A Different Take on Veterans Day

Good for you Walter. 

Army June 1965/June 1968

This picture hangs in our living room. Joe signed to for me when I interviewed him a few months before he died. Don

Nice Picture Scale Rail.
Whenever I see that picture I can’t help but think of Ira Hayes, and that brings a tear to me eye… We need to make sure our Veterans are taken care of, and remembered for what they do.. Everyday of the year.




K.C.

I have been a member of this Forum for a number of years, all I can

ad is - "Well Done".  God bless all who are serving, and all who have

served.

 

Many thanks,

 

Billy C

USAF/RIANG 1967-1974 Active Duty-RIANG 1979-1993. 

Take a look at this.

 A couple more: Douglas Fairbanks,Jr. - most decorated officer in WW2. Led groups of men (the "Beach Jumpers") to make very loud landings on enemy beaches to draw their troops away from the real beacheads, and then pull out. Think how many lives that saved.

 

David Niven - Commando. Never spoke of his missions. Visiting a military cemetary at Normandy, decided there were several thousand reasons buried there to not brag.

 

Christopher Lee - member of the British Special Operations Group. Dropped several times behind enemy lines, performed his missions, and made his way back. Another who doesn't speak of things except in deprecating terms.

 

Charles Durning (again) - also served in Korea as well as WW2, and also wounded there too.

Interesting list, and it is a reminder of a different time. My dad was a WWII veteran of the third army, he was in the tank corps, ended up with two purple hearts (he had a million dollar wound, ducked the hospital, went back to his unit, and was seriously wounded again), was part of the breakout just after D Day, was in the Bulge/the Bastogne relief column, fought into Germany, had several citations for bravery, and his one comment was he fervently prayed it never happened again. I would be  a bit careful comparing the people on the list to 'stars' of today, many of those on the list likely enlisted or were drafted before they were famous, and for example, the people who enlisted in the 1930's might have been looking for a job in those depression years. Some of those who were famous already may have been drafted, as well, so trying to compare eras is problematic, the real testament is that they served and fought and to quote my dad, were there. Plus WWII was a very different era, with very different needs, we had 16 million under arms in WWII, a war of large scale armies, something that quite frankly I doubt we'll see again. Rather than deride those of today, I prefer to think of the gifts that people like my dad gave, or Ted Williams and others who did sacrifice, including the ultimate sacrifice, so that today we don't have to make those sacrifices in the same way. Most veterans I know who fought WWII had the same attitude my dad did, that if in doing what they did it meant their kids didn't have to face what they did, it was worth it. 

 

To all who served, are serving, however/whyever they do it, I tip my hat, it is heartfelt and deserved. 

Great Post Walter...  It's true... we have probably seen the last US president that has served as well..  You will be able to name him once you see his picture below.

 

 

To me, this is a most unfortunate truth...

 

 

From my immediate family...

My Grandpa AO-58 1943-45

Charles H Holler

 

My grandpa's three sons (Chuck, Jerry, Bill Holler), my father is the middle one.

 Chuck was on the Teddy Roosevelt in the late 50's and early 60's

 

 

Jerry was part of AO-65 work on Skyraider life support systems.  He was on CVN65 Enterprise for the first Nuke task force world cruise and later on the Connie.  He was later stationed on Bermuda where he met my mom who had signed up as a military base teacher and got sent to Bermuda.  They met, were married and I came along a few years later.

 

My uncle Bill, not sure what boat he was on.

 

Guess I need a picture, but I was also in the Navy 1988-93 on CVN-70 Carl Vinson as a  Nuke Machinist mate and stood my watches in 2MMR.  Our boat was the one on duty prior and leading up to the green light that started Desert Storm.  At that time, I don't think I fully understood the ramifications of that particular mission.  To us, it was just a typical "WestPac".

 

Anyway, I also am thankful for all those who have served and I couldn't help but think as I ( and several co-worker veterans) left the "Texas Roadhouse"  how many incredible stories must be available from that entire restarant being filled with Veterans!

 

THANK YOU ALL!

 

Great post Walter, those were the times when military service was actually recognized and those that served were not treated like a pariah.  I'd hate to be a serviceman or woman nowadays.  USN, 1961-1966 USS Shangri La, CVA-38

Thanks for putting things in proper perspective, bigkid.  Our fathers may have served together.  

 

 

 

 

What, me worry?

 

Sonny was in the USAF too, well sorta.  But yes, I agree.  And most disturbing.

 

USAF, 1978-1990 

Walter

 

Thanks for starting a great one.  I'd like to add a little more about one of the World War II veterans you mentioned and a little more about someone I met at my LHS.

 

James Stewart, US Army Air Corps. Bomber pilot who rose to the rank of General.

 

Jimmy Stewart walked away from his movie career at age 32 in March of 1941 to enlist as a private in the U.S. Army more than 8 months before Pearl Harbor.  Jimmy Stewart was already a pilot with a commercial license and several hundred hours flying time and though the the country would soon need people like him.  He was commissioned as a Lieutenant in January of 1942 and became a B-17 instructor pilot. 

 

Not satisfied with serving stateside, in 1943 Stewart sought and obtained a transfer to a B-24 unit headed for combat in Europe.  He was assigned command  the 703rd Heavy Bombardment Squadron and lead them on their trans-Atlantic deployment to England and into combat in late 1943.  As a group operations officer Jimmy Stewart planned and lead bombing missions over the continent and deep into Germany in the critical early months of 1944.  These missions, including "Big Week" in late February 1944 were the moment when the 8th Air Force challenged the Luftwaffe head on and won air superiority over western Europe and made allied success in the upcoming Normandy invasion possible.

 

Four and a half years after enlisting as a private Jimmy Stewart went home to Indiana, Pennsylvania as a full Colonel.  At first he was doubtful that his film career would rebound and went back to work with his father at the family hardware store.

 

 

Jimmy Stewart remained a reserve officer for over 20 years after WW II.  He was promoted to Brigadier General in 1959.  In 1966 he spent his active duty time observing operations in south east Asia and flew with a B-52 crew on a bombing mission from Guam to Viet Nam.  You can read about that flight at the link below.

 

http://www.historynet.com/mr-s...-goes-to-vietnam.htm

 

After the flight General Stewart took a photo with the crew and gave them each an autographed copy.

 

 

It is a good story.  But I got a first hand version at my Local Hobby Shop.  The B-52 pilot who flew with Jimmy Stewart is Bob Amos, one of the friendly salesmen at Eastside Trains.

 

 

After flying B-52s Bob transitioned to F-105s and went back to South East Asia for another tour of duty.  I can't listen to Petula Clark without thinking about the guys like Bob who flew F-105s on missions in Route Pack 6.

 

Downtown

No finer place for sure

Downtown

Everything's waiting for you!

 

You never know who might be selling you trains for Christmas in Downtown Kirkland, Washington or hardware in Indiana, Pennsylvania. 

 

Hey Machinist Nick!  Remember me from the Greenberg show on Saturday?

 

Thank you for serving in the USAF!!  I'm glad to know you.

great post !!!!

From a disabled Vietnam Vet and who's uncle gave his life on Iwo Jima during WW11, a great post to honor those for Veterans Day.  Thank you.

 

Steve, Lady and Tex