What are your grandfather's WWII stories?

[mills]

I thought I'd beat SOS to the punch :icon_wink

My grandfather doesn't have any particularly great ones, but he is in the veterans home now and I take my grandma up to see him once a week, so a few good brand new old-people stories are brewing.

What good WWII stories does your grandfather have? Or alternatively what good old person stories about your grandfather do YOU have?

[BaLZaC~308]

i have to do some research cause i want to do them justice

[mills]

Go ahead and lie. Who's gonna know?

[Arc Lite]

My Grandpa served the Navy in WWII. All I really know is the name of the Destroyer he was on and that he was in the Atlantic. He didn't really talk about it a lot. But I was proud and respectful of his service all the same.

RIP Grandpa.

[BaLZaC~308]

Go ahead and lie. Who's gonna know?

well in that case....


He parachuted down into normandy and single handedly took out 79 machine gun outposts. Then he spent months tracking hitler and when he finally found him he punched him in the nose and made him cry!!!!!


Dont even get me started on what he did in japan...

[Death Metal Moe]

My grandfather is dead now. He serverd in the Army and I believe was based in the US the whole time. He did his job but didn't have any "I kill 20 Kraut" stories.

His brother on the other hand died somewhere in or around Italy from the stories I remember.

[kloraferm]

My grandfather, for whatever reason never talked about too much detail from WW2, and he felt the same way about it since my dad was a little kid. And since he died seven years ago, I doubt I'm gonna get him to say much.

[mills]

i have to do some research cause i want to do them justiceTechnically my real, blood grandfather - also my namesake - I should say the same thing about him. Dude fell off of the Eiffel Tower the night before he was scheduled to come back home. My grandmom's been a really sad person ever since because of it. Her 4 kids always talked about it and wondered what the hell might have happened, with ideas ranging from drunkenness to suicide, but the consensus being most likely petty murder since there were a lot of scum in Paris at the time and they knew damn well American troops were paid out the ass, at least relative to other parisians.

Anyway, the guy was 101st airborne and a badass, and a big part of the Bulge.

[tommytwobucks]

My grandpa was a BM2 in the Navy, one of the things he did was coxswain a Higgins boat, which transported Marines onto the beaches. (The boats seen in Saving Private Ryan, where the bow drops down and everyone runs out). He told me that after the Marines were out, he had to run the boat in reverse back to the ship so that he would have some kind of cover from the Japanese small arms fire. He was also a diver for a little while.
He's the one that inspired me to become a Boatswains Mate, although I'm in the Coast Guard. I just went to visit his gravesite this Friday before drill. He was a good man, and I miss him.

[Three Hole Puncher]

My grandfather... my dad's father.

I never heard the stories directly from him because he died when I was still a runt. I barely remember him.

I pieced together his war story from stories my grandmother told me and some newspaper clippings I found in my grandmother's attic after she died... along with the clippings was also a Thompson submachine gun(still packed in it's original cosmoline), and a live pineapple hand grenade. Woot! What a score that was to find!

Apparently, my grandfather was involved in some earlier island invasions in the Pacific, I'm not sure which ones, but what is clear is that he was a Sergeant in the Marines when he was involved in the invasion of Tarawa in 1943. He was on the island for 9 days when an explosion(doesn't say from what... grenade or shell) put a major hurtin' on the right side of his face. For that, he was awarded his second purple heart. He was shipped back to the states, and his jaw was wired shut for four months.

When he recovered... more or less... he became a plumber and a raging alcoholic. He wasn't abusive to my grandmother or his children, but he was a "difficult" man to live with.

My grandmother told me that he carried a hatred for the Japanese that only grew more and more passionate as the years went by... once, someone gave my grandmother a gift of an expensive tea set made of beautiful porcelain... my grandfather turned over a cup and saw Made in Japan stamped on the bottom, and then he proceeded to smash the entire set on the floor.

He did mellow a bit over the years, but he was still not what you'd call a prince, and he would've drank every cent of his paycheck had my grandmother let him get his hands on it. My grandmother eventually divorced him. She took the kids and moved out. Two years later my grandfather passed out drunk in a chair, dropped his cigarette, and burned his house down around himself.

There you go. For what it's worth.

[cupbeufulgirlz]

All I know is my grandfather, after watching 5 minutes of Platoon and objecting to the swearing told me, "We didn't fucking curse like that when I was in the war." :D OH POP POP!

[foyb]

My dad's father was in the early waves at Normandy. He was captured somewhere in France I think, and was in a POW camp until the end of the war. He doesn't talk much about it, just that all they were fed was potato soup for every meal, and they were cutting down trees.
My mom's dad was drafted late in the war, and went to europe to clean up battlefields (I think - he's pretty quiet about it too). He has an old rifle that he found hanging on the wall in his house.

[EvilMonkey71]

My grandfather passed quite a while ago but I've recently been researching his service during WW2 (inspired by watching the Ken Burns series). So far, I know he finished his service in the 2nd Infantry but before that was in North Africa, Italy, and then France. I got my mom to put in the request to get his service records from the govt. so I'm hoping I can find out more from that.

[enduser]

My Grandpa served the Navy in WWII. All I really know is the name of the Destroyer he was on and that he was in the Atlantic. He didn't really talk about it a lot. But I was proud and respectful of his service all the same.

RIP Grandpa.

My grandfather on my dad’s side is somewhat of a similar story. He was on some sort destroyer I think in the Navy and he is credited with some sort of medal for free diving and saving the crew of his ship after the prop or screw was tangled up in some sort of rope. The entire crew was stranded in the Japanese Pacific and at the time there were no resources available for rescue. He dived(sp?) without oxygen and managed to free the ship’s drive and no doubt saved the crew.
At least that is the short version of the story.
It hardly does him justice I know but her rarely talked about his service other than the fact that he was loyal and proud to and of the US, his ship and his brothers.

[BusyChild04]

He passed away before I was old enough to be interested in the stories. All I have now is his rifle. I sometimes just look at it and wonder how many enemy soldiers he took down with it.

[boiler]

Potential for a good story but none.

I have been in the VFW since my late 20's and have had some good conversations. One in particular has really impressed on me.

There was this little old guy named Elmer. He might have been 5'4". He had big health problems shortly after retirement. Doctors determined it was stress related to WW2. He went to counseling and opened up about it and lived out his last years in relative comfort.

His story is this - He told me he had served in a railroad unit that hauled supplies from the coast to the front after Normandy. Cigarettes were as good as currency back then and they gave him several cartons. He didn't smoke. The cigarettes were used as a subdued light to signal from the back of the train. Regular lights attracted snipers. There were two guys on the engine (engineer and conductor) and him in the back (brakeman). On two occasions both guys up front were killed and he had to bring the train back by himself. That would be a bitch for a nineteen year old on modern day equipment.

He said they once stopped near and American tank where the Germans had strapped explosives to a pregnant lady and made her walk up to the tank. She was crying knowing what was going to happen and she was blown up.

When he was in Paris he had an African (Moor?) pull him in close in put a knife to rob him. Elmer said this guy was big. Elmer pulled his service revolver and was scared shitless but couldn't shoot him. He pushed the barrel into to guys stomach so hard he thought he was going to push it through him. The guy dropped and begged for his life. Elmer was yelling at him asking him why he would want to hurt him.

Elmer never talked about it until the 1980's. I think he told me because he wanted me to know not to bottle up things and hurt your health. I didn't have the heart to tell him that in today's Navy the most stressful thing that can happen is when the Coke runs out and you have drink Diet Coke.

[blotto98]

My Gramps was in the Navy. The only thing I know he brought back was alot of wool clothes. He died when I was 11 so we never really got into it. I'd like to research it though.
My Dad was in Vietnam and he didn't talk about it either until I came home from the bar one night and he was sitting up watching Platoon- then it was like "Niagra Falls, Frankie Angel".

[Gonzoid]

My grandfather passed away back in 2000 and never really talked about the war. Unfortunately, I did not become very interested in the war until later on after reading alot and watching shows like "Band of Brothers" and "The War."

From what my grandmother and aunts told me, he saw very serious action in Europe in the army. He saw one of his best friends blown up from a landmine on french soil which explained until the day he died why he had such an utter hatred of the French. He also was one of the first army regiments to liberate Dachau concentration camp...from what my aunt told me after they saw what was going on in the camp, the generals there made all the soldiers turn in the guns temporarily because they were ready to go out and start shooting any citizen around the camp who know this was going on.

The only afteraffect he had was that he would break out in a bad case of hives a certain time a year for like 10 years after the war. Luckily for my grandmother and mother that was the extent of any post-war trauma he had.

[LiddyRules]

"I am but a simple shopkeep! Vy are you doing this to me and my daughters?"

[boiler]

My grandparents were too old to serve (and farmers) but I had several uncles serve who are all grandfathers so I'm counting this.

My uncle Ralph lied about his age in 1944, he was 16 and joined the Army Air Corps. Being small he was made a tailgunner on a B-17 in Europe. He arrived late in spring of 1945 saw little action as Germany was about to fall.

Ralph told me that he always felt bad about the way the Vietnam Vets are (were) treated. He felt they were portrayed as undisciplined jack-offs. He felt they were just acting their age. He felt WW2 guys were treated like golden boys.

He told me this story of WW2 guys acting their age. The oldest guy on the plane was the pilot at 23. Most everyone else was 18-20. He said the Germans would let American bombers fly unmolested over Belgium (maybe it was Holland) to drop relief supplies to the civilians. Give a kid a plane and let them drop shit out of it and here is what you get. The pilot would line up on something like a greenhouse or a guy in a row boat. He would start counting down and the guys in the back would start throwing shit out the bomb bay doors trying to bust glass or sink the rowboat.

I thought that was hilarious. Unknowingly these guys were the original Wackbaggers.

[mills]

When he recovered... more or less... he became a plumber and a raging alcoholic. He wasn't abusive to my grandmother or his children, but he was a "difficult" man to live with.

He did mellow a bit over the years, but he was still not what you'd call a prince, and he would've drank every cent of his paycheck had my grandmother let him get his hands on it. My grandmother eventually divorced him. She took the kids and moved out. Two years later my grandfather passed out drunk in a chair, dropped his cigarette, and burned his house down around himself.

There you go. For what it's worth.God damn that's a rough one.

For some reason, it wouldn't be so bad if it was a Nam vet. I mean I respect those guys too, but still. Maybe what I mean is it wouldn't be so uncharacteristic sounding.

[Three Hole Puncher]

Unfortunately, my grandfather died before Nintendo released the WWii.

Har, har...merph.

[TimPud]

My grandfather died last Wednesday so this show hit kinda close to home. We never were able to really get him to open up about his experiences in the Pacific. I can only recall one time he talked a little about it, something about caves they were in and the awful smell. He was pretty shaken in about 2 minutes, nearly to tears. He was just too frail to really push the subject in these last few years because it bothered him so much to recall it. We feared for his health enough without putting more stress on him to tell stories of hell.

[Five Angels]

My grandfather was a Marine and served in the Pacific. He fought on Okinawa and caught shrapnel in the shoulder, for which he was awarded the Purple Heart.

When I was little he used to tell me he still had his bayonet with "Jap blood" on it... but I've never seen it.

[Three Hole Puncher]

God damn that's a rough one.

For some reason, it wouldn't be so bad if it was a Nam vet. I mean I respect those guys too, but still. Maybe what I mean is it wouldn't be so uncharacteristic sounding.

Yeah... a lot of the post-war effects on WWII vets seems to have been pretty well white washed. The vets were expected to come home, 'man up', and go on with their lives. These were the days before 'post traumatic stress disorder'.

Unlike in Europe, in America, it was considered bad form for a vet to display their medals or even talk about their experiences directly after the war. Most vets just packed their medals and souvenirs in a foot locker, and stashed them up in the attic. Suffering in silence was the 'manly' thing to do, but not every vet dealt with it as well as some of the WWII documentaries would have us believe.

For instance... The Hell's Angels biker gang was formed by WWII vets who just couldn't fit back into society after the war.

[hardrocknrock]

My dad was born in 1925 (he was in his 50s when he sired me), so he actually served during the tail end of the war. He was the navigator on a flight that was shot down near Italy (I'm a bad son, I don't remember all of the details). When he pulled the pin on his parachute, he did so with such force that the contents of his pack hit him square in the head and knocked him unconscious. He awoke in a field, behind enemy lines.

[Scooter]

My Father's Father was a pilot in Europe and was shot down over Germany. He and the rest of the crew were buried in Arlington together. My Grandmother did not visit his grave until the early 80's and firmly beilieved he was just having such a good time partying that he decided to stay. She would rather believe that then have him be dead. My Father has told us how he was shown as an example since he had lost his father in the war and how he "carried on" after it. He has his Father's bomber jacket and records. He looked up to his Father so much he made his signature look like his.

My Mother's Father was in the Army most of his career and never spoke of it as far as I know. She traveled the world as an army brat.

I come from military families

[Chino Kapone]

My Grandfather died in 2000. I still carry sooooo much love for that man. He was the greatest.

His health was terrible his whole life. When he signed up for the Army, they would not let him in because of his health conditions. He applied 13 seperate times to get in the Army and was finally accepted to fight in WWII. By the time he was set to depart, the war was pretty much over.

Him and his platoon wanted to be able to say they left the country for the war, so they loaded up and went to Mexico for a couple days and came back. Not sure what happened in Mexico though.

The fact that it took 13 seperate occasions to get in the army to fight for his country shows me the kind of man he was. Damn do i miss him.

[weeniewawa]

there is only about 6 people in America with my last name. I think my grandfather fought against yours and came to this country and changed his last name. my name is close to ants Heros name.

[mills]

there is only about 6 people in America with my last name. I think my grandfather fought against yours and came to this country and changed his last name. my name is close to ants Heros name.
Random guess histler

[laspino]

My dad served in Vietnam and I served in the Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom but my grandpa, his dad, was in his late 30's and worked as a railroad guy. He was exempt from conscription due to being in an industry important to the war effort.

My grandfather on my mom's side served in North Africa, under Rommel. He was in the Italian army and ended up being taken prisoner by the Brits. Spent the rest of the war in a POW camp in Scotland and didn't return to Italy until '46.

[Checker77]

Ant ought to like this one...

Toward the end of WWII, my grandfather was a Major with the 90th Infantry division. Naturally he was looking for any, "keepsakes" from the great war. He had a nazi helmut, arm band, officers dagger, a flag from a industrial town, and about 3 Luger P08's. As he is getting on the ship to take him back to England, he sees a line of men waiting to get on the ship, and four MP's searching for any "souvenir" weapons, and hauling them out of line. Well, my grandfather opens his duffel bag and grabs the three Lugers and tosses them into the water. As he gets up to the front of the line, the MP's salute and wish the Major well, and onto the ship he goes, no search, nothing.

[Hudson]

My mother's Father was Stationed Overseas and was a field Medic..that's all I got
My dad's Father was excluded from service due to Rhumatoid Arthritis....
but worked as an accountant at the munitions Factory in Scranton and was an Air Raid Marshall...

[JamesDamit]

My Grandfather, my mothers father (Opa) served in the German army and shot at your grandfathers.

He never talked about the war to me apart from that he served in the regular army not the SS, and that he was drafted and spent time in the POW camps at the end of the war.

My favorite uncle however told me the story about how he ended up with the metal plate in his head. He was in the SS and was part of the raid to free Mussolini from those dam wishy washy wops who didn't know where their loyalties lay.

My fathers father (American Grandfather) was to old to serve in WW2, I think he served in WW1 and shot at my great grandfathers generation.

[ChrisH]

Father's father served in the Army, a Captain I think, but was stationed stateside and worked in procurement of armaments (he was a professor both before and after the war). Didn't know my mom's father, but know that he was in the Navy, served on a carrier in the Pacific, and was apparently sent to the brig once (I think for being stupid enough to get horribly sunburned while working on deck during normal duties).

[Grem]

I never met my grandfather, he was in the RAF and got shot down during the Battle of Britain.

[LiddyRules]

I never met my grandfather, he was in the RAF and got shot down during the Battle of Britain. Sorry to break it to you but he was presumed dead. He was actually killed by your grandmother's lover. And that's how your father defeated Elton John.

[SickSean]

My Grandfather was too young to join up for WWII but his older brother was in the OSS

[Dr. Hoffman]

My grandfather was drafted into the Army Air Corps and started training to be a bombardier/navigator on B-17's. In the middle of all that the German's surrendered. After VE Day they moved him out to California and he started training for the same roll only on B-29's, then we fried a couple hundred thousand Japs with two bombs.

[MelissaY1]

My mom's father died in his 50s so he never lived to see any grandchildren unfortunately but I know he earned several medals while he was in the army.

My father's father was also in the army but he died when I was around 5 years old, so I barely remember him, but I heard he was part of the military bases radio broadcasts. He had his own band and stuff which I guess is where my father gets his musical talents from.

My great uncle I heard actually killed people and has a knife collection and stuff!

[TreeFortRichard]

My grandfather died before i was born, but was in the army in WW2 in europe. I was never able to find out what he did, but when my grandmother died and we cleaned out the attic we found a HUGE nazi flag, at least 20x10ft that i found out later was hanging on the wall at some muckity mucks command center...I would love a better providence on the origin of the flag...It is too bad it is seen as a symbol of hate b/c it is a really cool flag that would be great to display in the right setting..say d***** off the balcony of a long island home... ;)

[Hudson]

My Great uncle Eddie was a Fighter Pilot in wwII 10 kills, then got shot down and died.

[oandapartycock]

One of my grandfathers was too old and the other was an engineer so he was lucky enough to stay in the states.

My grandmother's brother wasn't so lucky. He was a tank driver in the Wisconsin National Guard and got shipped to the Phillipines the November before Pearl Harbor. After Pearl Harbor, they held out for a few months but eventually surrendered to the Japs.

He was involved in the infamous Bataan Death March but survived the march only to die of dysentery a couple months later in one of the camps.

I haven't heard the Ken Burns interview yet, but I've heard him say before that relatives need to ask the questions. They were suprised how easily they opened up. For those of you young or lucky enough to have Grandfathers, let that be a lesson to you.

Also, you'd be surprised to see what you could find with a little googling. A couple of Thanksgivings ago my Grandmother was talking about old times and the war, etc. and I had her spell her maiden name and pulled her deceased brother up on my Treo. Picture and everything. Said she hadn't seen a picture of him in decades. Needless to say there wasn't a dry eye in the house...

http://www.proviso.k12.il.us/bataan%20web/Klitzkie.htm

[Earth2murf]

my grandfather died in a concentration camp......................he got drunk and fell out of the guard tower

[Jim Beam]

sadly both my grandfathers died before I was old enough to ask about such stories. one was in Europe in WWII and one in Korea. I remember seeing some swords and other stuff when I was real young, and have an ID and some old paperwork.

[Hudson]

One of the best stories I ever heard was a guy who flew one of the bombers on the Dambusters Mission..Fucking great!

[Jerry1]

My grandparents died before I ever knew them. However I do have some uncles who were in "The Big One". One was aboard a minesweeper and another was a paratrooper at Normandy.
Though my mom has told me a story about that one of her uncles served in the Merchant Marines and was aboard a cargo ship that was torpedoed by a Jap sub. He was in the water for like an hour or so before being picked up by the Canadian Marines.
I've heard all these stories. One was that during WWII when a soldier or sailor was stopping by in NYC around Christmas time and didn't have a place to stay or go, some people would actually take them in.

Also met a guy who was German and was a young kid in Nazi Germany and talked about how nuts the Allied bombing was. They pretty much felt the war was over when the US started deploying the P-51 Mustangs to escort the B-17s because they had the range to protect the bombers all the way to the target. Making it much harder if not impossible to stop the bomber raids.

[Its A Hemi]

My grandpa just missed WWII, but served in Korea in '51-53. He doesn't talk of it much, but he was there for Pork Chop Hill and most of the other "bug-out" moments.

My grandmas brother though, Marines in the Pacific in WWII, the whole campaign, Korea, then served in 'Nam as an "adviser" then a commander of some sort. I don't see him that much though, so I've never really asked him.

[Budyzir]

After the Ken Burns' interview, I want to stop and talk to to some of the elderly people I see and just ask them what was your life like then? He had a great point, he winds up in some town and after a few questions he is talking to some incredible people.

There still is a lot of living history out there that needs to be tapped and documented.

[Thundering Herd]

My mother's father's was a Air Defense Artillery CPT in the Army during WWII and served in the Pacific Theater. He was wounded by some shrapnel and spent some time in the VA hospital before returning home.

He is still around and this is one of the stories he has told:

He was the passenger in Jeep traveling to another camp during the evening and into the night. They were stopped (for what I don't know) and a Japanese Soldier charged his side of the Jeep. My grandfather pulled out his Service 1911 Colt .45 and shot the Soldier a few feet away from the Jeep. The Japanese Soldier started flopping around like a chicken with it's head cut off. When the guy finally stopped flopping, they found that the bullet had richoched off his helmet and bounced around between the helmet and the guys skull before killing him.

My grandfather got to keep his .45 and I have it now. He gave it to me last year and one of my cousins redid the grips and gave it a good inspection.
http://www.overtorqued.net/gallery/image/930/medium/2_1911.jpg

[SlimeyGoatFuckr]

I'm pretty prud of my Grandpa, he died in 1982 of cancer. I have this original document here fron the Navy:


The Secretary of the Navy, Washington

November 10, 1945

My Dear Mr. Thompson

I have addessed this letter to reach you after the formalities of your seperation from active service are completed. I have done so because, without formality but as clearly as I know how to say it, I want the Navy's pride in you, which it is my priviledge to express, to reach into your civil life and to remain with you always.

You have served in the greatest Navy in the world.

It crushed two enemy fleets at once, receiving their surrenders only four months apart.

It brought our land-based air power within bombing range of the enemy, and set our ground armies on the beachheads of final victory.

It performed the multitude of tasks necessary to support these military actions.

No other Navy at any time has done so much. For your part in these achievements you deserve to be proud as long as you live. The nation which you served at a time of crisis will remember you with gratitude.

The best wishes of the Navy go with you into civilian life. Good Luck!


Sincerly yours
James Forrestal

[Budyzir]

..... My grandfather got to keep his .45 and I have it now. He gave it to me last year and one of my cousins redid the grips and gave it a good inspection.
http://www.overtorqued.net/gallery/image/930/medium/2_1911.jpg

You should feel honored Sir, you hold a piece of history. Treasure it.

[shakespear]

My grandad was on a troop ship in the pacific when the war ended. Never saw combat.

He spent many years in occupied Japan.

BTW: I have a history degree and I have never heard a Historian say anything good about Mr. Burns...

[Three Hole Puncher]

My mother's father's was a Air Defense Artillery CPT in the Army during WWII and served in the Pacific Theater. He was wounded by some shrapnel and spent some time in the VA hospital before returning home.

He is still around and this is one of the stories he has told:

He was the passenger in Jeep traveling to another camp during the evening and into the night. They were stopped (for what I don't know) and a Japanese Soldier charged his side of the Jeep. My grandfather pulled out his Service 1911 Colt .45 and shot the Soldier a few feet away from the Jeep. The Japanese Soldier started flopping around like a chicken with it's head cut off. When the guy finally stopped flopping, they found that the bullet had richoched off his helmet and bounced around between the helmet and the guys skull before killing him.

My grandfather got to keep his .45 and I have it now. He gave it to me last year and one of my cousins redid the grips and gave it a good inspection.
http://www.overtorqued.net/gallery/image/930/medium/2_1911.jpg

Oh... that reminds me. I meant to tell you what happened to the Tommy gun and the pineapple grenade we found in my grandmother's attic.

My brother and I were cleaning out my grandmother's attic after the ol' gal keeled over. I was 16 at the time and my brother was 17... Irish twins you see. So we find the Tommy gun first... packed in a wooden crate with the original wax paper and cosmoline packing. I don't think it had ever been fired. My gramps probably filched it right out of supply and shipped or smuggled it home. There were four(unloaded) magazines stuck in the box too... big long ones, I'm not sure of the capacity.

I was out of my freaking mind... I was like a kid on Christmas. It was like I found King Tut's tomb. My brother was all Nervous Nelly, and he wanted to tell our Dad. Fag... I told him he'd better shut his god damned yap if he knew what was good for 'em. I snuck the box out of my grandma's house and stashed it in the trunk of the car. That fucker was MINE.

About a half hour later my brother finds the grenade in a box and he goes all hysterical and feminine... he goes running downstairs and tells Dad. My Dad flips out, runs up in the attic, and starts interrogating me about what else we had found. My Dad knows I'm a lunatic, and he's really grilling me, but I play all innocent... "Nothing, Dad... I swear!" And then my fucking brother, the Nancy that he is... rats me out.

My Dad threw the grenade into the middle of Lake George (without pulling the pin first... dammit!) and he sold the Tommy gun to some gun nut friend of his for... choke... $200. :mad4:

Fuck... that was over twenty years ago, but I still feel like kicking my brother in the balls. Matter of fact, when I see him at Christmas.. I think I'll do just that... dead in his nuts. No warning... no explanation... just WHAM! Dead in the nuts.

[R.BuddDwyer]

I don't know many of the details of his service, he died in 97 and had Alzheimers for some years before and was a man's man who didn't share his feelings often, but my grandfather was involved in the development and testing of the BIG AAAAA bomb at Los Alamos. One thing he liked to tell of was how once when they were testing, they had everyone observing some miles away and they were to duck into a ditch immediately after the blast with their faces in their arms and their eyes closed. Even while doing all this he said the blast was so bright that it was almost literally like night and day, and that it was like staring into a light bulb. Again, in a ditch with his eyes closed and his face covered with his arms.

Also, there are 2 notable stories involving my father and uncles and the war trinkets my grandfather had brought home.

Sometime in the mid 60s my dad and uncle Ken wanted to play war so they took the Japanese rifle with bayonet and (!!!) bomb casing that my granfather kept in the basement, and put it in a Radio Flyer wagon and dragged it around the lawn making believe they were bombing each other like the dopey kids they were. Mind you this was a rowhome on a busy street in the middle of Mayfair, Northeast Philadelphia. Of course some busy body called the cops who came and proceeded to seize the bomb casing and deactivate the rifle. No ticket or legal issues whatsoever though. Ahhh the 60's.

Sometime in the early 70's my father and uncle Joe were weeding a garden and my father was using the same bayonet from the rifle mentioned above. My uncle had his arm out at a 45ish degree angle with his hand under the soil when my dad haphazardly sliced the ground with the bayonet and nearly cut all 4 main fingers clean off my uncles hand. Luckily enough he got to a hospital intime to save all of them with full use, but he still has gnarly scars.

So because my grandfathers children had to be such stupid asshole kids, we now barely have any grandfather's trinkets. And like an ass my dad left the rifle in the old house after we moved (he bought it from my grandparents sometime in the 80s) and due to its careless use, the bayonet is all rusty. The only remotely nice thing we still have is my grandfather's old Los Alamos trunk which my father of course had to neglect and let silverfish ravage all the old technical papers and manuals inside. Would have been an awesome thing to leaf through.

Ugh.

[Ballbuster1]

My Grandfather didn't serve in WWII. He was in the Merchant Marines
during WWI though. He had tons of great stories about visiting lands
that I'll never visit.

My Uncle was in WWII though. He was shot down near Japan, taken
prisioner and later exectuted by the Japanese govt.
My Grandfather never got over that.

I visited Japan in the early 70's and my Grandfather was not happy
that I went to their country. He held a grudge til the day he died.
Can't say that I blamed him, but I never knew the man and went anyway.

[Thundering Herd]

Matter of fact, when I see him at Christmas.. I think I'll do just that... dead in his nuts. No warning... no explanation... just WHAM! Dead in the nuts.

Kick him in the nuts for me as well.

[oandapartycock]

I'm pretty prud of my Grandpa, he died in 1982 of cancer. I have this original document here fron the Navy:


The Secretary of the Navy, Washington

November 10, 1945

My Dear Mr. Thompson...


I got chills reading that SGF.
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x265/scottcal92555/salute2.gifhttp://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x265/scottcal92555/salute2.gifhttp://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x265/scottcal92555/salute2.gif

Oh... that reminds me. I meant to tell you what happened to the Tommy gun and the pineapple grenade we found in my grandmother's attic...
Matter of fact, when I see him at Christmas.. I think I'll do just that... dead in his nuts. No warning... no explanation... just WHAM! Dead in the nuts.

That sucks. Does your brother enjoy working in the fashion/hair care/interior decorator industry?:action-sm

[Three Hole Puncher]

I got chills reading that SGF.
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x265/scottcal92555/salute2.gifhttp://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x265/scottcal92555/salute2.gifhttp://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x265/scottcal92555/salute2.gif



That sucks. Does your brother enjoy working in the fashion/hair care/interior decorator industry?:action-sm Naaah... he's got some boring-as-fuck paper pusher state job. Fucking state worker drone.

Man... the more I think about this, the crazier it's making me. How much would a mint condition Tommy gun go for these days? Not that I'd sell it.

Just think... I could have an authentic WWII government-issue Thompson M1A1 proudly displayed over the mantle of my fireplace down in my basement bar right now. Fuuuuuuuck! :AR15firin

POW! Right smack dab dead in his balls!

[SlimeyGoatFuckr]

I got chills reading that SGF.
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x265/scottcal92555/salute2.gifhttp://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x265/scottcal92555/salute2.gifhttp://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x265/scottcal92555/salute2.gif





You should do some research on the man who sent my Grandpa that letter, Secretary of the Navy, James Forrestal. He had quite a history behind him.

[Jolie]

So this isnt really related to the war, exactly, but it happened during that time.

My grandma was always extremely beautiful. Guys were constantly trying to date her. So when she was about 18 or 19, she was out somewhere with some friends, and a guy came up to her and said "Excuse me, isnt your name Mary? Well I know you - would you like to go out to dinner and go dancing?" So that night they went out and about half way through the date, he starts laughing and says that he didnt really know her, but he thought she was pretty. So my grandma asks how he knew her name was Mary, and he said, well, 9 times out of 10, the girls name is Mary.

My grandma was livid and left the date.

About a week or so later, another guy approaches her and says "Excuse me is your name Mary?" And my grandma says "well yes, but I dont know how you would know." And he insists that he did know her, that he had gone on a double date with her and one of her friends (he had dated the friend) the year before and he had been to her house and met her mother. So finally my grandma agreed to go on a date with him and three weeks later they were married.

They were married until my grandmother died in 2001.

[oandapartycock]

You should do some research on the man who sent my Grandpa that letter, Secretary of the Navy, James Forrestal. He had quite a history behind him.

Just did (love teh internets and teh Wiki!) and what a guy he was. KGB agents, suspicious Jewish characters, and his predictions of Communism and the Korean War. Then rumors he was involved in the M12 and the Roswell UFO story. Finally ending up in that hospital in Bethesda aaaand...

Someone should make a movie about this guy in the same vein of how DeNiro did "The Good Shepard" and the beginnings of the CIA.

[gleet]

My dad joined the Army on his 18th birthday. Next day, Hitler surrendered. He always claimed responsibility.

I worked with an old guy who drove a team of mules in the Army since he was a country boy. Somewhere in Italy, his mule team balked in a skinny intersection and were holding up the convoy. A jeep drove up and someone screamed, Get those fucking mules out of the way. He yelled over his shoulder that he was working on it, then turned around and looked at General Patton, mad.

[Nortonsmeatytit]

I asked my grandfather about his service during a family reunion we had about 12 years ago during a card game and a couple beers. He never spoke of it and I had never asked him before about it. He informed me that he was one of the first 100 soldiers to enter and liberate the Dachau Concentration Camp in Germany. He mentioned that it was basically total chaos, the prisoners & many enlisted men had just went on revenge attacks or rage attacks against the German SS. Jews were killing them with their bare hands, US Army personell so frustrated w/rage over what they had encountered were just capping officers (Junior Grade, all the high ranking SS Officers had hastily left the day before liberation) in the head with service pistols. He remained in the campe for the day and then they had to continue advancing but stated it was the most horrific thing you could ever imagine.

[shakespear]

I read about that, they gave their pistols to the jews to shoot, but many were too weak to pull the trigger.

[thelord68]

My grandfathers were too old, but one did serve in the national guard during WWII.

I did have an uncle (who past away this year) who lied about his age. Even though he was an educator after the war, he refused to talk about his experience with some very rare exceptions. He ended up in the 1st ID (the Big Red One) and was in a forward anti-tank unit spending most of the time at the front or ahead of it. Just before the war in Europe ended, while still in Germany near the Czechoslovakia border, his unit was attacked. He was the only survivor, though barely. Supposedly dropped a grenade into a tank. Took a lot of surgery and time to put him back together. He got the Bronze Star Medal for his actions.

He always refused to watch any WWII movies - refused to see Saving Private Ryan, etc. Said he didn't have to see a movie about what he experienced. He did what he had to do, things that a person shouldn't have to do, and he had to live with those actions. There was no reason to glorify it or make it something nicer than it was.

At his funeral, many people who had know him for decades were surprised to find out he was a veteran, let alone that he was decorated for his actions in combat. I think they may have been tipped off by the honor guard and the flag on the coffin.

[Hudson]

My Grandfather spoke about a Catholic Concentration Camp where they were all killed and the camp burned...gypsies as well...we all thought it was a rumour....My Old Coach Substantiated it (she was raised in a German Catholic School) my Father brought it up 27 years later...it is his new passion as a historical researcher

[bjf1377]

My grandpa shoved a few cows off of a cliff with some other guys in Hawaii during WWII. Of course that led to a demotion (or whatever they call it in the Army).

[wackbagette]

My Grandfather served in the "forgotten theater"...China/Burma/India. I hope that if Ken Burns spends any time on the Pacific he spends time there. You do not see much information about it.

Anyway, there was a longstanding urban legend that while in India Grandpop hunted and shot a tiger. However, he died in the 80s, before I was brave enough to ask him about it as it was apparently a touchy subject.

He didn't talk much about the war but one thing was clear. We NEVER, EVER admitted to owning anything made in Japan. When my parents traded in their Ford Granada for a Chevy Spectrum, Grandpop was livid because it wasn't 100% American made. Took months to calm him down about it.

He hated the Japanese as much as he hated unions and liberals. And that was saying something.

Our next door neighbor was a POW during WWII and was on the Bataan Death March. He had many scars on his arms and his face had a very bad scar. We were NEVER to ask him about it.

I wish we had more opportunity to share these stories and experience them through their eyes. War as it's shared these days is way too sanitary...even through the supposed "reality" lenses of cable news. We never see it for what it really is and have no appreciation for the sacrifices of our soldiers and what war truly costs. To learn about war through the eyes of our soldiers is to greater appreciate our current war's victories and to be more resolved to triumph over setbacks.

[NoSurviivors]

My Mother was born in Guam during WW2 to my slut grandmother and a Navy guy. Turns out that he wasn't even the father. She was in foster homes finally ending up with whom I still consider my 'family' per se. (We still keep in touch with some blood relatives) Mom's foster Dad was Army.. amphibious I think. So many years since I've heard his stories. he passed away last year.

My Grandfather (dad's side)didn't serve if I remember correctly. My dad was navy in the Med & local mine sweeping. Machinists mate.

I can't serve.

[GoldenOne]

My Pop Pop was on a battleship that departed from Pearl Harbor just over 20 hours prior to its bombing, from there he was stationed in the Pacific. He never really told me too many stories, but he took me to Fleet Week a few times where we would tour a battleship, he would meet up with all his brothers in arms, and they would all be very cool with my brother and I, and the stories they would regale us with would make you think they were on a luxury cruise rather than in battle. Eventually a time would arrive in the evening where it was time for the kids to go home and they would go behind locked doors with presumably a large amount of liquor and their real memories. My Grandma used to call it his "Gettin Healthy" night. YEars later my Dad told me that they would do that because to this day they didn't want to subject their wives and families to what they really saw and did over there, but they needed one night a year to let it all out.

RIP Pop Pop, you will always be my hero.

[hudsonharden]

Both my grandfather's served their countries during WWII though neither of them saw any action. My dad's dad trained fighter pilots in Omaha, NE while my grandmother stayed home and ran the farm by herself. My mom's dad lied about his age to join The Marines at 17 and was stationed in the South Pacific for a few weeks until the war ended. My Uncle Paul served in Her Majasty's Royal Air Force in the early 1960's defending Britain against the commies. Another Uncle did one tour in Vietnam and was in My Lai. He has never spoken about it.

[Hey_Asshole]

I have asked my grandfather several times to tell me about the war. He never wanted to talk about it. He would just show me his metals a couple pictures, but that was it.

Can't say I blame him.

[FAZ8218]

My maternal grandfather passed away in 1996, I was only about 13 at the time. Luckily my grandmother shared some stories with me, it would have been great to get some details from him and his brothers, but I was too young when they all passed. My grandfather fought for Mussolini in WWII, he was a foot soldier first in Greece and then was dispatched to Russia to aid the Germans. He was sent home after getting frostbite on both his feet. His brother was taken prisoner by the British and was held for 7 months. I have photo copies of my grandfather's discharge papers that my grandmother gave me on my trip to Italy back in 2005.

Both sets of my grandparents have told me stories of southern Italy during the war. My grandmother tells me they would walk to neighboring towns for food and to trade things off, at times they would have to jump into trenches dug into the side of the road to take shelter from planes flying over head (even if they weren't bombing, they just didn't know better). One thing I was always intrigued about was when the men returned home from the war. My grandmother said that they just literally showed up one day walking down the road, and the whole town ran out cheering and the women would get all emotional.

Not much compared to some of your stories, but something I always found cool.

[Hudson]

I have asked my grandfather several times to tell me about the war. He never wanted to talk about it. He would just show me his metals a couple pictures, but that was it.

Can't say I blame him.
Most vets don't.. Is this good? http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/47/Armydistinguishedservicecrossmedal.jpg/165px-Armydistinguishedservicecrossmedal.jpg my dad has one in the attic.

[THE FEZ MAN]

i have been told plenty of war story's, for some reason i have the ability to get these guys open up to me, my grand father (on my mom's side) served in the army seeing action in Italy (anzio) and was wounded, after the liberation of Italy he served as part of the occupation force, so he had plenty of crazy story's to tell, he also had quite the opinion about bushes war.... and till the day he died he refused to eat anything that was remotely Italian, my fathers' father was a machinist at a munitions plant during the war and too old to serve for the most part, he died in 1970, my grand mothers live in was a naval aviator in the pacific, he didnt start talking about the war till he quit drinking, but i never got a lot out of him, he died shortly after he quit drinking. my father was in viet nam, he wasnt a combat vet but did see some limited action, mostly the occasional pot shot at his truck and a couple shelling incidents at his base, my neighbor growing up was a CB during viet nam, he had a necklace of teeth, currently one of my close friends is a combat vet from Iraq I, he was one of the first bradleys over the border into iraq.

when i look at these men, knowing what i know, about the things that they have done, the one thing that i hope i never know, is the darkness and pain, i have seen in there eyes

[pinheadrbc]

my PAternal grampa was in the Navy in the Pacific. His platoon was kamikazie bombed, and he was badly burned on his legs. He lived the rest of his life hairy as hell everywhere on his body but his legs, which were bare b/c the skin was all grafts.

my MAternal grampa banged chicks in Hawaii, where he was the manager of the Officer's Club.

[Juanfartez]

One grandfather just supplied the army with food. And my other one I never met was on the Admiral's flag ship when the Japs surrendered. I've got a cool Jap hand grenade that he brought back. Now my mom's uncles where the ones with the stories. Larry was in pearl harbor, and hid in some bushes with a anti air gun with no ammo for the whole battle. He was also in the battle of midway and watched his brother's ship get blown in half and the bow take over an hour to sink. He help pull in men out of the water and rescued his brother unharmed.

[Hudson]

This sounds odd...I have a Carved WWII Soldier in dress done by my Grandpa out of a stick about the width of a Silver Dollar...never really thought about it, one of the things sitting on a shelf....I seem to recall he carved it in a foxhole as the story goes.

[oandapartycock]

My Grandfather served in the "forgotten theater"...China/Burma/India. I hope that if Ken Burns spends any time on the Pacific he spends time there. You do not see much information about it.

I recently saw the Hitler Channel's documentary on "Wake Island" and was really moved. I never even had heard of it, although I'm sort of a fan of the era. ;)

In it they talk about one of the guys escaping a Japanese Work Camp in northern China who gets help from the Chinese resistance to make it back to a U.S. base in China. Made me remember that's why we started getting involved in the Pacific Theater pre-Pearl Harbor.

Our next door neighbor was a POW during WWII and was on the Bataan Death March. He had many scars on his arms and his face had a very bad scar. We were NEVER to ask him about it.

I wonder if he knew my Grandma's brother.

[sniper]

Something Burns said today really hit home first hand with me, that veterans will open up to strangers. My wife's grandfather was a WWII vet. He never talked about it until he was in hospice care, one of the few things he brought to the hospice place was the picture of the battleship he was on below. I can only guess he knew his time was up and wanted to finally let it out. I had met him a few times prior I'm torn as to whether I was still a stranger enough to him that he just started talking about it to me, or that he deemed me worthy enough to know the family history, shit it could've been because he wanted to show I'd never be the "Man's man" that he was when it came to my wife, I'm young but through his stories i already know he's right.
I was staring at the pic on the wall of his room and he just decided to start talking about it. I was mesmerized. My father in law is a Vietnam vet, he was a bomber tail gunner and pilot in the air force and he still refuses to talk about his experiences. Forgive any misplaced punctuations in the rest of this, I pulled it from an old blog database from '04

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/Uss_south_dakota_bb.jpg/300px-Uss_south_dakota_bb.jpg
He was a decorated WWII veteran and served with the Navy on a battleship in which early on, because of the fact the ship was of a new class of battleships bearing up-to-date armament and possessing extensive firepower, it was only known as Battleship X. The identity of this valiant ship, the USS South Dakota (BB-57), was finally released October 2, 1943. She was Admiral Halsey's Flagship, Queen of the Fleet.

The USS South Dakota was heavily involved in "The Marianas Turkey Shoot", so named because the Japanese lost over 300 aircraft. She was also in active combat off the Gilbert, Marshall, and Caroline Islands, participated fearlessly in the Santa Cruz Battle, supported amphibious landings in the assault on Iwo Jima, and participated in the shelling of Honshu, Japan, the first gunfire attack on the Japanese home islands by heavy warships. She sustained carriers in strikes against the Tokyo area, and was on hand for the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay, August 16, 1945.

He told me about this battle, shooting down 10 Japanese planes per minute. He also told me a story about how the ship was so secretive, at one point they didn't allow communications from it, and the families back home thought it was lost at sea, and that the crew was KIA. His wife threw out all of his clothes. When he returned he had nothing to wear but his Navy uniform.

He also told me about the battle of Guadalcanal, and that he had to replace a gunner that was wounded in a deck artillery explosion. He paused after that, and shook his head, which I can only imagine that he was picturing the soldier he replaced, gave me quite a chill.
He told me how he was thrown from his bunk when another ship had hit the South Dakota after another battle. Edit: That would be the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, I found a pic.

http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/ships/battleships/sdakota/sdak-1942.jpg


I'd love to see a documentary on this ship alone, it was him alone that started my interest in WWII. I rifled through the national archives for 2 hours after he died, and to this day is the most interesting man I ever met. Guy smoked non-filtered Lucky Strikes until the day he died. He was 80.

[The Stormrider]

...gurggle...gurggle blurp. whenanayaaaa-urp

And then we unplugged him.

[NOON TO 12]

This story was told to me by an older gentleman who served in WWII. Not my grandfather, he died when I was four. Just an old fart who likes to talk when we golf.

He was in the Airborne during the war. He would have to fly gliders low over enemy territory. Gliders made out of wood and canvas. All the armor these things had was a couple pieces of metel under the seats of the pilots, you know, for safety. He also had to parachute into hot areas and such. One day him and his squad jumped out over some farm land in France. Him and two other guys got blown off course and landed in an old field that was overgrown with tall weeds. One of the men broke his leg when he landed. As my friend Bill attented to the hurt fellow the three of them started to take fire from a two story farm house about 120 yards across the field. The third guy who was not hurt took the metal from the injured man's flack jacket and from Bill's. He stuffed them into his jacket, picked up his rifle and took off across the field. He got a third of the way there when Bill said he heard a pop and saw the guy get hit hard and put to the ground. A second later hit jumped up and took back across the field. Bam, another shot dropped him again. Up he came again and took on across the field. He finally made it to the house and Bill hears all this gunfire and shouting. Finally the guy emerges from the house with three Germans at the end of his rifle. This crazy fool got two of them in the house and the other three finally surrendered to save themselves.

[CougarHunter]

One of my grandfathers was an engineer and spent WWII in the North American Aviation plant in Kansas City inspecting B-25 Mitchell bombers. I have his pins earned from his service there. He did this as a single father of my two uncles because his first wife died about a week before Pearl Harbor. I wish I could have asked him more about it but he really didn't talk about that time of his life because of the wife thing.

http://www.geocities.com/cbross203/781px-B25-mitchell-assembly.jpg

My other grandfather was in the Navy. He told me he was a cook and made shit on a shingle every day. That's all he told me. He neglected to mention that he was on the USS Yorktown (CV-5) and his carrier was sunk at the battle of Midway. I found out about it this year, 6 years after he died.

http://www.geocities.com/cbross203/g17061.jpg

[MACHINE1376]

my grandfather was a glider pilot, talk about your balloon knot getting even tighter. Those guys were just sitting ducks.

[bigdawgee]

My Grandfather (on my Dad's side) served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater on the USS Teton, AGC 14 an Amphibious Force Command Ship. The USS Teton served as the Flagship of Rear Admiral John L. Hall during the assault and occupation of Okinawa, April 1st to June 11th 1945, were my Grandfather piloted a Landing Craft (LCVP) also known as a Higgins boat. After Japan's surrender, the USS Teton arrived in Tokyo Bay on August 29th, 1945 where it served as the communications ship for the Supreme Allied Commander, General Douglas MacArthur.

Here is a letter from my Grandfather to his brother in law. It was written and sent from Tokyo Bay September 2nd, 1945.


Tokyo Bay, Sept 2, 1945

F.X. Schuenemann F.1/C
USS Teton AGC 14
"L" Div. % Fleet PO
San Francisco, Calif

Dear Bo,

Received your letter from August 6, today it was the first mail call in some time. I did alright, ten letters in all. A mail call can sure make a fella feel swell. Well, you got your wish. You ended your letter saying that the war would be over. It was a very happy day in Tokyo for the Allies. I had the pleasure of running some of the big boys out to where it was signed, in my boat. I also had the pleasure of being within five feet of the meeting of Admiral Nimitz & General MacArthur for the first time on Japan soil. Not bad huh Bo? I hope you won't haft to come out now Bo, but I guess no such luck. How many points have you Bo? I have about forty with this new system. What is the number of your ship, just in case? You were asking about my brothers. Well I met Paul in Okinawa, Buddy in Luzon and I just missed Jack in Subic Bay, by a short time. I have been very lucky. Jack is on his way home. Paul & Bud couldn't be in better shape, same goes for me. (165lbs soaking wet) Yes, I know our families are in good hands. I think everything turned out for the best. I sure am on pins & needles to get home. Boy I am home sick. I took it like a man until the war was over, but now all that I think about is Julia & the children. You can't blame a guy when he has something grand to come home to like I have. What do you say Bo? I am glad to hear that you had the pleasure of getting Johnny's first haircut. I'll bet it was a pleasure. That was the first of I've heard of Richie Robinson being killed. I sure was sorry to hear about it. Yes, I remember very well about some of our elbow get togethers, and I am looking forward to a lot more in the near future. I am glad to hear that Mary & Bernie are in the best of health, same for Julia, Bernadine & Johnny. Boy, it sure is going to be a happy day when I see them all again. Yes I changed my rate to fireman. I was to up this month for third class, but the rates are frozen now. That is the way things go. I have learned a lot about diesel engines, you know, in landing craft. I like the work much better. That was the reason for the change. You sure hit the nail on the head when you said the west coast isn't as good as the east coast. I think the west coast stinks myself. I sure like to get a letter from you, Bo. It sorta brings back old times. Boy, we sure will celebrate when we met. I hope it is back in the states. I am tired of looking at these yellow skin ______. Well pal, take good care of yourself, and I will do the same. I just finished answering a letter from Mary. She has been a swell pen pal. I guess that’s the news for now. Drop me a line from time to time, and I will do the same.

Take it easy Bo, and best of luck.
I remain your old pal,
Frank
F.X. Schuenemann
"L" Div.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d19/bigdawgee/e.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d19/bigdawgee/s.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d19/bigdawgee/1.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d19/bigdawgee/2.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d19/bigdawgee/3.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d19/bigdawgee/4.jpg

[sniper]

My Grandfather (on my Dad's side) served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater on the USS Teton, AGC 14 an Amphibious Force Command Ship. The USS Teton served as the Flagship of Rear Admiral John L. Hall during the assault and occupation of Okinawa, April 1st to June 11th 1945, were my Grandfather piloted a Landing Craft (LCVP) also known as a Higgins boat. After Japan's surrender, the USS Teton arrived in Tokyo Bay on August 29th, 1945 where it served as the communications ship for the Supreme Allied Commander, General Douglas MacArthur.

Here is a letter from my Grandfather to his brother in law. It was written and sent from Tokyo Bay September 2nd, 1945.



That's cool as hell.

[blee]

My grandfather was in the big red 1 during world war 2. He wrote a book and gave a copy to each of his children. I am currently waiting for my dad to finish reading it so I can get it and make a copy.

[FWP]

My grandfather escaped from Poland before being captured, fled to England, joined the RAF as a mechanic, was later captured and escaped 4 times, twice by the Russians and twice by the Germans. HE has some stories... actually my mom sat with him and got him on video, hours of great stuff there. She also interviewed her mother (my nana) who lived in England during the war when she met my papa. She was in London during the V2 rocket bombing raids, she lost a lot of friends during that and the war. They came to the US in '50, worked for a rich family outside of Philly for a while before papa got a job at the Ford plant in Buffalo, they still live in Hamburg, about 10 miles south of the city.

[Hey_Asshole]

Lovin this thread! Please keep the stories coming. I'm gonna have to grill my grandfather again!

[umo]

My grandpappy was a fucking coward. In WW2 he ran so far away from the front lines he bumped into a 5 Star General.

The angry General shouted, "Gottdammit soldier. Why are you running?"

Grandpappy answered, "Sir, I am running because I cannot fly."

[Deadbent]

gramps #1,
many, many stories. most elusively spoken about is
omaha beach. D-Day. wwII. He's made mention of awards he didn't want that he's since buried on the beach over there.
Mentioned how the sand felt to step through and how "it was raining sand and smoke and bodies, from the ground up to the sky.... and the bombs were thunder."
It's really real to hear an 85 year old man say this stuff.



gramps #2, Korean War.
Gramps on my Dads side never spoke much about it.
Turns out after his death in 99, we hunted down an article in Life Magazine (circa 1954?) that made mention of him.
In the article, and subsequent record searchings, he was one of 4 men left in his platoon, was basically laid siege to, killed --a lot-- of chinese soldiers, and received the silver star.
He was a fucking hero, and kept it to himself all those years.
His family never knew, children never knew, etc.
Men aren't tough anymore like that.

[Slasher2k]

My Granfather served with the Luftwaffe in WWII, he shot down american planes than when they lost he switched sides haaha and came to this country and got a job during the 60s flying Boeing 707's and basking under teh Florida sun sipping Pina Coladas.

[weeniewawa]

my great grand dad on my moms side was in the Spanish American war and was one of the last 6 or 7 surviving soldiers when he died in the early 80's. I only met him once when I was very young and he was senile.