Those restored war machines are a reminder

[Tex1001]

I love to view armor, ships and boats, and aircraft that Americans used to defend our country's liberty and honor. I cannot view such machines without thinking about the men, mostly young men, who bled and died in them as well as those who were fortunate enough to return.
My FIL, now deceased, was a father to me for the last 20 years of his life. I was the person that he chose to share his memories of WWII the final years of his life. The word harrowing does not begin to describe his experiences. His memories of fighting at Rapido river and Cassino would border on unbelievable if not thoroughly documented. He was a scout with the 36th "Texas" infantry division, fighting across North Africa, Sicily, and Italy. His highly decorated rifle company was pulled from combat after liberating Rome and returned to the U.S. for bond drives and to be combat instructors for recruits. Because of this, he missed D-day and the fighting in France. He was personally awarded the silver star, 3 bronze stars, and 3 purple hearts. His unit was awarded 12 presidential unit citations (Roughly the equivalent of a silver star awarded when the entire unit distinguishes itself above other units in the same combat action).
I was present during a local newspaper's Veterans Day interview in 1981. When asked about his bronze stars, he replied that they were for entering regimental spelling competitions. Asked about the silver star, he said that was for the spelling competition he won. The reporter asked why he was awarded 3 purple hearts. He replied that 2 were for cutting himself opening cans of C rations and the third was for being the last one into his foxhole. He would always say the heroes were the ones that didn't come back. He was a humble man with a sense of humor.
He was one of the greatest generation who professed admiration for American valor in Korea, Viet Nam, Lebanon, and Desert Storm. He would certainly feel the same about the veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan.
I can't view a B17, a TBD torpedo bomber, a sabre jet, a Huey helicopter, a Sherman tank, a naval destroyer, PT boat, or landing craft, without thinking of the people that were inside them.
I guess I should have saved this thread for Veterans Day, but the pictures of Sentimental Journey made me reach for the old photo album.

Edit- My facts and figures on the 36th are not from Wiki. There was a book written called "T-Patch to Victory" by Col. Vincent M. Lockhart. I don't know how many books were published, but I cherish my father's copy. Here is part of Col. Lockhart's dedication:

"To those with whom I would have talked, and laughed,
and remembered, and cried- they are not here, but gone."
_______________________
I don't have Alzheimer's- My wife had me tested.

 

[OLDNAVYMCPO]

Your speaking of your father in law reminded of this. I was very close to my in laws, particularly an aunt and uncle. They had no children of their own, and we never resided nearer than five hundred miles, yet the wife and I managed to visit with them several times a year. The uncle, Harlon, was an avid squirrel hunter and occasional deer hunter. I always arranged our trips to coincide with hunting season since I really enjoyed being around Harlon. We always talked, he knew I was career military but he never mentioned his service or war in general. The family hero was another in law who had won a Bronze Star at Normandy. Anyway, when Harlon and his wife passed away, I had to help dispose of their belongings. In going through their personal effects, I found his discharge papers and the awards proclamation and citation for the Distinguished Service Cross. He had been a part of Patton,s drive to relieve the troops at The Battle of the Bulge. Single handedly, he had twice charged German heavy machine-gun nest and wiped them out. The first with an M-1 Garand, the second with a BAR. He was credited with killing over twenty enemy troops in the process. None of the nieces or nephews even knew he had been in the war. I always knew Harlon was a special individual so I personally wasn,t all that surprised. That generation was just something special.

 

[Tex1001]

My father in law had no children. When he married my wife's mother, he raised her from the age of 5 as well as her 2 older brothers. They all considered him their father and the brothers went to army careers. My biological parents were divorced and pretty much absent. I was a cynical police officer when my wife picked me (I still wonder why she did). Her parents treated me as a son in every sense of the word. When my father in law was on his death bed my wife is convinced that he held on so I could be with him when he passed.
He could have been buried in the regional veterans cemetery, but he wanted to be interred with military honors in a quiet little cemetery close to his home. A marine contingent from the local navy base did the honors. When I went there to thank the base commander, he said that the selection process for his marine honor guard "Got a little animated".
_______________________
I don't have Alzheimer's- My wife had me tested.