You posted a very good thread about "A Day in Infamy" back around the 1st of Dec. I owe you a big apology. I made a comment in the thread the moderators took as a political statement and looking back I can see how it could be considered that way. They messaged me about it and I thought it they were just going delete my message and the normal threatening to ban me. When I went back a few days later to read the link you had posted in thread I found the whole thread had been deleted. I emailed the moderators asking them to restore the thread less my post and any that may have followed that was political. I never heard back and the thread was never restore. I apologize for causing the thread to be deleted because I really enjoyed it, and from the comments others enjoyed it too. My dad was a WW11 vet and was in the battle of the Coral Sea and the battle of Midway so I have always been a fan of WW11 history and all things dealing with our military history. I hope you will continue to post articles related to military history.
F4Gary
- Thread starter divinnole
- Start date
Wish I had seen the thread....my favorite class in college was US military history. Amazing that your dad was at the battle of Midway. I hope you have recorded in some way his experiences. My grandpa was the navigator on the USS Saratoga. He served through WWII and Korea and retired from the Navy. Pretty awesome considering he was an orphan and joined up at age 15. (Yes he lied about his age but he was so tall he looked older) His stories are amazing, terrifying and sad. Overall I am just so grateful for all who have served in any capacity. God bless your father and all our Vets!
My dad had a very traumatic war experience. He was on a carrier that was sunk in the Coral Sea battle and was on the Yorktown in the battle of Midway. He had been transferred to one of the other carriers just before the battle started. Because of that he was not one to talk much about it his experience. I actually learned more about his battles from my uncle after my dad was killed in a car wreck in 84. We did find some commendation and medal he received for heroic acts from the Coral Sea battle. He apparently passed up the chance for rescue many times to give up his place for rescue and assisted many of his wounded shipmates to get in rescue boats. The most I was ever able to get him to discuss the war was when the early 1970s TV movie the "The Battle of Midway" aired. He had very strong feelings about the Japanese and to the day he died he never owned a single item made in Japan.
He was also in several other naval battles and was on a battleship or cruiser that suffered heavy damage in an attack.
My uncle was also in the Navy but he was stationed with the Atlantic fleet on a carrier. He never saw the first battle action the entire war. THey were both from about as rural as it got at that time in Jackson Co and getting word back home or from home was hard to do. The family spent a most of war thinking my dad was dead and did not know until after the surrender my dad was still alive.
I graduated HS in 1975 and my whole time in school we only studied for one chapter in our history books** about WW11 which I think is a travesty.
**I totally screwed that sentence up. Left that part out.
He was also in several other naval battles and was on a battleship or cruiser that suffered heavy damage in an attack.
My uncle was also in the Navy but he was stationed with the Atlantic fleet on a carrier. He never saw the first battle action the entire war. THey were both from about as rural as it got at that time in Jackson Co and getting word back home or from home was hard to do. The family spent a most of war thinking my dad was dead and did not know until after the surrender my dad was still alive.
I graduated HS in 1975 and my whole time in school we only studied for one chapter in our history books** about WW11 which I think is a travesty.
**I totally screwed that sentence up. Left that part out.
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No problem divin, I don't even remember what you posted. I also don't like that it was deleted but I have no say in that.
As for WWII, my Dad flew P-38s out of Italy, mostly Foggia. He loved that airplane. He went on to fly the P-47 in Guam and the P-51 and F-80 after that. His last assignment was as Commander of the radar facility in Key West (Boca Chica) and retired a Colonel in 1972. That's why I went to FSU.
ps. I had a comment deleted in that thread too.
As for WWII, my Dad flew P-38s out of Italy, mostly Foggia. He loved that airplane. He went on to fly the P-47 in Guam and the P-51 and F-80 after that. His last assignment was as Commander of the radar facility in Key West (Boca Chica) and retired a Colonel in 1972. That's why I went to FSU.
ps. I had a comment deleted in that thread too.
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I wish they had left the thread up and just deleted the comments. My post was something about another date living in infamy
We forget what REAL sacrifice was in WWII---as a spry Marine Corps Captain, I attended my Family Reunion (Georgia) in the fall of 1977 wearing my Alpha uniform---my Aunt Mary took me aside to say "go easy" around my Uncle Johnny (her husband) as he was a WWII Marine veteran (PFC in the 1stMarDiv) and survived the worst fighting at Guadalcanal where parts of his battle utilities literally rotted off because of the conditions. He no doubt suffered from what we now call PTSD----he and his generation left horrific battlefields and were back at work within a month of being discharged. Unfortunately, there was no Wounded Warrior or Tunnels to Towers organizations for that generation, the Korean War or Vietnam vets---just "suck it up" and get back to work from a "grateful" nation.
If you never went to the Arizona Memorial at Pearl, You should. As a Vietnam Vet, it was truly humbling.
Every time I think of those who were lost in battles like are described above I remember hearing (I think it was Tom Brokaw) say something along the lines of "They gave up all of their tomorrows for our today"
I am forever grateful.
I am forever grateful.
My grandfather joined the Navy at the turn of the 20th century to go around the world on what was known as the "Great White Fleet". It was because the ships were white. He was in WW1. Both my father and uncle were World War II vets. My dad in Europe and my uncle in the Pacific. I have met countless WWII vets and for the most part they came out of the war pretty well regardless of what they experienced. The reason for that I believe, is that they had a clear objective and everyone felt their sacrifice was for a worthwhile cause. Don't get me wrong, I have met some veterans that were Japanese POWs and even in heir 80s they could not talk about their experience without crying. My father and Uncle never forgave the Japanese either.
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Funny, in 1977, we looked for every excuse to not wear the uniform and grew our hair as long as our Sqdrn CO would permit (which wasn't very long). Many civilians didn't like us.
I think I joined a few of you in Chile around that time. No matter.
Like many of y'all I am the daughter of a WWII vet who suffered from PTSD. It didn't have a name; maybe some called it battle fatigue. Lots of those guys came home and drank away their feelings. Some never quit.
My Daddy wouldn't talk about it until we were grown. He was nearly killed in the Battle of the Bulge and saw some very intense action that gave him occasional nightmares all his life.
This country was just damn lucky to have these guys - these kids.
Like many of y'all I am the daughter of a WWII vet who suffered from PTSD. It didn't have a name; maybe some called it battle fatigue. Lots of those guys came home and drank away their feelings. Some never quit.
My Daddy wouldn't talk about it until we were grown. He was nearly killed in the Battle of the Bulge and saw some very intense action that gave him occasional nightmares all his life.
This country was just damn lucky to have these guys - these kids.
The whole thread is just begging for another comment similar to the one that inspired this thread, but I am not going to make. As I started my career as a welder I worked with a lot of WW11 Vets and one thing they all had in common were they were almost always very hard workers and they seldom discussed the war except with each other.
F4---remember, I was in SOUTH Georgia at a Family Reunion wearing my Alphas---(btw, see the first Godfather movie when Michael Corleone wore his Alphas as a Marine Captain to the wedding!!---however none of my folks were in Mafia). In 1972, as a 1stLt coming back from the 3d MArDiv I did receive the "honor" of clearing the terminal in San Francisco with a crowd calling me a baby killer.
I came back from Viet Nam in March of '71 and still stay in touch with a lot of the guys that I served with. Brothers forever is a special thing..
Oh the irony of your last sentence, I'll just leave it at that.
Both of my grandfathers fought in WWII, my paternal for the US and my maternal for Nazi Germany. Neither of them talked to me about the war other than to say that they fought alongside very brave "men". Very interesting to hear the same sentimentality despite being on opposing sides. I'd like to think Id have the balls they did, but I just dont know.
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