed, but six rescuers drowned. Awful.USS Cochino (SS-345) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I had the good fortune to attend school with a lot of these guys using their GI Bill. I had a great time listening to their stories. And like I said, I read the history and had them placed during the battles. Made it much more vivid to me.
I don't romanticize about war, but you have to admit this stuff is fascinating, exciting and terrifying all at once.
PS: The Cochino survivor told me that if you were had to fight a war, the South Pacific was the most beautiful place to do it.
Last edited:
williamlayton
Member
You just never know where to venture on this subject.
They are stories to others--but life that they wish had not happened, to them.
Blessings
They are stories to others--but life that they wish had not happened, to them.
Blessings
Can you blame them????
A lot of them were not proud of their actions. I had a friend whose Uncle was a POW in Germany. All he ever said about it was that, "It wasn't like 'Hogan's Heroes'.
I saw a documentary that got vets to talk about their experiences before the stories were lost, many of them cried while relating them. Not only was it horrible what they did to us, but out of anger and frustration what our guys did to them.
A lot of them were not proud of their actions. I had a friend whose Uncle was a POW in Germany. All he ever said about it was that, "It wasn't like 'Hogan's Heroes'.
Brian41
Member
I grew up with Uncles and an Aunt that were WWII vets plus about every kid's dad in the neighborhood. Most didn't talk too much about their service but some did and I've hung onto their stories. I found in later years after I was a vet they tended to talk more about their experiences.
Unfortunately all I know are gone now. My own Father was given military honors at his funeral here even though he was a WWII Canadian Army vet. His burial flag is above me now and means a lot to me.
We had an adopted Grandfather who was a Navy dive bomber pilot off baby flat tops in the Pacific. Late at night after I got a few beers in Jim he sometimes told me stories about his missions there. I tried to get him to record some but he refused. I believe I'm the only person Jim ever told some of those to. Like many WWII vets Jim didn't consider himself a hero but just doing what was needed to be done at the time.
I highly recommend talking to and thanking any WWII vet you might meet as they have a lot to tell.
Unfortunately all I know are gone now. My own Father was given military honors at his funeral here even though he was a WWII Canadian Army vet. His burial flag is above me now and means a lot to me.
We had an adopted Grandfather who was a Navy dive bomber pilot off baby flat tops in the Pacific. Late at night after I got a few beers in Jim he sometimes told me stories about his missions there. I tried to get him to record some but he refused. I believe I'm the only person Jim ever told some of those to. Like many WWII vets Jim didn't consider himself a hero but just doing what was needed to be done at the time.
I highly recommend talking to and thanking any WWII vet you might meet as they have a lot to tell.
feralmerril
Absent Comrade
I and my moms brother were the closest of all my uncles. Knew his war background the best out of the other 8 or so. Eldon was drafted early into "The all American" 82nd AB. He was in the Glider landings. He was superstitious. He was ordered to load some collapsible cross`s but thought it bad luck and grumbled about it but of course had to. He said the officer that ordered him strapped himself in next to him got his head blew off by ground fire before they ever landed. I dont know if it was that same landing but on one just him and one other guy out of 14 in the glider lived. He and the other guy both were badly injured, crawled away and watched the germans mop up the others. They had to hide several days. Finaly hooked up and was sent back over the channel but he said their boat got hit and they almost drowned. He was decorated and I have some of his stuff and flag on a wall. He never married and committed suicide in 1974. I have a citation of his for putting out a fire in a ammo truck after it ran over a mine. Its signed by General Frederick March. He didnt like his army days. He started out in north africa. I also have a nice article from our local paper on him from towards the end of the war.
He ran a neat junk yard as a hobby besides his day job. He would give me anything out of it. We hunted and fished together a lot.
He ran a neat junk yard as a hobby besides his day job. He would give me anything out of it. We hunted and fished together a lot.
the ringo kid
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Some of those our family who served and ill skipbefore WWI. WWI, my Grandfather got his US Citizenship by serving as a Dougboy in France. I dont know what unit he served in? or where? but, in WWII,he was Captain of the SS Fort Lee--which was sunk by U-181 on Nov 2nd 1944. My Dad--was a Ball turret Gunner on a B-17--and allI remember of himmentioning anything of WWII--was that they flewbombing missions over placeslike: Bremerhaven, Wilhelmshaven, Friedrichshafen etx. In the Korean War--he served in an Air Force Weather Detachment stationed on some hill in Korea.There are photos of him--aman of about 5 ft 3--leading in about a dozen Chinese prisoners--eeryone fo them-towered over mey dad. He loved the Carbine--and was carrying one that day. ) I had at least three Uncles who served in WWII.My dads Brother--was in Gen Simon Bolivar Buckners I.D.--and also witnessed him being killed. Uncle Billy was a US NAvy Captain--I dont know what ships he was on? but they were all int eh fight. Lastly--and this is the only one I cant prove--my Uncle Bud--said he served with the Screaming Ealges and was wounded at Bastogne.
) I had at least three Uncles who served in WWII.My dads Brother--was in Gen Simon Bolivar Buckners I.D.--and also witnessed him being killed. Uncle Billy was a US NAvy Captain--I dont know what ships he was on? but they were all int eh fight. Lastly--and this is the only one I cant prove--my Uncle Bud--said he served with the Screaming Ealges and was wounded at Bastogne.Brian41
Member
After my Dad died we found letters his brother sent home from North Africa and Sicily where he served with the RCAF in WWII. Censors crossed out some of it but still very interesting reading what a son wrote home to his parents during that time. As most GIs he complained about food, tents they lived in and the lack of girls.
Uncle Frank contracted a disease while serving and died when I was young and don't really remember him. Dad once brought out a book about those that served during WWII in our city in Ontario where I was born. Wish I would have taken notes but seems we lost many relatives to that war I never met. So much was lost in lives that never had the chance to come home again.
Uncle Frank contracted a disease while serving and died when I was young and don't really remember him. Dad once brought out a book about those that served during WWII in our city in Ontario where I was born. Wish I would have taken notes but seems we lost many relatives to that war I never met. So much was lost in lives that never had the chance to come home again.
My dad's family, a family of Mexican immigrants, all served. My dad's three oldest brothers all served in WW2 one was in the 5th Army in Italy, the other was in the Aleutian Islands and the other was a Combat Engineer in the Pacific -he's still with us. My dad is a Korean Vet. My dad's two younger brothers served in the Coast Guard on the Westwind and the last was a USN/USMC corpsman.
On my mom's side my two uncles were Bataan Death March survivors. One the memories killed him years later and the other is still alive. If you go to Taos, you might catch him at the store he owns, Tony Reyna's Indian Shop.
When I was a kid, when I asked about their experiences, they told me bits and pieces, but not much. But, when they had cookouts and get-togethers and a had a few beers, the stories started to come out. I would just sit, listen and just marvel at what they went through.
As my dad gets older, he's starting to open up to me about what he went through and what he did. I heard stories from an uncle or two or some of my dad's friends, but I never really knew.
On my mom's side my two uncles were Bataan Death March survivors. One the memories killed him years later and the other is still alive. If you go to Taos, you might catch him at the store he owns, Tony Reyna's Indian Shop.
When I was a kid, when I asked about their experiences, they told me bits and pieces, but not much. But, when they had cookouts and get-togethers and a had a few beers, the stories started to come out. I would just sit, listen and just marvel at what they went through.
As my dad gets older, he's starting to open up to me about what he went through and what he did. I heard stories from an uncle or two or some of my dad's friends, but I never really knew.
shouldazagged
Absent Comrade
I've posted here a number of times that my dad was a war correspondent who hit Omaha Beach with one of the first outfits ashore in the first wave on D-Day. But he continued to do overseas work after the war, including being one of only forty newsmen in the world (by luck of the draw) to cover both the Able and Baker atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in 1946. I'll have to check for sure, but I'm virtually certain he observed the air burst and underwater tests from USS Panamint.
All four of my uncles on my mother's side (the one's on Dad's side were too old) served in the Army in WWII. One, who committed suicide after the war, fought in the terrible Aleutians campaign. Two others served in units that liberated German concentration camps. The fourth was in the Army Air Corps, but I don't think he served overseas. He was the youngest, and was drafted very late in the war.
Sadly, we're not only losing great numbers of the veterans of WWII, but also those who served in the Korean War. Including those who fought in both.
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