WHO SERVED

[Gripgrabber]

Hello, my dad a bronze star WWll, me 1970/1990 retired.

 

[Donn]

Grandfather, (dad's side), 5th U.S. Cavalry. Mexican Expedition, 1916-17.
Grandfather, (mom's side), Canadian Army, France, WWI.
Father, U.S. Army, 78th Infantry Div. Europe, WWII.
Me, U.S. Army. !st Infantry Div. 18th MP Brigade. Vietnam.
My son. Currently on active duty, U.S. Army Airborne Ranger. 14 years service. Four combat tours, 3 in Iraq, one in Afghanistan.
Yeah, we've gotten our hands dirty.

 

[armenius]

GGGGGrandfather fought in American Revolution, through the ranks to General post war, at least 3 Great grandfathers in War of Northan Aggression, one spent time in Elmira POWcamp and walked from Long Islant to SC at end of hostilities. Father a machine gunner and was in the breaking of the Hindenburg Line, later reported MIA due to the 1918 flu leaving him semi-comatose in a shell hole in No Mans Land for several days. Family learned he was alive many weeks later when someone saw him getting off a troop ship in Charleston. I was in USAF flying F89 all weather interceptors as a Cold War Fighter Pilot keeping Ivan from overflying the Homeland. During that time my Backseater (Radar Intercept Officer) and myself volunteered to participate in Operation Plumbob and ended up being one of 6 aircrews to penetrate a nuclear mushroom cloud.Young,foolish, testosterone loaded,never before in Las Vegas and a whole $12.50 TDY pay.
My son flew F-18 Hornet in Marines.

 

[greeman]

My Dad - WWII
Me - Vietnam 1967

 

[AZretired]

I served in the US Army from 1972 to 1978 mostly in Germany.

My Dad served in the Army from 1940 to 1962 was a Pear Harbor & D-Day Vet, then served in Korea and Viet Nam in '62 just before retirement. Went in as a Private, retired as a Major.

Had two uncles who were lifers in the Army and Navy for WW2 til the 60's.

 

[mike from st pete]

Nope, failed the physical. Bad heart mummer.

 

[WardenRoss]

I was the first generation in my family not to serve in the military. I'm a seventh generation Southerner. I can trace each generation all the way back to serving in the Revolutionary War and every war since until Korea.

My Dad was a WWII and Korean War disabled Veteran. When it was my time, I was ready to sign-up for Viet Nam. My Dad flat refused to allow me. He simply saw too much in WWII, especially in the Battle of Okinawa. He would always say that he fought and sacrificed so that I wouldn't have to.

I have spent my life as a Peace Officer which my Dad was most proud of. I have the up-most respect for all those that served in the military and I am most proud to be the son of a disabled (now deceased) veteran.

I thank each of you for your service. May God Bless.

 

[wreckville]

US Army
3AD, 1-32 AR, '71-'74.

 

[SgtStone]

I'm impressed w/ the number of veterans on this forum, but not surprised. No matter why you entered service you have proven that you gave part of your life to serving the greater number.

Father, maternal & paternal uncles & many cousins: Army.
Two aunts in the Navy. Older cousin in the Coast Guard.
Mother was civilian Air Force during WWII. Son in Army & National Guard. Sister served as a nurse (Health professionals are veterans to me).

I served as an NCO in USAF 1971-1979 in Electronic Warfare. Took me a year to pass entrance physical -- heart murmur, malformed spine, slow metabolism, etc. Doc's let me in when President Nixon decided to escalate air war against N. Viet Nam. I could run RADAR sites no problem.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

In 1943 the noted strongman and later bodybuilding impresario Dan Lurie was rejected as 4-F-heart murmurs. Made the national news.
I have rather mixed feelings about my Army service 1967-1971. A lot of the career people I had to put up with were no good. A complaint I have heard in recent years is that too many people see military service as "just a job", they enlist because they need all the family benefits, etc. A lot of recent veterans have told me about the lack of camaraderie, all the petty harassment, the PCness, etc. One retired AF E-8 said: "There's no sense of dedication." And the firearms enthusiasts who say they are derided as kooks and oddballs.

 

[Drm50]

Not really an honor, I guess, but the little town I live in lost the
most men in RVN per population. They did honor us by bring the
Traveling Wall a few years back. Their aren't many men RVN age
or older that are not Vets.

 

[cowart]

Considering how the military was downsized after WWII with a lot of people (officers?) who wanted to stay in for a pension and career, and enlisted who wanted to transition to officer as a career being told "nope, you're out..."....

It went in the other direction too. Some officers, when told "you're out", stayed on as enlisted. My group was assembled to wave goodbye to a retiring senior NCO in the mid-1960s. Imagine my surprise when he showed up uniformed as a Major!

 

[Old Seabee]

Serv

Joined Navy after 17th birthday grew up in there . 63-67 went to GITMO Cuba , Rota Spain Phu Bia Vietnam The SeaBees was the best thing that could have happened to me . A million dollar experience wouldn't give a dollar to do again .
OldSeaBee

 

[bgrafsr]

In 1943 the noted strongman and later bodybuilding impresario Dan Lurie was rejected as 4-F-heart murmurs. Made the national news.
I have rather mixed feelings about my Army service 1967-1971. A lot of the career people I had to put up with were no good. A complaint I have heard in recent years is that too many people see military service as "just a job", they enlist because they need all the family benefits, etc. A lot of recent veterans have told me about the lack of camaraderie, all the petty harassment, the PCness, etc. One retired AF E-8 said: "There's no sense of dedication." And the firearms enthusiasts who say they are derided as kooks and oddballs.

I considered re-enlisting when it came time for me to be discharged, but after seeing the enlistees being brought in, who wouldn't take orders, were just plain lazy and didn't give a damn, I thought better of it and got out. They even offered me a higher rank if I stayed in, but I didn't think it was worth it.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

I met my share of "lifers" I wouldn't have wanted under me as privates, officers who didn't care about their troops-and lacked integrity. I knew a retired ASA/Signal Corps E-8-the son of an E-9. He said when he arrived at one new duty station the First Sergeant rather scornfully asked if he was the son of a First Sergeant he served under. "Ask him if he remembers me!" My friend wrote his father who wrote back "Yes, I remember him-and he was a sorry PFC!" In comparing notes with fellow Army veterans from my day it seems the Army we served in was nothing but a giant detail force, if you didn't have one of the choice clerical or administrative jobs or one of the rare no-hassle technical positions
it was nothing but guard duty, KP, CQ, firewatch, janitorial and groundskeeping duties. One Army buddy I kept in touch with from the 12th Engineer Battalion 1970-71 told me the first time he fired an M-16 was in-1974 ! Two of my strongest memories from that time were spending a miserable damp day painting a dependents school and of a miserable rainy week-including weekends-trying to dig trenches-with hand tools- at Baumholder for the Prix Le Clercq compettion or whatever.
I like to quote the Official Report issued in 1971, which, in addressing the
Army's very serious morale problems stemming from the Vietnam Bungle, and especially the problem of alcohol and drug use, made the refreshingly candid admission that:
"Most jobs in the Army require little or no intelligence."

 

[TXSlade]

Both of my brothers died serving our country. Daniel was a Green Beret serving with 5th Special Forces at camp 333 near Cau Song Be with Hoot Gibson when he was KIA. Steven was an Air Force Captain whose plane crashed in Iceland during a training mission. Me-I just showed up for muster for six years and fixed stuff on my ship. I actually feel guilty when someone thanks me for "my service".

Who knows, my father might have met your brother, he was in the 5th. Proudest day of my life was joining the 5th and following my fathers footsteps.

 

[timjake]

USAF 1981 - 2001

Based at:
Minot AFB, ND
Misawa AB, Japan
RAF Edzell, Scotland
Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
RAF Molesworth, England
Offutt AFB, NE

 

[LostintheOzone]

I served but I'm not going tell anyone where.

I feel a little guilty after reading some of this.

USN 67-71.



That's me.

 

[elm_creek_smith]

Enlisted in August 1975. OCS in 1979/80. Retired effective​ 01 September 1995. PFC/E3 to CPT/O3E. Tanker/Buffalo Soldier.

Son-in-law 11B Desert Storm.

Brother USAF 1966-1975, AFSS Russian and Vietnamese linguist intercept operator. Shot down twice in Vietnam. PTSD survivor.

Dad USAAF B-25/B-17/B-29 pilot 1943-1945.

Grandfather US Army Infantry Officer 1917-1920. 7th Div in France, gassed at St. Miheil. Died of TB in 1928.

Great grandfather, South Carolina Militia at 15 in 1864.

Ancestor fought in American Revolution under Francis Marion.

We've been here since 1672 when Daniel came over to Virginia as an indentured servant.

Sent from my QTAQZ3 using Tapatalk

 

[jdh]

Grandfather answered the draft. He was sent home. Seems the country needed railroad engineers more than it needed cannon fodder.

Four of his sons served.

12 of my cousins (there are a lot of us) and I have. About 25%

I lost count of how many of our sons and daughters have or are serving.

I went active in June of 75 and ETSd Sep 86. The first half was on the front lines of the Cold War in a Pershing Missile unit. The rest was spent in a signal battalion at Fort Hood.

 

[Skeptic 9c]

US Army Ordnance 1972 - 82
US DoD 1982 - 2016
My Brother retired from the USAF.
My Father served in the Army of the United States in WWII.
My Uncle US Navy WWII.
Geoff
Who has no off-spring.

 

[Westie1]

Dad was a B29 flight engineer. Flew out of Tinian
His older brother was in CAP
Me SAC crew dog-Buff Nav-D model