I had 5 uncles and my old man serve in The Big One. Only, my Uncle Mike is left. He served in the Pacific and hates Japs. Anyone who reads Unbroken will understand why. We saw WW1 veterans die off, and soon WW2 vets.
Thanks to all the veterans. They do what they do so the rest of us can do what we do. It's an unfair trade and I should show more gratitude more often, not just today.
He served in the Pacific and hates Japs. Anyone who reads Unbroken will understand why. We saw WW1 veterans die off, and soon WW2 vets.
Or..Flag of our Fathers.
And I knew a WWII vet, he'd been a captain. Hit the beach on June 6th.
Hated Germans. All Germans. Even people with German names. Apparently, as he was laying in a shell hole with his leg blown off and his squad dead or wounded around him, the German officer refused to allow his men to give them aid, instead pulling his pistol and shooting them all in the head. Captain Ted's head was so hard the bullet skidded off, but his men weren't that lucky.
To the day he died I think he'd have killed someone who knocked on his door and spoke in German to him.
Gary Owen is done pretty well in "They died with their boots on". Its probably the most historically inaccurate movie about Custer ever... but highly entertaining.
Met a lot WW II vets. Never heard one beef about the Krauts. The Japs? Yes. They always had to make sure the wounded didn't get left for the the Japanese to kill and torture.
Wow. Most of the Marines who served early in the war were not forced back to the combat at the end of the war, unless they volunteered. You were lucky to spend time with him Sixty.
I had 5 uncles and my old man serve in The Big One. Only, my Uncle Mike is left. He served in the Pacific and hates Japs. Anyone who reads Unbroken will understand why. We saw WW1 veterans die off, and soon WW2 vets.
ReplyDeletendspinelli, thank your Uncle Mike for me, will ya.
ReplyDeleteHelmet for my Pillow and the With the Old Breed are also books well worth reading.
ReplyDeleteThanks to all the veterans. They do what they do so the rest of us can do what we do. It's an unfair trade and I should show more gratitude more often, not just today.
ReplyDeleteEvi, Thanks, I will do that.
ReplyDeleteHe served in the Pacific and hates Japs. Anyone who reads Unbroken will understand why. We saw WW1 veterans die off, and soon WW2 vets.
ReplyDeleteOr..Flag of our Fathers.
And I knew a WWII vet, he'd been a captain. Hit the beach on June 6th.
Hated Germans. All Germans. Even people with German names. Apparently, as he was laying in a shell hole with his leg blown off and his squad dead or wounded around him, the German officer refused to allow his men to give them aid, instead pulling his pistol and shooting them all in the head. Captain Ted's head was so hard the bullet skidded off, but his men weren't that lucky.
To the day he died I think he'd have killed someone who knocked on his door and spoke in German to him.
Gary Owen is done pretty well in "They died with their boots on". Its probably the most historically inaccurate movie about Custer ever... but highly entertaining.
ReplyDeleteMet a lot WW II vets. Never heard one beef about the Krauts. The Japs? Yes. They always had to make sure the wounded didn't get left for the the Japanese to kill and torture.
Captain Ted is (or I should say 'was') the only WWII vet I ever met that said anything bad about the Germans.
ReplyDeleteWas They Died With Their Boots On the version with Robert Shaw?
My uncle, a Marine, fought at Tarawa and Guadalcanal. He was a tough guy.
ReplyDeleteTarawa was a horrendous battle, to survive that to then go to Gudalcanal is beyond tough. We owe a lot to men like your uncle.
ReplyDeleteHe was at Okinawa, too. Had we invaded Japan itself then that would have probably been the end of him.
ReplyDeleteAs it was, he made it through and I got to spend the summer of '67 working for him on the Mississippi Delta.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgYLr_LfhLo
ReplyDelete"I fought for you."
Wow. Most of the Marines who served early in the war were not forced back to the combat at the end of the war, unless they volunteered. You were lucky to spend time with him Sixty.
ReplyDelete