Military family, tell us about yours

[Saltheart]

On Monday I attended the funeral of the last male in our family from my parenrs generation. It was a military funeral at the cementary. here a few days later its Veterans day so I thoght a good topic would be to talk about military in your family , not just a broad brush military. I'm sure it would make the old ones , long deceased happy to know their specific service was remembered.

My mother had 2 brother's and four sisters.
Here oldest brother fought in WW2 in the Army. He was an enlisted man , don't know his rank. He had it tough. He fought in the Pacific on some jungle Island (Borneo maybe) against the Japanese. He and several of his unit got seperated from their unit and spent several months in the jungle fighting and trying to survive. In the end he and a few others made it back to their troops. He finished the war with 2 purple hearts and a silver star.

Her second brother joined the navy and had an easy time of it despite WW2 going on. I think he did mostly supply stuff and maintenance stuff.

All her sister's married military guys. One of the three husbands also had a tough time in the service. He was a tank guy in WW2 and got all blown up. He was actually listed as Killed in Action because they couldn't sort out the mess after some big battle in Europe. He was in a military hospital for many months and finally regained his senses and was reuinited with his family. He also had a purple heart.

On my fathers side , he had 2 brothers and 2 sisters. They all served in the military. The two sisters were army nurses. My father went down to enlist in 44 or 45 and didn't pass the physical do to a hernia. The war ended soon after and he never served. His brothers were younger than him and served around the Korean War time. One brother stayed state side and one went to Korea. He was in an intelligence unit. He was required to carry a side arm at all times , even when on leave. Other than the fact he was in intelligence and had to carry at all times , he never talked about what he did in Korea.

In my generation , most all the men came of military age during or just after the Vietnam War. As all know , that war tore the country apart. Many guys fought but I don't know anybody who enlisted during that time. I know many who were drafted. I was eligible for the draft when they eliminated student deferments and had the lottery. I got lucky and got draft number of 359 so I never got called up. We were in college with no deferments and everyone I knew who got a low number enlisted or did ROTC, anything to avoid going to Vietnam. You had to live at that time to understand the feeling about Vietnam. I had grown up always thinking I would be in the service and trying to decide what branch etc. That desire all died in me when the whole country seemed to be down on service men during the vietnam war. I don't know anyone who went to Canada etc but I honestly don't know anybody who wanted to go to Vietnam either. I feel really bad for the guys who went and who took so much abuse for their service there. A very strange time in the USA relative to foreign policy and service veterans. In a way they deserved more praise than most other soldiers for serving at such an unpopular time but in fact they were ridiculed and called baby killers. A shameful time for the American nonmilitary.

The very youngest kids in what would still be called my generation or the next after me showed no interest in the military except in one family. My father's youngest sister had 4 boys. Two of them served in the Army and went to Iraq for the first war there. At that time , one was a Sargent and one was a Major, both in the 101st. These two guys became career military and both eventually became full bird Colonels. One was in the Pentagon when the plane crashed into it on 911 but was unhurt. He married another career Military woman , who outranked them their entire careers , despite them being Colonels. She is still in and is a Major General. The next generation is about 10 years old now. It will be interesting to see who decides to serve and who doesn't.

[JohnR]

I didn't go in and serve my country. Should have, hind sight being clear and all. No one in my generation (siblings, cousins) has served except one that was in the Navy reserve.

My father was in the Navy in the early 60s (he was on the Essex during the Cuban Missile Crisis), got out after 4, went to college, and then worked at the Puzzle Palace for 25 more years.

None of his siblings were in the service. Less certain of his cousins.

Several of his Uncles were, mostly Navy. One died at Pearl Harbor I believe. Another was a POW in Germany. My (grand) Uncle Tom was career Navy enlisted.

[Sea Dangles]

My Gramps was laid to rest in Otis,Gram is nearby.Same with my wifes Gramp who lost an arm somewhere in Europe but never spoke of it.If you have ever seen a man with one arm swim,or tie his shoe,you would be impressed.Very emotional services at any rate.

[Swimmer]

The greatest generation all were in the military, so to say my mother's sisters all married military guys during that era was the norm. Simply because everyone enlisted so as not to be called a 4F'er.

My father had polio from the time he was ten years old. He enlisted in the army after graduation from high school. His legs collapsed doing PT during basic. The only thing he ever said to me was how the drill instructor to him to task for being there. In others words taking up his time. They sent him to the hospital until he was discharged. He was in long enough for the VA to give him great medical care during the end stages of his life. Both his brothers went in the army during WW2. I don't know what Tommy did, but uncle Jimmy was in tanks in WW2 and in Korea the same where he was awarded the silver star. He made a career of it.

My mother's brothers all of whom are dead did not all go in the service. One went to work for Tiger Airlines, one made the air force his career. He was a pilot who flew anything and everything. His eyes betrayed him the last 10 to 12 years of his career, so he was relagated to 2nd offficer status on B 52's and other such aircraft. He got out a full bird and by his own words should have been a general but the antics of his first wife betrayed his career.
One of her other brothers went into the marines and got a dishonorable discharge. He was an idiot. His family found out about it when he died. They requested burial in Bourne and they said no.

I didn't get drafted in 1970. My number was too high, 159 as I recall. And I was not going to enlist. My brother went in the coasties. I always thought that was pretty cool.

[thefishingfreak]

My grandfather retired A senior master Sargent in the air force. Met and rescued my polish grandmother from German concentration camp. my father was also air force. I was born on an air base in Germany.

[Nebe]

my gramps was a captian in the Marines.. fought in Guadal Canal, Tarawa, and Saipan. Saw some amazing stuff. Loved to talk about it. He gave me an officers sword from Tarawa that was almost cut in half by bullets and a grenade.. its very cool.

He's burried at Otis. I need to go up there and say hi some time.

[JackK]

My mothers father was a radioman in a Sherman. Survived d day, got a purple heart in the bulge when an 88 hit his tank... lost one leg and his other foot. But married his nurse in the hospital afterwards!! He would never speak of the war.

Fathers father worked with werner von braum after ww2 to try and figure out just how the Germans were launching accurate missiles into England. Most of the missiles used in Vietnam were developed by him. Was also an advisor and present for most (if not all) of the early Apollo missions. Sadly, he passed away before I was born, never knew him.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[BigBo]

Great-great Gramps served in WWI. I have his passed down M1911A sidearm with original holster. Very cool piece of history. Gramps served in WWII in the pacific building runways. Dad served in Korea. Got frostbite in a couple spots that still bother him to this day. I had a cousin that was killed in Vietnam in a tunnel. Yes, he was a tunnel rat. I can't even fathom what it takes to blindly jump down into a hole just barely big enough to squeeze into. He was killed his second week in country.
I enlisted in the Army in '73 and went to Germany as things in Vietnam were scaling back by the time I got out of boot camp luckily. Did my three and out. My brother enlisted in the Air Force two years after me. He lasted 22 years in service and fought in the Gulf Conflict in the early '90's and worked directly with General Schwarzkopf (sp?).
Lastly, my niece and nephew (siblings of my sister) both enlisted and are currently serving. My niece is Army Reserve and has done two tours in Afghanistan. My nephew is a Navy Seal now for 11 years. Much respect for what he does. Haven't heard from him in a while now though, but my sister says he's okay.

[Raider Ronnie]

Got Grandfather, grand uncles, uncles, 2nd cousins, cousins, nephews, who have served since family came over from Italy prior to ww2 up to nephew who just got out last year from serving 6 years marines.
Got relatives who didn't come back from WW2, Korea, & Vietnam.

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by Nebe

my gramps was a captian in the Marines.. fought in Guadal Canal, Tarawa, and Saipan. Saw some amazing stuff. Loved to talk about it. He gave me an officers sword from Tarawa that was almost cut in half by bullets and a grenade.. its very cool.

He's burried at Otis. I need to go up there and say hi some time.

Those were some tough battles Eben. Tarawa, in particluar, is one of the least known, yet most ferocious battles in the history of planet Earth. On the day of the invasion, as it turned out, the tides were extremely low, so the Higgins boats (hoping to bring the Marines to the beach) got stuck hundreds of yards from shore on the coral reefs. The Marines had to wade in waist deep water for literally hundreds of yards, taking horrific machine gun fire. I believe 4 or 5 Marines received the Medal Of Honor at Tarawa. Eben, I was also a captain with the USMC...other than fatherhood, it will be the greatest experience of my life. I hope to swap stories with your gramps when I cross over to the other side. I get chills when I think of the WWII marines, what they did was nothing short of stupifying. It was impossible, they accomplished the impossible. I'm sure he's resting in the peace that they all so richly deserve, surrounded by all the love and blessings that God can bestow on him.. When you get up there to see him, tell him semper fi from Capt J, and tell him I want to hear all about it.

If anyone wants to know more about this battle, there is a book, I think, called "Medal Of Honor". Each chapter is about a different vet who received that award. There is a chapter on the life of a guy named David Shoupe, who was a Colonel in the Marines during WWII, he led the assault on Tarawa. There is a good, short description of the battle.

My Dad graduated from Annapolis, he was 1 year ahead of a young guy named John McCain. That's about the best story from my Dad's 8 year career.

I did 8 years with the USMC, now I crunch numbers for a small insurance company. Sometimes I think that leaving was a God-awful mistake.

[JohnR]

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

Those were some tough battles Eben. Tarawa, in particluar, is one of the least known, yet most ferocious battles in the history of planet Earth. On the day of the invasion, as it turned out, the tides were extremely low, so the Higgins boats (hoping to bring the Marines to the beach) got stuck hundreds of yards from shore on the coral reefs. The Marines had to wade in waist deep water for literally hundreds of yards, taking horrific machine gun fire. I believe 4 or 5 Marines received the Medal Of Honor at Tarawa. Eben, I was also a captain with the USMC, I hope to swap stories with your gramps when I cross over to the other side. I get chills when I think of the WWII marines, what they did was nothing short of stupifying.

My Dad graduated from Annapolis, he was 1 year ahead of a young guy named John McCain. That's about the best story from my Dad's 8 year career.

From what i have read the Pacific campaigns were far worse than the European Theatre (not that I would have close to a clue). Just nasty.

Jim - how does one put this right? If that was the BEST story of his 8 year career...?

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by JohnR

From what i have read the Pacific campaigns were far worse than the European Theatre (not that I would have close to a clue). Just nasty.

Jim - how does one put this right? If that was the BEST story of his 8 year career...?

Hey John, no need to sugarcoat it...my dad's hitch in the military will never be confused with that of Audie Murphy, Seargent York, or Eben's gramps. My Dad was an electrical engineer, he did design work for the Navy, sitting at a desk. He did remember drinking a few beers with John McCain, who even then was a big man on campus because his dad and grandfather were both admirals.

[JohnR]

Originally Posted by thefishingfreak

My grandfather retired A senior master Sargent in the air force. Met and rescued my polish grandmother from German concentration camp. my father was also air force. I was born on an air base in Germany.

Freak - too bad you didn't stick around for a while longer - might have run into you - went to HS on a base over there - awesome time. Fishing sucked though.

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

Hey John, no need to sugarcoat it...my dad's hitch in the military will never be confused with that of Audie Murphy, Seargent York, or Eben's gramps. My Dad was an electrical engineer, he did design work for the Navy, sitting at a desk. He did remember drinking a few beers with John McCain, who even then was a big man on campus because his dad and grandfather were both admirals.

That's one way to put it. Sad thing is today nobody is going to hear of an Audie Murphy, Sergeant York, John Balisone, and likely not guys today like Mansoor, Murphy, etc. It is not something that gets taught in school, or found attention much other than the History Channel.

[Nebe]

Jim, twards the end of his life he told me a lot of stories.

A book called " faithful Warriors" came out last year and has about 20 pages of my grandfathers accounts.

He made it 2 days on Saipan until he was hit by tank fire that was being called in from the smokestack at the sugar factory. Crazy times...
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[Raven]

LETS SEE..........

My Dad was a Radio man in The Navy....
and when i met him he was a total stranger

My oldest brother BOB, was a navy man too
but got in trouble allot.... (kinda like me)

later became a merchant marine and sailed all over the world
spent some time in Panama

Brother DON was officer material and became a LT. JG
then used his time served (ten years)
to go into security watching UFO's
now his job is so secret he cannot even tell me about it

Brother JIM got sent to ALASKA and was a CB carpenter there
then got sent to Viet Nam building stuff but got heavy into
drugs/alcohol and suffered allot of PTSD from seeing carnage.

i chose not to enlist as i don't do well with Authority
and that was about it for my family's participation.

[RIJIMMY]

Jim and Nebs - read these two books

Helmet for my pillow - Robert Leckie
With the Old Breed - Eugene Sledge

Both Marines that served in WWII Pacific. These books were the basis for "The Pacific" HBO series but they are 100 percent better. Must reads.

Also - little known fact, Eddie Albert, from Green Acres fame was one of the drivers of the Higgins boats on the Tarawa landings

My Dad was a Marine. Served from 59-64. When Vietnam started, he tried to re-enlist but they wouldnt take him. I think it always bothered him to some degree that he never saw combat. He was an MP in Okinawa and had some amazing stories, some he couldnt tell me until I was older. He made seargant quickly and for a small town kid from CT, the Marines opened a whole world for him. One of my favorite stories - they were having war games in the deserts in CA. A few guys were sent out to scout for the "enemy". they came back in and said there was a huge rattlesnake out there and that they didnt want to stay in the area. My Dad was standing right there. The commander was a WWII vet and lost it. He went steaming off into the woods, he came back in 5 mins and all you could hear was a sound like a chansaw. The commander had the snake by the head and the snakes rattle was going off like crazy. The snake was over 5ft long. He screamed at the guys and told them they are marines and %^%$##@#@##!!! He took off his knife and cut the snakes head off, threw it on the ground and told them to get there a$$es back out there.

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by Nebe

Jim, twards the end of his life he told me a lot of stories.

A book called " faithful Warriors" came out last year and has about 20 pages of my grandfathers accounts.

He made it 2 days on Saipan until he was hit by tank fire that was being called in from the smokestack at the sugar factory. Crazy times...
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Those must be some sea stories. I get week in the knees when I think of those boys. I'll check out that book...

[Nebe]

not sea stories and not stuff i think i should post publicly.
his name was John Murdock...

[zimmy]

My paternal grandfather was an MD in WWII. He marched the entire Burma rd. I don't think there was a ton of heavy combat, but he still won't really talk about it.

My maternal grandfather was in the airborne as a 17 year old in 1945. He was stationed in the Pacific waiting to be dropped in for the invasion of Japan. As we know, the invasion never happened. Instead of combat, he ended up spending a year in Japan after the bombs were dropped. Apparently, as a 6'2 220 lb American, he was very intimidating to the Japanese citizens who were propagandized that the giant Americans would storm in and rape and pillage. After the bombs, I imagine they would believe anything about Americans.

My dad enlisted in the Navy around 1966. Put in for 3 ships that went to Vietnam. He ended up stationed in hawaii. His ship was involved in bio and germ warfare tests so he has regular checkups at the VA.

My wife's grandfathers were both in wwii. Paternal was an MD on a ship in the north sea.

Her maternal grandfather was a tank commander in the 3rd armored division in Europe as an 18yo. I would hate to think the Pacific was much worse. His tours ranged from getting dropped on beach in Normandy while everyone in front of and around him were getting killed. He was also in the battle of the bulge and liberated the Dora-Mittelbau concentration camp, which had about 5000 dead bodies and thousands of starving people when they found it. They gave hershey bars from their rations to the prisoners, which killed many of them.
He is in his 80's now and has only talked about the war in very limited amounts. When my wife's brother tried to interview him for a school project about 15 years ago, he broke down and couldn't talk about it.

Those guys went through hell and I think about it almost every day that we are losing the last of them. It scares me...