When my dad was 20

He rode navy supply ships in the South Pacific. He went be bed during those years in darkness, praying I'm sure that the Japanese wouldnt find them that night and woke up every morning wondering if that day would be his last. Here's to all the vets who served and those who made the ultimate sacrifice, thank you. Your sacrifice, valor, and service will always be remembered and honored.

My father was the youngest of 5. When he was 19 he joined the Navy, right after Pearl Harbor. He was on a destroyer in the South Pacific also. I never really heard him talk about the war. Apparently, many servicemen and women did not either. While he was overseas, at separate times, his mother, father and sister all died. In those days, you didn't hop on a plane and come home; he didn't. He never talked about that either. I'm sure at 19 he saw horrific things.

Thanks dad for your sacrifice.

Love

Tom

My Dad landed at Normandy, and he was over there fighting Hitler's tyranny when his Dad passed away here in the States. You're right, nobody hopped on a plane to come home for a funeral; this was just one more of the heartaches of war.


That was a great generation, but this is also a great generation, our young service members are still giving their lives to combat tyranny in the world.

Thanks to all our veterans...

walrus

dreadnut said:

That was a great generation, but this is also a great generation, our young service members are still giving their lives to combat tyranny in the world.

Click to expand...

Well said, dreadnut!! This is our day we set aside to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice. But every day we live in this great country, we should remember it didn't come easily or without great loss of life. To all our fallen war heroes!!

My Dad passed last Monday. He enlisted int he Army Air Corps while still in high school, but they wouldn't take him until he graduated. Luckily, he washed out of flight school in Florida, crashing a BT-13 on a solo, even though the official report (from 1942) says it wasn't his fault. Good for me, eh? He did serve with the 8th Air Force in England, in airfield operations in Metfield and North Pickenham...told us about the ammo dump explosions and being strafed by JU-88's...and even when at movies in London haveing to go into the basement to take cover...

No "war-hero," but clearly anyone who went overseas was at severe risk...I even just found out he got a "Dear John" letter while there (WTF! :numbness...really good for me LOL...

He was 94, not many WWII vets left, worked with a bunch in the fire dept and then the Korean War vets...from my take, the entire Korean War was like the Battle-of-the-Buldge in Europe...politics aside, we owe a lot to these guys who did what they were asked to do.

So sorry for your loss, Bill.

Sorry to hear Bill. He sounds, like his son, to be a stand up guy.

Sorry to hear about your father, Bill. Sounds like he had an interesting life, though. 94 is a good number of years!!

Sorry about your Dad's passing, Bill. Your Dad didn't wash out, my Dad washed out!

He volunteered in WWII and was in the Army for a whole week, until they figured out he was asthmatic!

Condolences about your Dad Bill.

My Dad served in the submarines on the USS Sea Poacher. They sent him to electronics school and he was the radio technician on the sub. They cruised around near the Sea of Japan and sunk some stuff. He was a Chemist by profession, but always played with electronics as a hobby. It is claimed he invented the "Christmas Tree" starting system for drag racing in the 60's. He also built a couple of amps for me! It's been 21 years but I still miss him every day.

My Dad has been gone for 39 years now, he was only 56 when he died, way too young.

My father served in WWII and Korea. Today, May 30, I believe is the anniversary of the original, pre-federal Monday Holiday Act Decoration Day. My grandparents always called it that and it was a family gathering day with a big feed after we visited the cemetaries and decorated the graves.

Sorry to hear about your Dad.

I lost my Dad about a year and a half ago. He was a 30-year Navy guy, and he loved every minute of it. Started on Destroyers during the Korean war and continued through Vietnam. He served on the USS Cassin Young, which is on display in Boston Harbor next to the USS Constitution. He even shows up in the official video that you can find in the shop at the pier.

Thanks for your kind thoughts guys, very appreciated.

But lets not loose the focus on all the Vets to be remembered.

Damn, they were taking down all the flags at the cemetery today already!