JackBootedThug
MURDERATOR
my grandfather landed in France on a glider with the 101st....anybody else have kin that saw action on D day?
E
ewill52
Well-known member
My grandpa....Utah beach. Got lucky in that he didn't have to storm Omaha. Resistance was present but much lighter. Truly the greatest generation. Survived the depression, fought a world war, came home and made a life.
psychodave
Well-known member
I can’t begin to understand how these men (heroes) had the courage to exit the landing crafts into perilous danger. They are all hero’s in my eyes.
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Mailman1971
Moderator
My great Uncle Tom. He was there. Old Irish bastard. I Remeber being a kid. He would always carry a harmonica. Get all liquored up and me sister and cousin always danced to the Irish jig at my grandmas house. I haven’t thought about him on decades.
Exo-metal
Well-known member
May he and all others like him be honered forever...
Fret-Shredder
Well-known member
I always tell people that if not for the greatest generation we'd all be speaking German. I'm so grateful every day for their courage. One person who I hold in such high regard that unfortunately is no longer with us was my step father. He was a supply truck driver in WW2 at the Battle of the Bulge. Such an awesome man. Treated me no different than his own real sons. Salt of the earth individual. Survived the depression and WW2 and came back home to started a successful machine shop and thrived till he passed away in his 80s. He was also a guitarist that performed in vaudeville as a youth. He was a wealth of knowledge that I was fortunate enough to have in my life during my formative years. God bless all our veterans who served. And remember that all gave some some gave all.
R
Racerxrated
Well-known member
Authoritarian Dictators with imperialistic ambitions, like Hitler, must always be stopped.
If ignored the imperialism grows, they get empowered and think they can conquer the world.
Some say we should have entered the war when Hitler invaded Poland. Might’ve saved 30 million lives.
Regardless, our WWII heroes are leaving us in great numbers; not many left but a few are in nursing homes. Reach out and say thanks if you can.
If ignored the imperialism grows, they get empowered and think they can conquer the world.
Some say we should have entered the war when Hitler invaded Poland. Might’ve saved 30 million lives.
Regardless, our WWII heroes are leaving us in great numbers; not many left but a few are in nursing homes. Reach out and say thanks if you can.
Jugghaid
Active member
My Great uncle John. Never came home. I never met him (obviously), but heard a lot about him growing up.
MrDowntown
Well-known member
My late great-uncle, got his father to sign for him at 16 so he could fight. made it to other side of that day, and the war. the biggest personality of a guy...loved being around him as a kid. used to deer hunt with him, even into my teens....he was INCREDIBLE with his rifle. what those men were willing to sacrifice is unthinkable. if the same had to happen nowadays, you got to wonder would the passion and bravery be there in our younger generation (at least in those numbers).
Not D-Day..(Pearl harbor) My grandfather volunteered. Was a Navy man through and through. He loved aircraft, boats and his country. Joined hoping to get on a Carrier. Initially assigned to St. Louis, a light cruiser was attacked at pearl. one of (If not mistaken) two vessels to make out of the harbor on the initial attack. I believe the other was the Indy. After pearl, he got orders to transfer to USS Wasp where they steamed to Midway. Survived his time in the Navy and finished as an aircraft mechanic. returned and got his pilots license as he swapped time to help in the local airport garage for flight time... sadly his heart attacked him and he passed in '76. the stories i would've loved to hear.
Not D-Day..(Pearl harbor) My grandfather volunteered. Was a Navy man through and through. He loved aircraft, boats and his country. Joined hoping to get on a Carrier. Initially assigned to St. Louis, a light cruiser was attacked at pearl. one of (If not mistaken) two vessels to make out of the harbor on the initial attack. I believe the other was the Indy. After pearl, he got orders to transfer to USS Wasp where they steamed to Midway. Survived his time in the Navy and finished as an aircraft mechanic. returned and got his pilots license as he swapped time to help in the local airport garage for flight time... sadly his heart attacked him and he passed in '76. the stories i would've loved to hear.
Kapo_Polenton
Well-known member
One of my grandfather's was fighting for the other side so no not D day but on the Italian front in Albania and Greece fighting along side the Wehrmacht. (with Mussolini's army). Can't always choose your roots but to be honest, none of these guys new anything else than do as they were told. I suspect once the war started, it didn't matter who started it, just that your country was getting pounded by artillery and you would do anything to defend it even if it wasn't for the "right" cause. On my other side, my grandfather was Dutch so when the war started he went underground to run a muck and disrupt German supply lines. He had a ton of German war memorabilia which he had taken which I guess after the war he felt wrong about holding on to and just got rid of it. My Oma (grandmother) couldn't hear the German language until she died. Hated it and the memories in brought her. Fair enough though, I have read a diary from the Dutch side of the family and the Germans were brutal to the people. A bit like Russians and Ukranians.. you think they are similar people and sister languages but that's where it ends. Culturally and historically they have their own thing going on.
Just think that whole war cycle is starting all over again in Ukraine right now. They will be talking about that for hundreds of years no doubt.
Just think that whole war cycle is starting all over again in Ukraine right now. They will be talking about that for hundreds of years no doubt.
Fret-Shredder
Well-known member
For those of you with a Facebook check out this Hero. Jim "Pee Wee" Martin. 101St. Airborne 506 PIR "G" Company. Hung with the Band of Brothers. Still alive and even skydives. Pure awesomeness.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100044537315053
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100044537315053
romanianreaper
Well-known member
A few years ago, my buddy and I went to the VA where we have had some appointments for a Memorial Day event. The man that spoke was there on D-Day, Market Garden, and Battle of the Bulge I believe. Three big ones. He got up there and talked and people sat speechless. He said he has more in common with the Nazis he fought against than Americans because of all of the death he has seen, etc. It was so humbling.
JackBootedThug
MURDERATOR
my grandfather was in the 506 PIR also, just not sure which company.
MrDowntown
Well-known member
some good stories in there...
a college buddy of mine: his grandfather was German-American..his family was german and had fled to US before the war. anywho...he enlisted and whilst in, met a young Jewish girl who's family was decimated by the Reich. he snatched her up, married her and brought her back. as the story went, what was really meant for him as a "rescue" of sorts, they fell in love stayed married and had a huge family.... including my college buddy's dad. some incredible stories that are never heard from that time.
Fret-Shredder
Well-known member
That's awesome. If he was "E" Company that was the Band of Brothers.
DragonCrestPC
Well-known member
My grandfather was there too. What a horrible day filled with
JackBootedThug
MURDERATOR
I know that it was not "E".....
Fret-Shredder
Well-known member
All the 506 PIR were the best of the best. It's so amazing your grandfather was part of that brotherhood.
alan67
Well-known member
My great uncle was in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team
JackBootedThug
MURDERATOR
a few days after he died I recieved a call from one of his "brothers". When I told him my grandfather passed he cried like a baby for at least 5 minutes. Sobbed uncontrollably. My grandfather always told me a story about them saving a little girl in Bastogne. Well that little girl grew up and was appearing on Television over there. The man on the phone was the other guy that helped save that child. He said they were going to fly him and my grandfather over to Belgium to meet that girl. Damn shame. Died a week to early.
