June 6th
- Thread starter Bugs
- Start date
They do not call them "The Greatest Generation" for nothing. My father was in France, in a tank destroyer division, while he was in Europe. He had a most difficult time even thinking about the war. Out of respect for him and his wishes, I never pressed him for stories. After seeing what has become of this country since that generation, it is not hard to see why they were and still are The Greatest Generation!
If you're ever able to get to Normandy, visit the American cemetery at Collville sur Mere above Omaha beach. Possibly one of the most moving moments of my life. I had an uncle (Navy, piloting an LST) that went down off Omaha after either taking a direct artillery hit or perhaps hitting a mine whose remains were never found. I challenge anyone who calls himself an American (including our former president) to visit that cemetery and then say that America is arrogant.
Damfino
Gold $$ Contributor
As a retired Veterans Service Officer for the State of Alabama it was my honor and privilege to work with WWII veterans. Modest, self-reliant, and proud without being cocky. These guys would come in for a tag, or ask a question or two, always reluctant to pursue benefits out of fear that they might take something away from other veterans that really needed it. I would see these old men with these incredibly impressive discharge papers with multiple campaigns, purple hearts, medals for valor, and ask them about their service and usually get something along the lines of, "oh, I was just doing what needed to be done." I mean damn. But, the best discharge paper I ever saw belonged to a highly decorated, intense looking WWII veteran and it simply said, "Led men in combat." I always thought that whoever filled that out really knew exactly the right words to use in describing a man's character.
Semper Fi.
Semper Fi.
My.dad spent 24 years in military. Served in WW2&korean war.truely the greatest generation
morpheus
Gold $$ Contributor
I figured my daughter is old enough now (14), so I explained the context and then we watched the opening scenes of Saving Private Ryan together. I think she can begin to appreciate the sacrifices made. I visited Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery there a few years ago and it was quite a haunting experience.
During the Memorial Day weekend, I spent a lot of time on the phone with members of my platoon in Vietnam and two of them mentioned Saving Private Ryan. We agreed that we were "Lucky", not to have been in on "that war". My father and 11 uncles served in Europe and the Pacific during WW II. They loved America, all their lives and made sure all their children understood what a privilege it was to live in such a country.
I don't believe they could comprehend some of the things that go on in our schools and universities in this country today, nor the loathing that some have for American ideals. Our country is not perfect, but nobody is fleeing it, so it's got to be as good as there is.
I am so privileged to have lived my life in the America that was forged by the founders and the generations that have fought to preserve our freedoms. God bless those who stormed those beaches.
I don't believe they could comprehend some of the things that go on in our schools and universities in this country today, nor the loathing that some have for American ideals. Our country is not perfect, but nobody is fleeing it, so it's got to be as good as there is.
I am so privileged to have lived my life in the America that was forged by the founders and the generations that have fought to preserve our freedoms. God bless those who stormed those beaches.
Very well stated!
My father and his family were German immigrants. He was already in the Army when the war started. He said, "it was no secret we were going to war, but nobody thought we would end up entering it the way we did". He was sent to the Pacific. Apparently, they wouldn't send Americans of German descent to Europe at first. He was in the entire war, from Guadalcanal to Okinawa. His brother was two years younger and by the time he enlisted they needed men so bad in Europe that they didn't care anymore where he was from. He landed in France D-Day plus six and is still alive living in London today {95}.
When it all came out about what the Nazi's did to the Jewish people in Europe all the Jewish people in the neighborhood in Baltimore wanted to kill my grandfather. He helped many of them during the depression because he was steadily employed. He left Germany to get away from the Nazi's and had two sons fighting the war. Many of my fathers relatives disowned him because they thought he should have went back to Germany and fought for Hitler.
Now, I look at my son who is 10 and hope I never have to know what it must be like to have a son in harms way. My grandfather knew what it was to have both of his in a war.
When it all came out about what the Nazi's did to the Jewish people in Europe all the Jewish people in the neighborhood in Baltimore wanted to kill my grandfather. He helped many of them during the depression because he was steadily employed. He left Germany to get away from the Nazi's and had two sons fighting the war. Many of my fathers relatives disowned him because they thought he should have went back to Germany and fought for Hitler.
Now, I look at my son who is 10 and hope I never have to know what it must be like to have a son in harms way. My grandfather knew what it was to have both of his in a war.
hogpatrol
Gold $$ Contributor
My father, in the Americal division, took a Jap slug in the leg on Bougainville that severed the nerves. They wanted to amputate his leg but he said try and save it. He hobbled around with a brace and a leg with no feeling from the knee down until he died at age 69. Hunted the top of the mountain for deer behind our cabin every year since the war. He would have to remove his boot and check to see if his feet were getting cold so as to not get frostbite. Not once in all those years did he complain about his leg and only talked about battle once. His best buddy in basic, another Pennsy boy, was KIA in Belgium. Dad came through the depression and told of suppers of melted lard on white bread. His older brother, my uncle, lost toes and was crippled by frostbite in the Battle of the Bulge. For me, it wasn't until years later until I realized the full impact of what these brave young men and women accomplished. They were and some still are the "Greatest Generation" and they are owed an eternal debt of gratitude for what they did.
Hogpatrol, my father was a bullet catcher at Bougainville too...he never was wounded. He was in two plane crashes though, one was a bail out over New Guinea. 10 days behind the lines and he was the only "combatant", but he got the others all back safely. He got a big medal for that. They did find a bad kidney as a result and the Army Dr.'s told him to get it taken out "if you survive the war". He did, and got it removed in 71.
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