my grandfather who unforuntaly passed away 5 years ago. was in the army in ww2, he was in the first armored division (old iron sides) in the 3rd army. he was under Patton's cammand. he was also part of the 16 armored engernerred division(which means he knew his way arond a sherman!!) he served in northeren africa. after X amount of months he was caputred by a german genral romeal (a.k.a. the desert fox) he was put in a german prison camp for 26 months. when he came home his teeth were filed down to a point. i found this sad.


i thought you guys would like to hear about this. post replies on wat happened to you or what your thoughts are on this.

Thanks for sharing you story about your Grandfather You must be very proud of him.

My Father-in-Law served during the Battle for Okinawa. Before he passed away (2000) he would tell me some stories about this time there. I could relate as I spent four years on Okinawa too - and we could talk about places and locals then and now.

He liked to watch John Wayne movies - and this would make him more inclined to share some memories and impressions of what the "average grunt's" life was then. Dad was Mexican-American, so his memories were particularly interesting from a minorities' point of view.

Growing up, I was really into my books and studies. Through Dad I "discovered" both John Wayne and Elvis. Elvis is pretty cool - can't believe I missed out - but I can get pretty focused on what I intend to do sometimes...

Dad was really a source of inspiration because his memories painted impressions for me that are not covered quite the same in well-known books and recounts of the Battle for Okinawa, and I suspect other theatres of that war. I try to incorporate that into my modeling, despite what other modelers think or feel is "more accurate". I will always lean towards a Veteran's memories and impressions because they were there.

I was on Okinawa - and spent a lot of time guarding F-15 Eagles and the SR-71 Blackbird when I wasn't low-crawling through the bush trying to ambush instructors playing wargames. I can build a mean F-15 and SR-71 even today because of my memories serving around them - and they do not look like popular modeler renditions in real life.

What Dad shared with me was pretty painful at times - even after all those years. I can understand better having served the short time I did. He didn't share those memories with anyone else other than his VFW mates. I feel honored that he saw a commonality with me and passed on a bit of what he saw and experienced. When I toured the Memorial for fallen US & Japanese soldiers, and Okinawan Civilians on Okinawa, I was struck deeply by the massive loss of life. Listening to Dad recount some memories really put that Memorial into context. Even today, I'm speechless to express those feelings. I can't imagine what it would be like to carry those memories after having been there.

Dad was just a Private. He wasn't highly decorated, didn't fly an airplane or commanded a ship - he was an average guy. But he's a Hero in my book!

This is a long post, forgive me. All I can say further is that if you have a relative who's a Vet - cherish them and let them know how much you respect and care for them while you have them here with you. Listen when they talk and ask when they give you pause. When they pass, so does a lot more than you might ever know...

Gunnie

Our lives parallel quite a bit. I too served in Okinawa back in the early 70's and my Father in Law served on Okinawa with the Marines during WW2. He too was a private who at 18 years old was a stretcher bearer. He and I talk about our days in service a lot. As he is getting on in years he has been opening up a lot more about his experiences in the Marines. I have learned a lot about the good and bad times that he and many others endured while serving our Country. Thank a Vet when you can. I do everyday. WELCOME HOME BRO!! I say this everyday to every Veteran I see and talk to from any country all over the world. Because those that have served their Countries know what I am talking about and know the feeling of pride that only a Veteran can feel.

My Grandfather served in the Royal Artillery during WWII, he served right thourgh the Africa campaign including El Alamain, and through Italy, including Salerno, Monte Cassino,

He always used to talk about the funny events of the war (Gunner Milligan Style), and how thats one of the things that kept them going, i could tell you some but the would take a while!!

I remember how he always flatly refused to eat Corned (Bully) Beef as he lived off of it the entire time they were in Africa and always said he had had his fair share!!!

He was a truely fantastic man, and sadly no longer with us either?

First off Welcome to Armorama Jack. We are all very happy to see that you have joined us here. What is Gunner Milligan style? I have never heard that expression before.

My maternal grandfather served under Lejeune and went to France with the Marines in the First World War. He passed away in 1980 while I was still in high school. I do remember him telling us that the whole time he was overseas he was always more afraid of the sergeants in the Corp than he was of the Germans. Some things never change.

Shaun

thanks for th welcome, everyone is so nice on here

Gunner Milligan Style, i was refering to the comedian and former Royal Artillery Gnr Spike Milligan, Check Amazon fro his War Diaries some of the funniest War tales you will ever read, its in a series of parts the first is called Adolf hitler: my part in his downfall, then onto Rommel: Gunner who?, the Mousalini (Spelling?) His part in my downfall. there is another called peace work.

he was part of the Famous Goon Show Radio Broadcasts, agian if you ever get a chance to listen to that blooming fantastic

thouroughly entertaining read, and about £6 here in england.

got to admit that those books are very funny one bit sticks in my mind is when asked how long hes been in the army 6ft 2in

Thanks for the info I will indeed check him out.

I have a great uncle that served with the 42nd "Rainbow" Division in WWI. He was in a machine gun company in the Ohio National Guard when his battalion was aded to the 42nd. He fought in all the major campaings on the western front in which the AEF participated. He passed away about ten years ago. My Dad has his campaign ribbons, and his WWI helmet. One of my Dad's cousins has the m1903 Springfield my great uncle carried thru the war.

I really don't know to much about my Grandfather's Army History.

I know this, He served with the 53rd Armored Infantry Battalion, with the 4th Armored Division. and fought in the Central Europe and Rhineland Campaign.

He was killed on April 14, 1945. This is the only record I can find of him.

Thanks
Mike

Dad didnt talk much about his experiences on the european front tho
When as a child I would hear him late at night talking to his brothers when they came to visit us South Carolineanians from the other cariolina
dad and his brothers were 4th generation Lakota Americans so they generally never spoke about killing other living things
Dad was on a mission one night ,
he was the sargent in charge of a platoon under a second louie just in from OCS (you know how that goes) ( he didn't know his A** from ahole in the ground) soooo Dad was actually in charge of the platoon
the mission was to attack a mission that sat on top of a hill that looked down on the surronding countryside
the nazes could control the area because the mission was ideally located so that when the allied forces made a move the axis powers calldown air strikes at the important locations sooooo dads unit was ordered to take the mission
as they approached the mission this second loie ordered the unit foreward like an idiot
and so doing stepped out of the covering trench in full view of the sniper s
dad renched up to pull the officer to cover when the snipers opened fire
the leuteant was literally cut half in two my a crossfire of machine guns
Dad wad lucker in a way he was hit by the same crossfire burt the bullets hit his loaded ammo belt
the enemy bullets didn't penetrate his bdy but the ammo explodedd ripping is skin open
then as he sank to his knees in pain he spotted ths commander of the snioer squad and zerod in on hin then pulled the trigger on his carbine at the exact moment that an enemy shell penetrated yis throat exiting through his shoulder blade.

Unfortuately, I barely knew my grandfather, who was a WWI veteran. My parents used to take me to visit him in Chicago in the early '60s when I was too young to understand why my father and his siblings were raised by their aunts in a small town in Illinois instead of by their parents in Chicago.
Eventually, I was told that my grandfather's life had been drastically changed by the war. His unit had been gassed by the Germans and the first thing he did every morning was to throw up in a bucket. He had become an alcoholic and could barely hold a job. As a result, my father and his siblings were sent to live with two spinster aunts in the family's hometown.
Apparently, my grandfather was one of those veterans they refer to in the song that features the lyrics "How you gonna keep 'em down on the farm after they've seen Paris?"
Fortunately, my grandmother stuck by his side until the day he died. She was an amazing women.
My father and my uncle later served in WWII. My father was in a tank destroyer unit attached to Patton and my uncle was a crewman on one the planes that towed the gliders during the D-Day invasion. Neither one talked much about their experiences.
My family was relieved that the Vietnam-era draft ended while I was a junior in high school. They felt our family had given enough. In turn, my son was also too young for military service when the Gulf War errupted, but he's already lost some friends to the recent conflicts. It truly saddens me to think of the families being affected not only today, but for many days to come. Nonetheless, I am supportive and proud of each and every one of our service members and their famiies. God speed to all of them!

Being a lot older than some of you, it was my father not my grandpa that served in WW II. I am increadably proud of all the folks who served on the allied side. A short history of pop's unit can be brought up on the web. He was in 50th field hospital US army attached to the 101 st Airborne . I found it interesting as everything in there was just as the way my dad had told me for so many years. Interesting how most of the medical equipment was replaced by captured German equipment as the German equipment was better. And German POW's that had enough of the war and weren't about to escape or cause trouble ,helped with the wounded and there were wounded of both sides in the hospital. ......Al

My hat's off to to your grandfather, however you facts are a little off, in Africa Patton commanded the 7th Army, he commanded the 3rd in Europe. I am in no way saying your story isn't true, just facts a little mixed up.

My paternal Grandfather was 1st Bn. South Lancashire Regiment. Joined up in 1942 and went from landing on Sword Beach in the first wave on June 6th 1944 to Bremen at the end of the war in a rifle platoon. I never got to know him because he died when I was very young (I was about 4), His campaign medals (the standard British World War 2 medals plus Palestine from post war) are hanging in my hall now - my Nan left them to me when she went because I was the only one who followed him into the military. Apparently he never said much about the war, the most he ever said was once when my Dad was a teenager and challenged him over some stupid argument. He simply said "I've killed better men than you'll ever be" and walked away. From what my Dad's said about him, I think the war left him quite badly scarred mentally. Ironically enough, after going from D-Day to the end of the war in the very front of the British advance, he died of an asthma attack in the toilet of the factory he worked in because he didn't think it was manly to be seen taking his inhaler in public. Bloody ridiculous really, but both my Dad and I are the same when it comes to a dislike of being ill and taking medicine.

By coincidence, I've served with two of the formations he was part of - 1 South Lancs were part of 8 Infantry Brigade, who I worked alongside in Northern Ireland, and 3rd British Division, which I was part of while serving with 1st Mechanised Brigade. I doubt our Armed Forces will ever be big enough for me to serve in a Corps, Army or Army Group like him though!

My maternal Grandfather was in the 8th Army (RASC I believe) through North Africa and Italy. Again he's never really spoken about it, except for a story he tells of watching the Italian Cup Final (football, soccer to the Americans on here) at some point and the referee being executed by partisans after the match because they believed he'd favoured the wrong side.

My cousin served in the U.S. Army Infantry in Italy during WWII. He only talked of being always cold, wet and hungry. They scrounged food where ever they could get it even if it meant stealing livestock from the local farmers. He was wounded twice and sent back twice until finally being injured badly enough (on an exercise strange to say) to be sent home. One thing that sticks in my mind is that he said he never got 'M1 thumb' unlike yours truly, only once but once is enough!
An uncle was a Sgt. in Italy in the Canadian army, all I know about him is that he refused being sent home in order to remain with his men until finally ordered unequivocally to get packing.
One of my wife's uncles was killed in a flying accident in the RCAF somewhere in England in 1944.
One of my uncles was in the CEF in WWI but he never talked about his experiences but I think it had a great (negative) impact on him.
There was friend of my grandparents that lived all alone out in the bush on the BC coast, a nice fellow it seems but totally screwed in the head, he was known as 'Sniper Bill', which probably says it all. Man, don't know what brought on this walk down memory lane!

My Grandfather died when I was 3 years old so I don't have many specific memories of him. He served in WW1, I believe as a translator. Unfortunately that is the extent of my knowledge of him.
My father trained in single engine fighter planes but at the last minute they transferred him to transports (C-47) He flew in N.Africa and towed paratroopers into South France (Operation Dragoon)
He missed D-Day due to being hospitalized with rheumatic fever.
He was good friends with a pilot in the 487th FS and using his friend's recommendation and his prior training in fighters he convinced the CO of the 352nd FG to have him transferred into the 487th FS.
He ended his service flying P-51 escort missions over Germany.
He passed away back in 1985 when he was just getting involved with veteran's groups and guys he knew during the war.

C.

My paternal grandfather served in the German 6th Army through Poland, France, the Balkans and Leningrad. Got captured in the end and spent time as a POW in the USSR until 1948. Received the Iron Cross second class although it was confiscated with his capture.
He unfortunately passed away in 1994, so I never had the chance to really chat to him regarding his experiences. Though my dad did mention to me one day that he never really wanted to talk about it...