Maggie’s And Then There Were None

[Badfinger]

At our monthly Liars Club breakfast (as I call it) this morning I had the privilege of meeting a local survivor of the Battle of the Bulge. A member who’s a friend of his brought him along and introduced him. He didn’t talk about it and we didn’t ask. Although my buddy whispered to me that he was highly decorated and still carries shrapnel in his legs.
During the meal and chatter I couldn’t help but to sneak a look at him and the deep lines in that tough weathered face that gave a smile every time he looked up at someone. I tried to imagine what he has seen and knows about war and fighting. As we broke up I went over to meet him and thank him and was pleasantly surprised at the strength of his grip as we shook hands.
As I was driving home I realized that all of my friends and family and everyone I knew who served in WWII are gone and just how special this morning was.

 

[whatsupdoc]

My first real job out of college was for a military contractor. In my department there were quite a few WWII vets.
The stories/experiences that they shared with me were INSANE. I am so glad I spent time with these great people and that they shared many wild experiences with me.

 

[MK20]

I grew up in a neighborhood full of 442 RCT Japanese American vets. I too heard some insane stories. Most are gone now. It was kinda weird growing up in a neighborhood where finding hand grenades or artillery shells in the house of a deceased person wasn’t an uncommon thing to have to deal with. Always gave the local bomb squad some good practice at blowing things up.

 

[canman]

The street I grew up on all the men were WWII vets. My Dad was in the Navy the rest were Army or Army Air Corps. They would come home from work and play baseball with us. We didn't have a clue what they had done. They were just our Dad's

 

[Jefe's Dope]

My cousin was at the Battle of the Bulge. He was also one of the first through the gate a Dachau.

I never really knew. But a few years ago, before he passed, we went back East to visit family. We went to Oswego to see him and his wife, etc. After trying to visit Ft. Oswego, the wind coming off the lake was near hurricane strength, we came back and I was sitting in his Florida room/screened porch and saw a photo of him and his fellow soldiers. I mentioned it and I was given some history. He really didn't talk about it but I guess I caught him in the right mood.

He told how he had been shot and wounded and when he got patched up he insisted he go back. This was just in time for the Battle of the Bulge. He told me a few other tidbits but I was too in awe to really take it all in. I was just sitting there thinking "this man is a real hero, and I never knew.".

*He was my grandfather's 1st cousin. After my grandfather's mother succumbed to the Spanish Flu, he moved in with and was raised by his cousin's family.

He was also a fireman for Oswego, NY for most of his life.

 

[hermosabeach]

i'm down to knowing 1 WW2 vet

Ran away from home at 16
Lied about his age
Got put on a sea going tugboat....

Never saw combat in the war... Ended up working his way through college and becoming a mustang / carrier based pilot
retired from the navy in the 1960s

 

[pmclaine]

Spent Monday at a USMC Birthday luncheon with a WWII Marine vet.

Day after Pearl Harbor he went to the local USMC recruiter to join but was told because he was working at Raytheon building RADARs he was critical to the war and untouchable.

He went to the Boston recruiting station and that recruiter said "You are going to Parris Island".

He spent his war in the Pacific most on Guadalcanal running RADAR.

Had the perfect job to stay home out of harms way but he went.

 

[Fig]

I've written about it here. My deceased GFIL was an FO at the BOB. Bronze star for leading a prisoner escape on the battlefield.

He would never talk about it with anyone but me, and as soon as I'd arrive at his house he'd start telling stories. People seem to think that was somehow a "clean" war because there weren't a bunch of commie fucks running American down and protesting it. It was every bit as nasty business as any war is. There just weren't any commie fucks yet.

 

[canman]

Spent Monday at a USMC Birthday luncheon with a WWII Marine vet.

Day after Pearl Harbor he went to the local USMC recruiter to join but was told because he was working at Raytheon building RADARs he was critical to the war and untouchable.

He went to the Boston recruiting station and that recruiter said "You are going to Parris Island".

He spent his war in the Pacific most on Guadalcanal running RADAR.

Had the perfect job to stay home out of harms way but he went.

My dad had been born in 1914 and was in and out of the Navy by 1936. He reenlisted the day after Pearl Harbor also. Told his wife(first wife) I'll see you when I get back. She didn't wait, and lucky for me he met my Mother.

 

[canman]

My wife's Father was a WWII Marine. His time in is identical to Sledges. Another quiet ,tough guy. This Country has lost more than just these men,although that's enough. With a few exceptions we have lost the drive that made these guy's.

 

[Holliday]

Lost my Dad this year at 94. He was living history. He enlisted with his brother, lying about his age to get in. “Blondie” was just 18 so he had to lie to cover for Dad. Blondie joined the 10th Mountain and was KIA in Italy.

The funeral home was told no one was available to do the Military honors (just the flag) but I made some calls and the Maine National Guard pulled it off for us. I can’t tell you my gratitude. Here is the video we posted for those who could not make it:

His obituary is the best I have ever read. Inspiring. Mom did make one mistake: Blondie (Walfred) went in the 10th Mountain, not the paratroopers. https://www.staplesfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Shirley-F-Sutherburg?obId=3293033#/celebrationWall

 

[j-huskey]

Pop was in the Battle of the Bulge, his exit card says "Ardennes Offensive".

General Jim Gavins book "On to Berlin" talks about the roadblocks and 15% survivors in the Bulge. Pop was 15%. He woke us up screaming more than one night and mom had black eyes several mornings.
You NEVER touched him in his sleep. He screamed in his sleep 55 years.

He didnt talk about it to anybody who wasnt a vet. Until... after my first trip to a shitpit. He told me I wasnt right in the head when I took more than one trip. But... he would talk to me then.

He told me about roadblocks and tiger tanks. 2.5" rockets that bounced off them. Killing germans to get panzerfaust to stop their tanks. About 40 below zero and rubber tires freezing and dissentigrating, of gas freezing.
About two men sharing three blankets while third man stood roadblock, and swapping out, froze man gets in 3 blankets with warm man, next man goes and freezes, repeat every 15 minutes.

About buddies going to sleep and found with their throats cut, heads damn near cut off.

And tiger tanks spinning on foxholes and grinding his buddies into red paste that froze in a minute.
Of cattle trailers driving by with 50-80 bodies in them with blood icicles hanging off them (I've seen those pictures), of the roads behind the trucks frozen over with red ice.
Of tiger tanks parking over foxholes and revving the motor until the exhaust ran the buddy out, and when his buddy crawled out, the SS machine gunned them crawling, trying to give up.

Of buddies trying to molotov cocktail tiger tanks and falling off, treads cut off legs and arms, blood freezes, SS machine guns them while they asked for mercy.

Enough of his buddies and leaders died that he got battlefield commissioned from tech-Sgt to 2nd Lt.

And he told me during and after the bulge, no SS were taken prisoner.

He said moving on from the bulge they smelled a horrid smell.... 10-15 miles and it got worse and worse. And there was this German village, people acting normal, and this horrible smell making hardened vets throw up. And outside the village, the camp with skeletal people, bodies piled up, and rooms full of dead bodies, stacked to the roofs. Villagers just shrugged... some of them never shrugged again.

Couple of pop's buddies shot themselves over that shit. By then, if you wore German gray, no prisoners at all, and they were running into the home guard, old men and kids, the kids were the worst haters, make you kill them.

Never asked him what part he was screaming about, kinda figured that out on my own.

Ft. Benning was his last duty station and I got to meet a bunch of his buddies. I've posted on here b4 what growing up around them was like, but what was said a few posts above, those guys were our DADs....

Somebody above mentioned Eugene Sledge. He made his home about 80 miles from my house. He was a very interesting man.

Sledge, my Pop, their buddies, the "GREATEST GENERATION", HELL YES they were.
We are so diminished with them gone. There is a huge hole in my world...

I know I would not make a diseased pimple on any of their asses, and the current disrespectful group that slimed our mid term elections wouldn't make clap drip off my generation, they are so far off what my Pop's generation stood for, and I'm glad Pop isnt here to see it.

We have lost so much.

RIP Pop, and all your buddies. And all them that came after you. RIP..

Raise a glass to them, all y'all !

Pop died after preaching 47 years, and preaching was in part, him trying to give back "something" after what he walked between the roadblocks and and home in 1946.

 

[ZiaHunter]

The street I grew up on all the men were WWII vets. My Dad was in the Navy the rest were Army or Army Air Corps. They would come home from work and play baseball with us. We didn't have a clue what they had done. They were just our Dad's

So true. I grew up in one those post WWII suburban developments where nearly all the men were combat vets. Marines, Navy , Army, AAF including Bataan survivors . These men coached our baseball teams, delivered the mail and were part of out everyday lives. Incredible generation. Father was a B-24 ball turret gunner with the 15th in Italy. Flew his 25 missions including one raid on Ploesti and returned home. His brother was a B-29 crewman and was killed in a training accident. Also has a cousin who was an 18 year old Marine on Guadalcanal who won the Silver Star.

 

[pmclaine]

Lost my Dad this year at 94. He was living history. He enlisted with his brother, lying about his age to get in. “Blondie” was just 18 so he had to lie to cover for Dad. Blondie joined the 10th Mountain and was KIA in Italy.

The funeral home was told no one was available to do the Military honors (just the flag) but I made some calls and the Maine National Guard pulled it off for us. I can’t tell you my gratitude. Here is the video we posted for those who could not make it:

His obituary is the best I have ever read. Inspiring. Mom did make one mistake: Blondie (Walfred) went in the 10th Mountain, not the paratroopers. https://www.staplesfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Shirley-F-Sutherburg?obId=3293033#/celebrationWall


View attachment 6970596View attachment 6970597View attachment 6970598

Those Guardsmen were squared the fuck away.

Often there are some missteps or they wont have the full detail but those guys nailed it and even looked sharp on teh rifles.

Glad they gave your Dad good respect.

 

[pmclaine]

Well the army is going back to the WWII uniform....

https://www.armytimes.com/news/your...a-present-a-long-awaited-new-service-uniform/

Lets hope taht is some part they can bring back Honor and Accountability to the rest of the country.

 

[Holliday]

Those Guardsmen were squared the fuck away.

Often there are some missteps or they wont have the full detail but those guys nailed it and even looked sharp on teh rifles.

Glad they gave your Dad good respect.

Yes they were. A fine group!
Getting that done was mine and the country’s final gift to a man who didn’t even want a funeral. I even recovered the 9 fired brass. Still figuring out what best to do with them.

God gave him the gift of a peaceful painless death in his home. Hard to believe for a man who probably thought he was living his last moments many times there in the South Pacific with the rest of his greatest generation......

 

[powdahound76]

Wow

Amazing stories. Thank you
My grandpa died of lung CA when I was 6 months old. He was Army running a flame thrower, through the Bulge I believe. He didnt talk about it to my parents much, thats what I remember. Need to go all Sihr and research the records......

You have inspired me to walk next door while the fridge repair guys work on the 11 month old $4800 kitchen aide and have a beer with Ed.

USMC both Guam and Iwo Jima. He is a sharp gentleman and fun to visit with.

 

[pmclaine]

Wow

Amazing stories. Thank you
My grandpa died of lung CA when I was 6 months old.

You have inspired me to walk next door while the fridge repair guys work on the 11 month old $4800 kitchen aide and have a beer with Ed.

USMC both Guam and Iwo Jima. He is a sharp gentleman and fun to visit with.

Couldnt you just kick some balls in regards these awesome new appliances?

Im guessing Ed has a 50 year old Coldspot he got back in the day that keeps his brewskis perfectly chilled.

Was nice when they made a compressor that could actually do the job required rather than having a compressor that has to meet an energy requirement rather than a performance requirement.

Tell Ed Happy Birthday.

 

[powdahound76]

Warranty work at $80/hr has to kill these guys. Bought from a family shop, 2 brothers run it, both vets. One USMC, one USN.

I know a lot of guys with old fridges and freezers that never quit. Wish I could find one.....

Ed’s dog Gunny (Ed retired at 20 yrs as a Gunnery Sargeant) is 5 yrs old, born on Nov 10! Too crazy to not tell.

Keep up the stories.

 

[atomic41]

My grandfather was a deck machine gunner on a battleship in the Pacific. I grew up respecting him more than any person ever. He was a quiet, smart, hard man. Everyone respected him. He was a flirt with the ladies, and a friend to other men. I will never forget his stories, wisdom shared, and his actions as a model for how to live my life.

Once in a while he would tell me stories about the war. When he spoke, nothing else in the world existed to me. I gave every bit of myself to listening, studying, imagining, and trying to absorb all of it. Those moments were some of my most cherished memories.

When he was 10, he...a friend...and his brother went to break into a store at night. He was the youngest of this trio. The store owner was sleeping in the back with a shotgun, and the boys had a gun. A gunfight brokeout. I think the store owner was hit. My grandfather ran away (both parents were deceased and he was youngest of 10) and spent the next few years hitchhiking the country. He traveled around working on farms and learning about life by living on the road. This was the early '30s, times were different. He was a wild youth with a very colorful background. Later he ends up in the Navy.

He talked about shooting down Kamikazes. One of the tricks they would do is to put women pilots in. The women would open the cockpits and let their long black hair blow freely in the wind outside the cockpit which would cause some sailors to freeze up and not shoot.

The sailors would filter torpedo fuel through a bunch of loaves of bread. The final product was a drinkable alcohol...or at least it was to a bunch of amped sailors in the pacific waiting for the next big battle.

He took a bullet once into his helmet. He said it came in at just the right angle, it followed the contour of his helmet and circled his head a bunch really fast and hot before he could whip the helmet off. Said it was loud and hot!

These were incredible men and I am honored to have known some and love that there are still some walking among us. I could never measure up to their greatness. In my opinion, they were the pinnacle. Everything after them is just a softer version. They were hard mother f'ers when they needed to be, and when they were done saving the world they just went back to doing everyday normal business. Most never talked about it, none wanted attention for it, and many suffered trauma but hid it inside.

Thank you for starting this thread. May each of us live life like these great men did.

Also, since we are paying our respects, let's not forget about the sacrifice of the great women too. A lot of mothers sent their boys and husbands off to war to never have them return. A lot of women joined the effort by going to work in the factories, and taking care of the kids at the same time. They were tough, loving women who did their part without complaining. Just like the men, the later versions are softer.

Cheers to the greatest generation!

 

[tnichols]

Thanks fellas for a great read. Those guys in the stories above are fricken’ studs.

 

[Stevo86]

My grandfather landed at Omaha beach, was shot there, recovered. Went on to Belgium and nearly froze to death, was shot again there. Recovered, liberated a POW camp and finished the war. He had 2 bronze stars. We lossed him to lung cancer when I was 10. He never spoke of the war much. All my great uncles (5) were Marines in the pacific and complete hardasses. One carried a flamethrower onto Iwo Jima. Great men that I miss very much. Definitely our greatest generation. I cannot imagine the things these guys saw. My other grandpa had 2 friends (who were brothers)on the Arizona, one brother was on deck tieing his shoes when the bombs went off and he was blown off the ship and survived , sadly his brother was asleep below decks and is still entombed there.

 

[Jefe's Dope]

 

[Sean the Nailer]

2 of my grandfathers were in the war (I've had 3) in Europe. One was a tank mechanic in Einskedi (?) Holland and the other was infantry who landed at Juno Beach. At the end of the war, he was a Sergent.

The first grandfather, he was almost always behind our lines, fixing Sherman tanks that were brought to him/them for repairs. He had a few 'adventurous' stories about "on site repairs" and whatnot. One time, The Line had moved while they were out fixing tanks. He always said that was his luckiest moment in life.

The second grandfather, he was always a large man. He was one of 13 children, the second oldest, and had to watch out for the family. While he was overseas, the Lieutenant of their squad was always bartering other squads for more supplies. He'd put my grandfather up against 'their best' and that was the way (at the time) rations and supplies were bartered/traded/wagered. My grandfather hated to have to fight his fellow man, but he was being thrown 'into the ring' by his superior, and for the "benefit" of his men.

He came home a very angry man. He'd also happened upon that same Lieutenant at the train station upon getting back. Scores were settled, right there. But that didn't exactly make him happy, either. He too had seen far too many of his friends die in one manner or another.

He brought back his 303 Enfield, as well as picked up a few other rifles. I have them now.

I miss them all. (My grandparents, that is.)

 

[TxLabRat]

This was my father: Battle of the Bulge, 75th Division, 291st Regiment, K Company

During the Battle of Grand Halleux on January 15th, he was the BAR man and took a bullet through the arm that went in his side and out his back. There wasn't a single guy in K company that didn't get some initials - POW, MIA, WIA or KIA.

Never talked about it much but I remember he talked about the cold. I don't think I ever heard him say "Patton". It was always "fugginpatton". After he walked appx 7 miles to an aid station, there were the tank guys sitting on their tanks drinking hot coffee. I guess it didn't help Dad's attitude that when they finally tried to evac him and some others, their ambulance got blown up.

He left me his box of stuff from the war. I think this is going to be a good weekend to break it out again.

 

[Maxduty]

Wife's grandfather. Still miss listening to him.

 

[Stevo86]

This was my father: Battle of the Bulge, 75th Division, 291st Regiment, K Company

During the Battle of Grand Halleux on January 15th, he was the BAR man and took a bullet through the arm that went in his side and out his back. There wasn't a single guy in K company that didn't get some initials - POW, MIA, WIA or KIA.

Never talked about it much but I remember he talked about the cold. I don't think I ever heard him say "Patton". It was always "fugginpatton". After he walked appx 7 miles to an aid station, there were the tank guys sitting on their tanks drinking hot coffee. I guess it didn't help Dad's attitude that when they finally tried to evac him and some others, their ambulance got blown up.

He left me his box of stuff from the war. I think this is going to be a good weekend to break it out again.

View attachment 6970758

Story is, while my grandpa was recovering in the hospital, Patton came through talking to the guys asking them how they was doing, my grandfather told him to go to hell.

 

[S Roche]

Our small town is down to the last combat veteran. He just turned 95 and is still driving every day. Staff Sergeant, 35th Division 137th Regiment Company A. He doesn't talk much about the Bulge other than it was cold and icy. The only time he spoke at length was about a town called Villers La Bonne Eau about 4km south Bastongne where they fought for 10 days for a road crossing. He talked about K & L companies who were almost completely lost.
One Uncle was with the 814th TD Battalion. The story he told of the Bulge was being in a small town called Beho SW of St. Vith. They were the rear guard for the withdrawal on December 22. All went pretty well until the bridge they had to cross was blown leaving them trapped on the wrong side of the river. All they could do was dismount and run. When he was dying from cancer he said, "after that night nothing scares me anymore".
My other Uncle was with the 1st Marine Division who earned a Silver Star on Guadalcanal and another on Okinawa. My father said he never was the same man when he came home. Passed away in 1993.
My Father was a pilot with the 7th Air Force, 41st Bomb Group. He never spoke of the war. Whenever I would ask a question he would just change the subject. After the war he had a 1947 J3 which he taught me how to fly when I was 12. He passed away in 1984.

 

[TxLabRat]

Definitely our greatest generation.

Couldn't agree more. When I compare that generation to the ones that followed, it's hard to believe that they're the same species.

 

[canman]

I picked up a patient one night on the Ambulance. Older man had fallen and had good pulse,movement, and sensory but had a pretty good bruise coming up. I told him a trip to the E/R for a doctor to check it out was probably a good idea. Once in the Unit he looks around and say's" I used to do this". I asked if he had been a Fireman or Paramedic.? He say's "No I was a Tech Corporal, a Medic with 29th Division,116 Infantry. He said his first day in combat was D-Day. When I said that was a hell of a place to start, he said " Yeah,probably as good as any other though. There were very few good days between June '44 and May '45 it seems. I made sure the staff in the E/R knew about him. They treated him like the Hero he was.

 

[powdahound76]

Canman
That resonates strong. I worked ED for 10 years, ICU and cardiac before that. Loved getting to take care of vets. We always treated them as heroes and made sure everyone knew. We would all go to tell them how much we appreciated them. Now the young nurses just want to post crap on something called Snap.

Then of course the youger ones who have PTSD and never even left the States......

 

[canman]

Canman
That resonates strong. I worked ED for 10 years, ICU and cardiac before that. Loved getting to take care of vets. We always treated them as heroes and made sure everyone knew. We would all go to tell them how much we appreciated them. Now the young nurses just want to post crap on something called Snap.

Then of course the youger ones who have PTSD and never even left the States......

We had a Paramedic student doing some of his Ambulance ride time with us one day. He was a former 68W with two combat tours behind him. Good guy, real good skills. We get a call for unknown medical...turns out to be a guy flipping out. Family say's he's being treated for PTSD. The student ask him where he was and the guy said Fort Gordon. No... where were you deployed. Nowhere just Fort Gordon. The student excused himself and waited outside.

 

[powdahound76]

Good for him.
He would have been in trouble with the P school if he had said what he wanted.

We had a few medics fron the Guard base at Buckley go throughour P school. They were all excellent students. Had one young guy do a double shift (16 hrs straight in the ED) so he could finish his clinical hours before flying out the next AM for a deployment.

 

[Rick H.]

When I was in 7th grade, my Social Studies teacher was in his 70s, and in his last year of teaching as they were making him retire. Mr. Bradford was a WW1 vet, and supposedly had a steel plate in his head. We were not very respectful of him as he was old, and not as mentally sharp as the other teachers. I do regret that, and it's a shame that we learn too late what a treasured resource was available to us. He'd occasionally tell some remembrances from those days, but they fell on mostly deaf ears. I do remember some of the younger male teachers treating him differently, almost revered him, and I never understood why back then.

And I'll bet I'm not the only one liking practically every post on this thread. Thanks to the original poster for starting this one.
We truly are diminished as those generations pass.

 

[Holliday]

This photo hangs over my mantle. Top left to right Uncle Blondie KIA, Uncle Russell & Dad. It was the only thing I asked for when Dad died. In looking at it the other day, it occurred to me that Dad was very likely the last person alive in this group. I am pretty sure he was the youngest of this group having lied about his age to join. Something about that realization really struck me. Shortly thereafter I stumbled onto this thread.

 

[Rthur]

I didn't have any close family in WWII.
I did have a WWI Great Grandfather.
We were young and didn't know any better when my cousins/aunt uncle tossed all his memorabilia.
I remember playing with his Doughboy helmet in the attic.
He had passed long before and was the local Blacksmith.
Wish I could have known him.

R

 

[eddie102870]

my father had two uncles in WWII. One landed on Normandy. died at 88 years old, was on of the most kind gentle souls you'll ever meet. Hard to believe some of the stories you'd hear about them. definately the greatest generation. I remember him telling me before he died that him and his wife never had one cross word. They were married when he was 16 before left. met his son for the 1st time when he was 5.

 

[Badfinger]

Here's a really neat picture with domed glass than hangs in my den. It's my wife's great uncles who served in the army during WWI, Clayton and Burton Holbrook.
The only thing I know about them is they made it home but had been gassed and didn't live very long lives.

 

[canman]

My Mother's Stepfather the only Father she ever knew was gassed in France. He died in 1928 from the effects. She said it was a horrible death and his life was a struggle every day.

 

[Badfinger]

This is my father-in-law Glen Reynolds who served aboard the 765 boat the U.S.S. Earl K. Olsen a cannon-class destroyer in the north Atlantic escorting ships to Europe.

 

[bigdaddydmd]

Best part of working at the VA is getting to spend time with my brothers even if they could be my grandfathers. As soon as they find out I'm a blue cord packing, CIB wearing doc they open right up and there is a level of trust there that just lets the stories flow. I think a lot of them feel the need to unload and speak about it now at their age since they kept that shit bottled up their whole lives.

I am always in awe at what the WWII guys tell me. It was such a different style of war than OIF/OEF. Guys that were shot down over Romania and taken POW's by the Germans, Guys who were corpsman in the Pacific, Guys who jumped in during D-Day (recently lost him. RIP Mel). One was on Iwo with my Grandfather even though they weren't in the same company. I always look forward to when the WWII vets are coming in for their appointments. The brutality of WWII vs the surgical PC style war in Iraq where you always had to act like a camera was present is a sharp contrast.

My grandfather never spoke about Iwo. I know he was a BAR gunner, took a bullet in the hip and got a purple heart. He passed shortly after I graduated basic training. He was proud that I joined, just disappointed I went Army instead of into the Marines. It was only after I joined that he told me what little I know about what he did in the Marines. When he passed in rural OR the Marines Reserve unit sent Marines to stand over the casket and provide military honors at his burial when they were asked too. They did right by my grandfather and I was in awe at the decorated Staff Sergeants who turned out for an old Marine that they never even knew. Hard to stand next to Marines in dress blues with fruit salads when you are a E1 no nothing slick sleeved private in Class A greens. I made it a point to thank each Marine and each one got a button from my grandfather's jacket.

I dread the day that "Then there were none" as the WWII vets are something else. They possess an innate form of strength and resolve. I guess you can call it Grit. Not trying to take away the vets that served in other conflicts but there is a difference in the guys I see when I compare WWII, Korea, VN, Gulf War, and GWOT vets.

 

[Threadcutter308]

This was my father: Battle of the Bulge, 75th Division, 291st Regiment, K Company

During the Battle of Grand Halleux on January 15th, he was the BAR man and took a bullet through the arm that went in his side and out his back. There wasn't a single guy in K company that didn't get some initials - POW, MIA, WIA or KIA.

Never talked about it much but I remember he talked about the cold. I don't think I ever heard him say "Patton". It was always "fugginpatton". After he walked appx 7 miles to an aid station, there were the tank guys sitting on their tanks drinking hot coffee. I guess it didn't help Dad's attitude that when they finally tried to evac him and some others, their ambulance got blown up.

He left me his box of stuff from the war. I think this is going to be a good weekend to break it out again.

View attachment 6970758

You may want to do it with a good bottle of Scotch......Rights earned all the way around, you just inherited some of them.

 

[j-huskey]

Reference to Pop, from post 12 above.
Pattons 3rd Army, 583rd Signal Depot company, go anywhere, do anything, fix anything.
Like bury communications lines in unsecured enemy infested areas so Patton could talk to whom he pleased, when he pleased, however he pleased.

Like sit on a radar truck tracking aircraft b4, during, and after an air attack, manning the antiaircraft gun he wasn't trained on...

Was moved to different divisions as needed. Recorded history says Patton ran them ragged. He said as much. Both respected and hated Patton.

He was at Steinfort, Luxemborg on Dec 23rd, 1944, and part of the roadblock team there b4 moving out to what he said was worse things.

Like with 3rd Army, 6th Armored Div at Ohrdruf Labor Camp, part of Buchenwald Concentration Camp, when it was liberated, and then ended up in Nuremberg Germany at the end.

His exit card lists the 4 campaigns he participated in, Northern France (after the D-Day breakout), Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe.
I didnt think about adding this lineage part until I read some of the above posts. Only part I dont remember or can't find is the regiment.

This fills in some blanks in the earlier post and adds a little detail or two. Kinda neat stuff to me.
I wish I had recorded him now, or at least wrote stuff down, but, I didnt expect a ruptured aortic aneurysm to steal him when it did, and ..... always thought of him as invincible and that he'd live forever...

You guys with access to WW2 vets that will talk to you, record everything you can, and pass it on to your children. B4 it's all gone...

 

[Threadcutter308]

You guys with access to WW2 vets that will talk to you, record everything you can, and pass it on to your children. B4 it's all gone...

Hoping that by telling them that, it will allow them to open up more and share their history. Please, we would all love to hear about it.

 

[S Roche]

The more I thought about it there are 2 guys that needed to be mentioned. Both fought on Okinawa, one with Army 77th & the other Marine 1st Division. Both were within 500 m of each other during the battle at Wana Ridge. Also my uncle mentioned in the earlier post was with the 1st Marine. None of them knew the other was there even though they were from the same town of 800 people. The 77th soldier was wounded by a sniper. He was carrying a BAR and the 1st bullet hit the receiver, but the second bullet hit him in the hip. He passed 6 months ago still limping from the wound. In one of our talks he said that it was the most horrific thing he had ever witnessed and recalls himself and 4 other guys throwing grenades until their arms hurt. I asked how many grenades and he replied hundreds in less than a half hour. Good man, a very sad day. The 1st Marine soldier came through unscathed. He passed about 9 months ago, another sad day. I have read the letters I was allowed by his wife, In one he said "he didn't think he would survive the invasion of the Japan". Saved by the bomb.

 

[powdahound76]

I have had a lot of fun on the Hide and this is my all time favorite thread.

 

[j-huskey]

Uncle on Moms side, 77th Division, Okinawa. They "cleaned up" after the Marines. The Marines, see S Roche above, those guys were the best of the best of the best. Uncle respected them a lot.
Uncle wouldn't talk about combat there, except to say, "They made us kill them all."
And after a few minutes of saying nothing, "They needed it." And that was all he would say.
Uncle Sam kept him after the war, and he was one of the guys unc put on the atoll under the bomb, AND every single person he knew in that unit died of wierd cancers after being V.A. guinea pigs to cancer treatments. He died late 60's, early 70, cancer killed him. I never really knew him without cancer or in and out the V.A..

He let me shoot my first real pistol, my grandfather's 1911 that was born in 1917, that's still in the family. We shoot it 11/11 at 11am...

Storekeeper, Joe, in the farming community I live in, 77th, same time. He NEVER talked about combat, to anybody, and all he would say about WW2 was, "I was in the army, until they let me come home". His brother was a BAR gunner in ETO, and said of Joe, you really dont want to know.
Joe never missed a church service, never prayed in public there, never stayed around after, in and out. Quiet man, never cursed, worked every day, sun up to after dark, 12-14 hours. Raised a family, good people, never told them anything either. Wasnt until after he died and the keeper of his footlocker gave it to them and we all learned about Joe. Quiet man, quiet hero. Never asked for a thing except to be able to go to work, raise a family in church, and make a living.
His only time youd see him start to get "not quiet" was disrespect to the Flag and soldiers, and even then he wasnt loud, but you knew it wasnt gonna be good, there was this 38 revolver always in his pocket. He was another one of our DADs. Just another Dad that was always there in the background covering you. Making it safe to be a kid. He was 100-101 when he died, and there was another hole in our world.

His ETO BAR brother is gone too. Another story for later.

In the place I live, there is one ToughHombre 93 year old still living, purple heart and two bronze. Another story.. hes in a couple of the cotton field pics I've posted in ViewII. Still gets on a 200 horse tractor and pulls his load. He's the last one in my life from childhood and the last one in our community. Hes a year younger than Pop. Every time I see him, he brings Pop back.
Last 10 years he's been my replacement Pop, another of our DAD's...
His story is much like Joe's on raising the family of 5 children and making a life.
His Battle of the Bulge story is pretty much the same as Pops.

Not a single one of the soldiers I speak of in these posts didnt come back and be something. Every single one of them raised a family, not a single one of their children went bad, ZERO.. Every one of those soldiers worked every day, worked a couple of jobs, whatever it took, always paid their bills, respected their wives, stayed married until death parted them, went to church, raised their families in church, raised some hell too... Every one of them was a business success in their own way, if one business tanked, they started another one... they were the most go-getting-est people I've ever seen.

When ToughHombre leaves us, he's the last of his breed. And when his sister (91) dies, she's the last of their generation in my world.
My parents, 9 aunts and 10 Uncles, are all gone, 10th uncle died at Remagen Bridge, not enough left to bury, never married.

ToughHombres son and I talked today, we still got cotton to pick, neither one of us is ready for that generation to be gone. I'm still not ready to play adult.

There is a HUGE fucking hole in our world....

But, people like 1J and PowdaHound stepping up like for StrykerVet and things like that tell me the Greatest Generation left their DNA, genetics, and their mark, and while their leaving leaves a hole, 1J, PowdaHound, and a few others turn the light on in it.... showing theres a way, America isnt gone yet as long as we are here...

Here's to them who went before us, and paved the way...

Oklahoma cowboys, sharecroppers, hillbillys, moonshiners, country farm people, couple of them walked into induction barefooted.... they stood up when, "Greetings. Your friends and neighbors have selected you..."... Pop said that was his introduction to a different world... meet strange people, and .....

 

[canman]

Uncle on Moms side, 77th Division, Okinawa. They "cleaned up" after the Marines. The Marines, see S Roche above, those guys were the best of the best of the best. Uncle respected them a lot.
Uncle wouldn't talk about combat there, except to say, "They made us kill them all."
And after a few minutes of saying nothing, "They needed it." And that was all he would say.
Uncle Sam kept him after the war, and he was one of the guys unc put on the atoll under the bomb, AND every single person he knew in that unit died of wierd cancers after being V.A. guinea pigs to cancer treatments. He died late 60's, early 70, cancer killed him. I never really knew him without cancer or in and out the V.A..

He let me shoot my first real pistol, my grandfather's 1911 that was born in 1917, that's still in the family. We shoot it 11/11 at 11am...

Storekeeper, Joe, in the farming community I live in, 77th, same time. He NEVER talked about combat, to anybody, and all he would say about WW2 was, "I was in the army, until they let me come home". His brother was a BAR gunner in ETO, and said of Joe, you really dont want to know.
Joe never missed a church service, never prayed in public there, never stayed around after, in and out. Quiet man, never cursed, worked every day, sun up to after dark, 12-14 hours. Raised a family, good people, never told them anything either. Wasnt until after he died and the keeper of his footlocker gave it to them and we all learned about Joe. Quiet man, quiet hero. Never asked for a thing except to be able to go to work, raise a family in church, and make a living.
His only time youd see him start to get "not quiet" was disrespect to the Flag and soldiers, and even then he wasnt loud, but you knew it wasnt gonna be good, there was this 38 revolver always in his pocket. He was another one of our DADs. Just another Dad that was always there in the background covering you. Making it safe to be a kid. He was 100-101 when he died, and there was another hole in our world.

His ETO BAR brother is gone too. Another story for later.

In the place I live, there is one ToughHombre 93 year old still living, purple heart and two bronze. Another story.. hes in a couple of the cotton field pics I've posted in ViewII. Still gets on a 200 horse tractor and pulls his load. He's the last one in my life from childhood and the last one in our community. Hes a year younger than Pop. Every time I see him, he brings Pop back.
Last 10 years he's been my replacement Pop, another of our DAD's...
His story is much like Joe's on raising the family of 5 children and making a life.
His Battle of the Bulge story is pretty much the same as Pops.

Not a single one of the soldiers I speak of in these posts didnt come back and be something. Every single one of them raised a family, not a single one of their children went bad, ZERO.. Every one of those soldiers worked every day, worked a couple of jobs, whatever it took, always paid their bills, respected their wives, stayed married until death parted them, went to church, raised their families in church, raised some hell too... Every one of them was a business success in their own way, if one business tanked, they started another one... they were the most go-getting-est people I've ever seen.

When ToughHombre leaves us, he's the last of his breed. And when his sister (91) dies, she's the last of their generation in my world.
My parents, 9 aunts and 10 Uncles, are all gone, 10th uncle died at Remagen Bridge, not enough left to bury, never married.

ToughHombres son and I talked today, we still got cotton to pick, neither one of us is ready for that generation to be gone. I'm still not ready to play adult.

There is a HUGE fucking hole in our world....

But, people like 1J and PowdaHound stepping up like for StrykerVet and things like that tell me the Greatest Generation left their DNA, genetics, and their mark, and while their leaving leaves a hole, 1J, PowdaHound, and a few others turn the light on in it.... showing theres a way, America isnt gone yet as long as we are here...

Here's to them who went before us, and paved the way...

Oklahoma cowboys, sharecroppers, hillbillys, moonshiners, country farm people, couple of them walked into induction barefooted.... they stood up when, "Greetings. Your friends and neighbors have selected you..."... Pop said that was his introduction to a different world... meet strange people, and .....

Great post.

 

[Tucker301]

It seems almost inadequate to say it in so few words, but they literally saved the world.

 

[canman]

It seems almost inadequate to say it in so few words, but they literally saved the world.

Back in the day when M1-A's were king and AR15's were just starting to become the new best set up in NRA Highpower I would still shoot my NM M1. One match at Camp Smith a friend asked why I still did that knowing I had a NM M1-A that was top of the line. I said because this rifle saved the World. The Dad of one of the guy's on the line heard me say it. He was a WWII Vet. He came over and shook my hand, grinning from ear to ear. His son told that story many times when we were in the pits. He said his Father really appreciated hearing that.