Reflections for Dec. 7th

S

skydog

Joined
Nov 1, 2005
Messages
86
There are a couple of days every year that I sit back a second and think. Today is one, June 6 is another. I think about all the guys not much older than myself that never came back home, and pray that they will never be forgotten. Its something that I think most of my generation doesnt comprehend, but its been driven home to me several times how much their sacrifices are worth. I volunteer at the Lone Star Flight Museum in Galveston, Tx, and keeping their planes flying is an experience that I cant really describe. This summer, I went on an airshow trip with the museum's B-17 'Thunderbird', and some of the veterans that stopped by really made the trip.

You really can tell who flew on these planes, even from a distance. There will be an elderly man watching the plane from a distance, just watching. Then he'll start to wander over, and when he gets close enough, there's an unmistakeable look in his eye. One man in particular I remember was too old to climb into the back of the plane, so he just looked. Suddenly it was 1943 again for that man. When he came back to the present, he said to his son, 'we can go now', then he thanked us with a tear in his eye and left.

When I first started volunteering, it was mostly because these were the planes I had made models of since I was 6. But what keeps me coming back, what keeps me stopping on days like today, is the people. The people that need to be remembered and the people we need to thank for their sacrifices are whats important on days like today. To all that have served and will serve, thank you.
 
Great post Skydog, thank you. and I couldn't agree more--they do need to be honored and remembered.
 
Nice post. I've got a book about 'that generation' around here somewhere's I've forgotten to read...but I haven't forgotten the men. Dad was on a sub at the close of the War.




munk
 
Amen.

My grandfather and his brothers fought on both fronts. 3 vs the japanese, and 2 vs the germans. They stormed beaches 11 beaches between them. I cannot imagine their bravery and gallantry. My uncle Ray stormed 2 in Siscily and three in Italy. He died last year. Thank you for posting this.
 
Thank you.

There are brave men in each generation, but I wonder if America will ever see another generation as united in defense of the US as the WWII generation was.

John, back to my US Mil History notes!
 
Maybe not....until a city falls...then we'll come back together, if it's not too late by then.



munk
 
Thank you. And to all of you who have served and will, you have my deepest gratitude.

Chris
 
A city did fall, many cities a whole gulf coast. in fact.
The Army Corps of Engineers compared it to a small thermo nuclear event.
Nothing as changed since last summer.
The DHS is as ineffectual as ever.
Stock up on ammo. You are on tour own.
The DoD plan is the same; get their assets out of Dodge.
With that kind of warning from NOOA it would be stupid to stick around.
Business that can are making the same plans.
It is pretty hard to move a shipyard.


munk said:
Maybe not....until a city falls...then we'll come back together, if it's not too late by then.



munk
Click to expand...
 
My employer has a senior's day on the first Wednesday of the month. I believe this is the first time it's fallen on Pearl Harbor Day. Today I saw a gentleman walking through my store. I've seen him before tall, thin, black. Generally a smiler, but serious today. I don't think I've ever said more than hi or asking him if I could help him find something. I'd guess his age at mid seventies.

Today he was wearing Army Greens.

I didn't know the patches or the ribbons, but the Silver Oak Leaves made him a Lt Colonel. His uniform appeared much lighter in color than those on the www.army.mil webpages explaining them does.

I know what a Combat Infantryman's badge looks like. When I got closer to him, I noticed his had two stars at the top. I didn't know what that meant.

On his right shoulder was a badge that I thought was the 101st airborne. I was wrong, according to the Army webpage it is the 82nd.

I don't recall the exact number of marks near his cuff, I seem to recall 5 on the right arm, don't think I got to see his left.

As I walked up to him today there was a catch in my throat, I couldn't get out more than "Good Morning Sir", my boss came by and asked what was wrong, I managed to choke it out, she went and spoke to him. 77 years old, that would mean he was born in 1928. Probably not old enough to have seen WWII. Might have seen Korea. Likely to have seen Vietnam, in fact likely to have seen it more than once.

I'm getting sick again. It meant a lot to me.

Thank you all.
 
We don't need to hear how disgusting the government can act; we know that.

We do need to hear how wonderful our sons and daughters are in protecting freedom. Thank you, 45/70


munk
 
My dad was stationed at Pearl Harbor. Said he saw a lot of action. Now, this was during the Korean war, so...
 
My grandfather is in his mid-70's and he served in WWII. Naval hospital near the end of the war.

My other, late grandfather was a little older and lied about his age to enlist at age 16. He fought in the navy aboard a number of ships in several campaigns. On shore someplace in Europe (maybe sicily), he and his best friend were walking down the street, when they attacked by an armed civilian insurgent. His friend was shot and killed. My grandfather fired back and killed the attacker. All at my age or younger.

Then, when he was in the Pacific, his ship was blown in half by a japanese torpedo. He was on the half that stayed afloat long enough to be rescued.

He passed away when I was young, but I still remember fishing with him as a little kid. Those are fond memories.


My great uncle served in Europe, including the Battle of the Bulge. I had no idea until this year, when he sat down and told me some stories. I was amazed. The one that stands out took place somewhere in France. They were engaged in very heavy fighting, and were doing pretty well. Looked like his line was doing ok. But then a Panzer, I think, came out of the village and right up their trench. He told me that they had thrown a bunch of grenades to no avail, and that he was getting set to die as the tank pulled up to the trench. But when it arrived, its main gun couldn't get the angle to fire down on him and his squad. So then, a bunch of infantry from the next line over had time to take out the tank.

I guess the moral of this is that there are heroes all around us. The astonishing thing about the "Greatest Generation," as well as all other American men and women at arms is that they are your average people. They're your uncle, plumber, delivery guy. They're just people, Americans, who had the courage to do something you'd never expect or guess.

To all veterans, Thanks you. I am filled with pride when I consider those who have sacrificed so that I may sit here and type what I want; those who served so that people can choose to agree or disagree, to like Bush or not, or simply choose, "paper or plastic?" This is freedom, and many take it for granted. I am reminded by this day to thank the every-day heroes. The ones you didn't know fought under Patton until they decided to tell you.

Thank you.

Chris
 
One of the good things (or bad things, depending on how you look at it) about being a west coast sailor is that you go to Pearl Harbor. A lot. It doesn't matter what kind of ship or submarine you're on; I've been on both, and the one thing that they had in common besides going to sea was going to Pearl Harbor.

You guys may or may not know that I'm a bit of a history buff when it comes to military installations. The older, the better; every building, every collapsed pier, every cracked and potholed street, every foundation has a story to tell. It was the thing I liked so much about the Camp - the military had been playing there since the '20's or '30's and the records were kept so badly that every trip into the woods revealed a new surprise.

Besides the usual attractions, I spent a lot of time just walking around Ford Island. The old airstrip is still there. (Or was there, the last time that I was.) It, and some of the buildings, still show holes from 7.7mm and 20mm fire. The old berths around the island have plaques describing which ship was there and what happened to them. (It's a sobering experience to be standing on a ship that is berthed where another was bombed, torpedoed, or both.) I remember standing watch one afternoon where I could swear that I heard props and piston engines pounding away. It is very easy to imagine what those planes might have looked like, coming over the water.

And how about Arizona? See her, if you ever get the chance. Try to get there at low tide. You'll see a lot, and she's still leaking oil. We used to man the decks in whites and render honors whenever we were heading in there. I used to gripe as much as the next guy when I'd have to dress up but it never seemed so bad in this case.

There are a lot of ghosts there. Like most ghosts, they have a lot to say...if you're willing to listen.
 
December is remembering Pearl Harbor, and the Birth of Christ- of hope, if that makes many of you more comfortable.

It is good to remember what was sacrafised.



munk
 
munk said:
December is remembering Pearl Harbor, and the Birth of Christ- of hope, if that makes many of you more comfortable.

It is good to remember what was sacrafised.



munk
Click to expand...


Munk,

You have said it all.

Thanks
 
If you guys ever get down to Dallas Texas, come by the cavanaugh flight museum at Addisson airport.
I have never seen a larger collection of mint-condition WW2 planes anywhere.
They are all flyable. (excpet for the HE111, I think, and the old WW1 Camel)

That P-51 is blinding....
 
Namarie...

My uncle Ray was in the chemical mortar batalion that fought with Patton and montgomery in N. Africa, Siscily, and Italy. Fought as support to Darcy's Rangers during the Siscilian invasion. The last beach he stormed was at Anzio. Jumped in the water and swam 25 yards then BOOM the lander was blown apart. He looked back and saw the bodies of most of his companions splashing down into the water. Got up onto the beach and made it ~2 miles inland before getting hit by a mortar himself. Thankfully not one filled with mustard gas like he was carrying. Blew out his back. After that he was not much use with the 50lb shells those things heaved. He wasn't sent home though. Healed up and did odd chores for the company for the rest of the war. Anzio was the fifth beach he stormed. I sat down and asked him about his service maybe 6 months before he died. My grandad told me he had only recently began to talk about it. He started out...

"During the war I killed untold numbers of Germans..." (he kinda grunted/laughed a non funny laugh and paused for a long time before continuing)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top