American Heros

[sundog]

Mrs Sundog's cousin's wife called yesterday. Leslie, Mrs Sundog's cousin, is in a Veteran's care facilty now. He thinks he's in a hotel.... He's not doing well. Alzeimer's among other things, but he's being well cared for. Leslie made the landing at Iwo Jima, early on. I'm one of the very few he ever told about it. He was one of only a few in his Marine Company to survive the first couple days. I'll never forget that day he and I were fishing and he just started talking - don't know why, but he talked and I listened. Pretty awesome to be allowed 'in' like that. Maybe because I had spent so many years in the Army that he felt like it was okay to tell. Well, at least he's being cared for. My Dad passed away last summer. He was a WWII vet also as was my mother who worked for Republic - she passed away two years earlier. They are all leaving, one at a time. America's GREATEST GENERATION.

Don't get me wrong. This isn't a woe is me post. It's a celebration of their lives. They were, and still are, GREAT PEOPLE. Don't know how much longer Les will be with us, but he deserves the title, GREAT AMERICAN.

btw, one of the things he told me about was how he and some of his buds were on hand at the surrender.... Awesome. sundog

[Maineboy]

Great post Sundog. There isn't many of them left is there. My father was a WWII vet and served in the Pacific. He died when I was still quite young, but I don't recall him ever speaking about combat. Most of my friends' fathers were also WWII vets, and I don't recall them speaking about combat either, just maybe some comical incident that happened while they were serving. Maybe they spoke about the horrible stuff among themselves, like you had to be there to know what they were talking about.
Those folks ARE the greatest generation. Those that came back went on to make this country a great place for all of us. I think that we have never truly given them the recognition they deserve. They gave alot and asked for little.

[StarMetal]

My best friend's Dad just passed away a few months ago. He too was a very very good friend. I'm the only person that thanked him for his service and what he did in WWII. I wrote him a letter thanking him and how I felt. He cried when he read...God it put a lump in my throat too. He too did the Pacific as a Marine. He was a BAR man. He survived Iwo Jima also. He was also among the first troops to land in Japan after their surrender and actually stood on ground zero. I think it was crappy of the military to let our men do that...just maybe they didn't know it was that dangerous. He would tell my best friend and I anything about the war we wanted to know, but, never once anything about him killing the enemy. He just never spoke of that.

My Father in law was with the Army Air Corp. He got shot down in a B 17 bomber over Dreszen, Hungary and was captured by the Germans and put in Stalag III for 18 months. His health was never good after that.

Both these hero's and GREAT AMERICANS are gone now, and like McArthur said, they just faded away, just faded away.

To show how much my best friend's Dad cared about me, and I for him, I was the one that received his burial flag. When they did the gun salute and Taps, I just lost it.

Joe

[vmt_hntr]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this most touching subject. My father-in-law was a Crew Chief on a B-17 during WWII. When he died, I asked the local Legion for a color guard and cannon salute and was thrilled that "We would be glad to honor him as our last tribute", they told me. The funeral was simple and straight forward....very humbling to me, but very proud as well to honor a fellow veteran......
Bob

[sundog]

My uncle (mother's brother) was a WWII vet also. He flew B24s as best I recall out of North Africa and got shot down twice! Got out both times, second time with parts flow in, repairs made and flew it back out. He's been gone a about six years now. Another GREAT AMERICAN. sundog

[StarMetal]

Bob

My Father in law was also a crew chief. The mission they got shot down on was a secret mission to Russia called "Frantic Joe" and the bomber was full of plane parts like wings off of P52 Mustangs and such. They were to train the Rooskies on repairing bombers and fighters: also in rearming and refueling them. I have pictures and documents of everything, including pictures of the Stalag III that he was imprisoned in, plus the original German mugshot sheet.

I also have his P38 Walther

Joe

[jh45gun]

My dad was of the WWI era. He never went over seas instead he was based in Texas out of Ft. Bliss Chasing after Pauncho Villa. He was in the still existing Horse Calvary. He was also a Bugler. What always made me interested in his service was the fact he was in the 7th Calvary. Most folks think after Custer the 7th died out but they exist to this day. Jim

[mroliver77]

My dad went in WW2 in 44. He tried to get in the Army but the Navy would take him faster so he went to The Navy. His brother died on a carrier. After WW2 was over they sent Dad home. He said it was weird so he joined the Army. After being in the Army a while Korea started. He was invited to leave the Army and go in the newly formed Air Force. He served in Korea as a Staff Sergnt in the Air Sea Rescue. He lived in Japan for five years. I asked him if he lived on base. Uh..no he said. After some prying he admitted to having a shack with a Jap sweety. We have some pics of Nagasaki or what was Nagasaki. He was an ornery old cuss. Sometimes when he had had too many he would talk about things and cry. Shook me up! I have a` Jap 38 he brought home.
I tried to join up but I had lost an eye as a youngun and they would not take me.I would still go today if I had to crawl. I tell you I would be proud to be half the man them fellers were. Jay