Honor Family Military History

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Knifemaker
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Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Well today is the day to do this. I know you all have posts to stick in here. Family you are proud of. I'd like to hear their story.

My grandfather, Woody Meek, is one of 7 boys and 2 girls. When Pearl Harbor was bombed 5 of the boys signed up immediately. My grandfather was second youngest and he and his younger brother had to wait. He eventually got in and was headed towards Japan with the cavalry when the bombs dropped. Lucky him. He was under McArthur occupying Japan.

Two years ago I sat down with his oldest brother Ray Meek. He told me he fought under Patton and "the brit". His words. He was a chemical mortar specialist lobbing mustard gas at the Germans and Italians in North Africa, Siscily, and Italy proper. ("I killed untold numbers of the enemy, and I'm glad I don't know the total," he told me) He stormed five beaches, two in siscily supporting Darcy's Rangers, and three in Italy. Finally in Anzio he was hit by a mortar in the back. He told me that in that last battle he had just jumped into the water and swam maybe 15 yards when a blast knocked him under. When he came up the landing craft was gone. He was one of the first guys off of the craft. The rest died that day. Unfortunately for Ray a few hours later he was injured. He returned to his unit and did support duties for the remainder of the war. He died ~6 months after we had this conversation, a hero and a master woodworker the likes of which I may never see again. The other brothers fought in the Pacific and their story is unclear to me. Murray Meek received a battlefield promotion to Lieutenant and had the highest rank at the end of the war. When I knew him he was old and bent and a hypochondriak (sp). I am very proud of them all. Some call them the greatest generation.

During the Civil War my family fought for the South. I''m proud of their courage, but not their cause. Many southerners disagree with me here, but I am an American. Can you imagine the outcome of the world wars if America had been divided? Not everyone feels like America made the difference, but I do. My boss thinks that China weakened the Japaneese and Russia weakened the Germans and America just cleaned up the stragglers. My blood boils when he says this, and I've told him to watch his step (He said my grandfather and his brothers weren't heros once!). I have to try to understand his point of view (because he pays me), he is Chinese and proud of his family's service and suffering.

The earliest hint of my family's service was the war of 1812. As stated in the pirate name thread I am related, distantly, to Jean Lafite who saved New Orleans from the King! We get a check for a penny each year to proove it.

These are the things our veterans do and today they should be respected. I won't forget their sacrifice as I raise my family in peace and Liberty!

Andy
 
My Dad served with the 8th Army in Germany from 58-62, I think.

He volunteered, and got his draft notice while in basic! At least he got to choose his field.

he went into radio direction finding. He helped catch a spy in germany once. His radio atenna was facing east west instead of north south, or something like that. My Dad also helped with Special Forces, by serveing as a commo relay. he almost got caught behind the Czech border once. They also ,during bad weather, sent fake homing beacon signals up to confuse the Czech or E German pilots coming in to land. They got one to land on the wrong side once!

My father in law was drated in '44, and made it to France right after the bulge. He ended up as an AD in a M48, operating the 30 cal machine gun. He wouldn't talk about any action he saw. he stayed on in occupation duties for a while too. He would talk about giving the German kids candy and stuff like that.

As for me, I kept watch at the foot of Cheyenne mountain during the end of the cold war, as part of the 4th ID. Just a regular ground pounder.I eventually ended up in the 177th FIG near Atlantic city during the first gulf war, as a vulcan gun mechanic(F16). We were air defense for part of the eastern seaboard, so very few of our unit were sent over. Mostly firefighters, and a chaplain.

Now, I am just part of the unorganized Militia. ( In my case, disorganized?)

Tom


ps. if I had a choice, I would have fought for the South, or tried to leave the area and just live a quiet and peaceable life. Not always possible to do so with honor, but that is my ambition. :)

Alternative history? Who knows what would have happened? Maybe no world wars at all... How could you know? As Stonewall would have said, "Duty is ours, events are the Lord's" or something to that effect. :confused:
 
I am sorry to say that I forgot two family members. My great grandaddy Daniels fought in WWI. In the trenches. Really ashamed I forgot that, but thats all I know about it.

And, my wife reminded me, her dad was in Viet Nam as a firefighter in the Air Force. During an attack one night he waked the bunkhouse, got everyone out, and also the firetruck before the firehouse was mortared! Bronz star. Mostly though he likes to tell funny stories about the guys and their girlfriends there.

Andy
 
My dad enlisted in '43 at the age of 17 and spent some time in the Pacific on an escort carrier.
Both grandfathers served in the army for a short time in WW1 but saw no action. My granddad Ferguson always told me when Kaiser Bill heard he was coming, he gave up.

My great-great(?) grandfather Charles Avery Reeder won the Medal of Honor in the Civil War. He was a private in the 12th WV volunteers. They had maneuvered a light artillery piece into an open spot in front of Battery Gregg near Petersburg Va and managed to blow an opeing in the fortifications under heavy fire. He charged through the opening and amidst hand to hand fighting, managed to capture the Confederate flag.

Steve
 
Wow Steve, what a story. Can you imagine the peril he threw himself into. That is what amazes me about Ray's story. He said when they boarded the first landing craft everyone vomitted. The fifth time only a couple of replacements got sick. He said they were behind him, so they didn't make it. Our country is full of these stories. Remember the Alamo. Can you imagine todays congressmen (ie Davey Crockett) marching off to volunteer? What a joke.

Andy
 
Both my grandfathers served in the Navy. One was drafted in 1945 with one month left before he graduated college and was sent to the pacific on a seaplane tender. He was supposed to be in the invasion of Japan, but the bombs changed that. My other grandfather was also drafted at the tail end of the war, and was eventually put into the USNR. Ive got his 'ruptured duck' badge they gave out to the reserve guys. When Korea rolled around, the Navy wanted him back as an NCO, but he told them he wouldnt come back without a comission, and voila, he was an ensign. My great grandfather was an ambulance driver in WWI, and I have a picture of his class of med personell that graduated from Emory before being sent 'over there'. I also have an uncle who fought for the south during the Civil War, and was so dedicated that he died of pneumonia on guard duty. I dunno if the saber we've got is his or not.

On a side note, I would like to dedicate this photo album to all that have served, living or dead, both in this forum and not. Thank you very much.

http://git.facebook.com/album.php?aid=173808&l=3672f
 
aproy;
Wonderful to hear about your family history.
How proud you must be. My family doesn't keep track of service- they are 'intellectuals' and tell themselves it is all best forgotten. Dad was in WWll on a sub, and the munks fought in the Civil War for the North.

I think you are being harsh about the South; one cannot solely look at historical events from the perspective of present day values. That is probably more 'unfair' than fighting for the South was then. Most folks fought because their neighbors fought, because the "North" was telling them what they could do on their own land. The vast majority of them did not own slaves. The Civil War was a landmark States Rights issue. In many ways, we all lost. But, wrap all the fine human rights issues you want around a core of corruption- slavery- and you'll have a losing issue every time. As well it should.

This forum has taught me much about service. There are many things in this world not understood by my atheist 'high brow' liberal background.


munk
 
a good family you come from. the strength of america is in who we were. i hope the future is allowed to remember.

as for me,what a mixed bag we are, part of my family were fighting for the south in the civil war, they were blackfoot indians & fightin' with their neighbors to save their farms from the yankee factory owners who were destroying their economy, we were much too poor to worry about slaves, the nawth was the one that made that an issue much later on. the other part of the fambly was in germany at the time, but fought for the US in ww1 & 2 after movein' on to the usa, because that's what good citizens did back then. also had relatives in the kaiser's imperial guard, my dad was in the navy in ww2, at pearl harbour. some of mom's relatives in the waffen ss, mom spent the war making norden bombsites, some of which probably went on in b17's to zap my granduncle in hamburg who was lost in the allied bombing, she retired from grumman a number of years back, but any of y'all who flew in a grumman made up till the 90's probably depended on her wiring skills. family missed korea, but we got to serve again in the vietnam era. i did 5 years active duty then, two years of which on sea duty, and 7 years active reserve after. i at least got to travel by boat, much cleaner than bein' a foot slogger. bein' an ossifer meant i had to pay for all my food & clothes tho.

anyway, here's to old friends, relatives and old comrades, many of which have given of themselves and of their blood to let us sit here today. i'll hoist one for them & the rest tonite.

LCDR W. P. Kroncke
USCGR(i) and proud to have served with a great bunch of citizens.
 
Here here Kronckew!!! Heres to the sacrifices that got us here!

Munk, living in the south and coming from purely southern roots you get surrounded and enveloped in the south will rise again attitude. Some people down here (i'm talkin about my family) still hate Lincoln. Recently Georgia has had a stiff fight over the Confederate Battle Emblem. Some people down here liken it to the swastica and others are filled with patriotic ferver over it. My family has humble roots. Dirt farmers. They marched north for exactly the reasons you said. Fought at Gettysburg. I'm proud of their service, but regret the states trying to seceed from the union. I see your point, but I'm sure proud my relatives fought under the American Flag during WWI and II.

Andy
 
Yeah Andy, I can imagine that. John Prine has a great song about his Grandfather, "who voted for Eisenhower, 'Cause Lincoln won the war."


And Kronckew, a Commander! I'm surrounded by service and histories of service. Way to go.



munk
 
Kind of fitting, we buried my dad yesterday on Veterans Day. We didn’t know until we showed up, but the Marines where there to do the honors, very touching and we were glad they did. He served in WW II and occupation in China until 1946, his father was in WW I, neither would talk much about their experience. My other grandfather was rejected for service several times, missing some fingers I’d like to think he did his part as a machinist and heat treater instead of behind a rifle. My best friend has almost completed his 20 in the army and spent some time in a number of interesting places and some stories from Afghanistan and Iraq.

Todd
 
I'm sorry for your loss, Nabok. It is fitting and gracious of you now to post this here. Thank you, and thanks to your Father for his help.




munk
 
My father, who joined the Army Air Corps, and served in the Berlin Airlift, retired from the Air Force. My eldest brother, my kid brother, and my baby brother, all retired Air Force. I was the holdout, the last to retire, the oddball, the guy that wanted to play the ground pounding nuclear cruise missle (GLCM) and close air support side and go tactical, the one that was always up for one more round. For all the things the men in my family have seen and done, my hero is my mother. Urgent Fury, Just Cause, Desert Shield/Storm, Restore Hope, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, just names some will remember and some will forget. For my mom they were ceaseless anguish and worry that she stoicly endured with never a complaint. She told us boys she loved us, she was proud of us, to do our best and come home safe if we could. Thanks mom, I love you.

Sarge
 
Nabok,
Prayers and good thoughts for you and your family on your father's passing.


Sarge,
You honor your mother well.

To all the Moms, military or not, who raised us right (or the best they could), we love you.

Steve
 
I know what you mean Sarge. My grandads sisters were easier to get to talk about WWII. They, two of them, my great grandmother, and their youngest boy John, stayed home and tended the farm. Believe me when I say that during peace it took the whole lot of boys and my great grandfather to run that farm. (My great grandfather volunteered as a painter and helped rebuild pearl harbor. He was too old to enlist. Funny thing, my wifes great grandfather did the same thing.) The girls had hard lean times. The women, even the ones not in the path of the battle, suffer greatly during conflict. Thanks for mentioning it.

Andy
 
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