Veterans Thank You For Your Service

[GotRDid]

Duty-Honor-Country!
It wasn’t always a pleasure, but definitely a Privilege!

 

[D Coots]

My daughter gave me something last week that I never knew existed. My mother kept a diary from 1943 thru 1946. She gave it to her grand daughter. My father wasn't drafted in the early years of the war, which was unusual to say the least. My older sister became ill, and the physicians advise was to move to a dryer climate. Common advise in the 40's. They moved, and my father was drafted within weeks. Turns out he had been working 16 hours a day on the Oak Ridge Tennessee uranium enrichment project. I am almost hesitant to read the entries in her diary from the standpoint of comparing the sacrifices that were made by those amazing people, and looking at the entitlement mentality that is so common today. It really irritates me to see what has happened to the USA. A bow of the head to the Veterans and to those families that also gave their all for our Country.

I have my Grandfather's diary from when he was in France and Italy in 1917 and 18.

 

[jamesdmock]

I have my Grandfather's diary from when he was in France and Italy in 1917 and 18.

Dave, like you, my grandfather, Zennie Barron served in WWI in the trench warfare in France. He passed away in 1975 and I wish I would have talked to him more about his time in that war. His son served on the USS San Francisco in the Pacific theater during WWII.

 

[jackieschmidt]

Dave, like you, my grandfather, Zennie Barron served in WWI in the trench warfare in France. He passed away in 1975 and I wish I would have talked to him more about his time in that war. His son served on the USS San Francisco in the Pacific theater during WWII.

James, my Grandfather on my Dad’s side of the family was also in WW-1 as a soldier in the trenches, with a twist. He was in the German Army.
In 1919 after the war, he and my Grandmother, who was pregnant with my Dad, managed to immigrate to Galveston Texas, coming over in steerage in the bottom of a ship. My Dad was born in the bottom of that ship.
That kinda makes me 2d generation American.

They considered changing the surname to “Smith”, but my Grandfather was killed in a bar fight before my Dad was eight years old and it remained Schmidt.
My Dad was drafted in 1944, was part of the forces in the Philippines training for the invasion of mainland Japan if the War had not ended the way it did.
And of course, I was Drafted into the Army in ‘67.

Another interesting note. My Grandfather on my mother’s side also served in the US Army in the Trenches in WW-1. He had a small pension from being hit with mustard gas, and lived to 88 years old.

So there is a possibility, though slight, that my Paternal Grandfather and my Maternal Grandfather could have faced each other on opposite sides of the battlefield during WW-1.

 

[Kittitas George]

Remember your oath, to the Constitution, one of the most important writings and ideas man ever had. "A promise made, is a debt unpaid"

 

[hpshooter]

Thanks to each and every veteran!

 

[jamesdmock]

James, my Grandfather on my Dad’s side of the family was also in WW-1 as a soldier in the trenches, with a twist. He was in the German Army.
In 1919 after the war, he and my Grandmother, who was pregnant with my Dad, managed to immigrate to Galveston Texas, coming over in steerage in the bottom of a ship. My Dad was born in the bottom of that ship.
That kinda makes me 2d generation American.

They considered changing the surname to “Smith”, but my Grandfather was killed in a bar fight before my Dad was eight years old and it remained Schmidt.
My Dad was drafted in 1944, was part of the forces in the Philippines training for the invasion of mainland Japan if the War had not ended the way it did.
And of course, I was Drafted into the Army in ‘67.

Another interesting note. My Grandfather on my mother’s side also served in the US Army in the Trenches in WW-1. He had a small pension from being hit with mustard gas, and lived to 88 years old.

So there is a possibility, though slight, that my Paternal Grandfather and my Maternal Grandfather could have faced each other on opposite sides of the battlefield during WW-1.

Jackie, that is quite a history of service. I was commissioned as a 2nd LT in January of 1967 after finishing 4 years of ROTC. Unlike you, I did not have to go to Vietnam. My brother also served and I had four uncles who served during WWII.

 

[Kalitrazescapee]

Hand salute and God bless to all my fellow veterans on this day.
Some of us were fortunate to come home, many did not.
I came home, but have never forgotten those who were less fortunate.

Looking purty salty at 20 yrs old in Chu Lai in 1966.
The picture would look much different now.....

I met another river rat that told me what you guys dealt with. I was on cans 76-80, but the John r Craig DD-885 was over in nam with her 5in38s .

 

[Will Henry]

I wasn't super thrilled about it when I was drafted in '69 but appreciate having had the experience now. I have come to believe that mandatory service (not necessarily military) would be a good thing today. WH