World War II vets passing at an increasing rate....

[esterroid]

Our World War II vets are passing at an incredible rate. A couple of weeks ago I took my mom to the national cemetery at the Rock Island Arsenal. We visited my dad's marker. No grave, just a marker, as his body was not recovered. It had been two years since my last visit and I was shocked by the expansion of the cemetery and how it has, well, filled up. We're talking acres of new graves. Lots of WWII and Korea era vets.

Let's just say it makes one confront the finality of life.

So if you have a World War II vet in your family, or if you are acquainted with one in another way, take the effort to go out of your way and ask about their service.

My mom is 90. In good health but notes with some sadness that most of her friends have died. Such is one of the problems with a long and good life.

 

[esterroid]

Our World War II vets are passing at an incredible rate. A couple of weeks ago I took my mom to the national cemetery at the Rock Island Arsenal. We visited my dad's marker. No grave, just a marker, as his body was not recovered. It had been two years since my last visit and I was shocked by the expansion of the cemetery and how it has, well, filled up. We're talking acres of new graves. Lots of WWII and Korea era vets.

Let's just say it makes one confront the finality of life.

So if you have a World War II vet in your family, or if you are acquainted with one in another way, take the effort to go out of your way and ask about their service.

My mom is 90. In good health but notes with some sadness that most of her friends have died. Such is one of the problems with a long and good life.

 

[max]

There was an article in the paper a day or so ago that says only 14% of those who served are still living. I have seen numerous sources that say they are dying at the rate of 1000 to 1500 per day.

 

[feralmerril]

I still have two out of eight uncles alive.

 

[LTC]

My Father Will be 88 next year. He served 33 months overseas in the ETO. He crossed the Atlantic on the Queen Mary on the trip after it had sliced a British Cruser in half near the British Isles. On his trip the liner was knocked on it's beams end by a rouge wave in the North Atlantic. It is said that the ship was within 5 degrees of turning turtle and going down. There were about 14,000 American servicemen on the ship at the time.

From the UK he went to North Africa, then to Salerno in Italy. After Italy he was moved to Corica and then onto Southern France.

He arrived home in July of 1945, was reunited with my Mother and brother whom he had not seen yet. He went back to work at the plant he left and never looked back. I came along in April of 1947.

He still works in the industry he has spent his entire life working in and still enjoys going to work 5 days a week at 88. He and I have worked togeather since 1974.

He IS one of the Greatest Generation. I am blessed to have him as a Father, mentor and best friend. I dread the day I know is coming, but I well make it through it leaning on his strenth and my memories of him.

God Bless all of those who served, and especially those who served in harms way. They truly deserve the thanks of a greatful nation.

LTC

 

[twobisquit]

LTC-Sounds like our dads were alongside each other throughout the war
36th Engineers are Rugged

 

[LTC]

twobisquit,
He was in the 505th Coastal Artillery. 90MM and 40mm AAA. they were generally posted at or near allied airfields. That was the case in North Africa, Italy and Corscia. He still loves to see a B-25 or B-24.

A couple of years ago. I took him to the WWII air show At Spatz Field in Reading Pa. He enjoyed the expearance, but I don't think he has missed the army all that much.

One of the stories he had told us was about having mass served on the hood of a jeep. If the priest wasn't handy the prodesdent (Sp.)or Jewish chaplain would stand in for him. The first sight we saw at the air show was the chaplain offering a mass off the hood of a jeep. That image took him back 60 years.

LTC