War Veterans

[Mercy Now]

I'm curious to know if any who visit here have/had a father brother or grandfather who served in WWII?

My father was with the Marine 1st Division on Okinawa .

[Sily]

My grandfather served in WWII. 

You posted at 11:11am.  :big grin:

Yesterday I was offered a job to work with the Veterans Admin as a social worker in a new 130 resident home that has just been built.  I declined the job (I'm happy where I am now) but did pass it on to my current working partner.

[Polly]

MN, are you trying to piece some things together?

[Mercy Now]

Sily,

 Do you know which branch of the military you grandfather served with and where he was deployed? Do you recall him telling of his experience?

I probably am trying to piece some things together Polly but I hadn't thought of that way.It's a subject that always interested me probably because it was so horrific.  I have a tendency to make myself look at the unpleasant.My own father never spoke of it much at all with anyone( he considered it too obscene to share) until the  time he visited us in Texas and went with us to the beach.( He never took us to the beach as children) In the water his eyes began to tear up and he started telling my boys how they got off the boats on Okinawa .He was an artillery gunner. Gradually he spoke more of it but there is much that is unspeakable.

[DreamTime]

My dad was in the Navy in WWII

[Sily]

Sily,

 Do you know which branch of the military you grandfather served with and where he was deployed? Do you recall him telling of his experience?

Branch: Navy

Age enlisted in the Navy: 17 yrs. onward (father had to sign him in).

Started in Atlantic Ocean in what he called "Atlantic Theater" then moved on to Pacific (China, Shanghai, Phillipines).  Wasn't on the same ship as MacArthur, but invaded at the same time as MacArthur.  Invaded Okinawa with 6th Marines, 4th Division or 4th Marines, 6th Division.  He couldn't remember (he'll be 82 this December).  Was part of what they called the "1st dismounted cavalry".  He told me one man died on his ship and they gave him a burial at sea.

There is a special that's been on PBS lately called "The War" by Ken Burns, I think.  I thought it might be good and told him about it.  He told me watched a few minutes of it and then told me "no.... nuh huh.... I'm not going to watch it".  We have had many discussions about what he saw and experienced.  I don't think he's telling me all, but he will speak of some of the memories.  I believe.... I think I am getting this right .... that he is now anti-war.  I think.  I'll ask him the next time I see him.

 

I guess I should clarify.  My "grandfather" is really my step-grandfather.  My grandmother re-married after my real grandfather died.  He died about 10 years before I was born.

[BlueMoon]

I had uncles who served in WW2, one served in 3 wars, WW2, Korea, and VietNam. He talked occasionally about them but not much. My dad was in the Army for 10 years but somehow missed the Wars. Three of his brothers served.

The most interesting conversations I've had were with 3 people who were actually in a Concentration Camp. They were not Jewish. They were from Poland and picked up on the streets as teenagers. Some things they said were not consistent with history. They rarely talked about their experiences. You can see it was painful and emotional even after all these years. They all had the number tatoos on their arms.

[Diajin]

I was once old and now young so am i the man in the past that served on the front lines or am i a new man now.