This is topic Without getting all sappy ..... in forum Member forum at The New Huntmastersbbs!.
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Posted by Kokopelli (Member # 633) on May 31, 2021, 05:06 AM:
Before the Left cancels this Holiday, perhaps a moment between the booze & burgers to remember those and those who have gone before us that made it all possible.
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on May 31, 2021, 08:35 AM:
Of course! And, I surely do! I have many heroes in my family, luckily none that died and failed to return home after WWII. My uncle Bill fought on Iwo Jima, he was a big guy and was in some sort of recon outfit because he was part Ojibway and looked it and he carried the Browning BAR. He always had a dirty Japanese flag hung on his wall in the basement, took it off a dead Jap and washed it in a little spring, the only time it was ever cleaned. After 4 girls, he finally had a son. Maybe he got that flag? But, I got the .45 he carried on Iwo. Long story on why I don't have it now, but I had to sell it to the Company Armorer to escape charges.
Anyway, my Dad spent to whole war as a range instructor familiarizing recruits on the Browning 50 before they put them on bombers heading out the Pacific. His brother fought in France and died only a couple years ago. He was 95. But, of those that fought on foreign shores, nobody ever said a word about my dad spending the entire war at George Army Air Corps Base in Adelanto. He used to joke with the other combat veterans that he fought the battle of "what-a-canal" which mostly involved Zuit suiters, (Mexicans) and that little part of SoCal history has pretty much been swept under the rug. But, they apparently jumped servicemen whenever they could catch them alone, since they have always favored at least 4 to one odds, and switchblades. Apparently, it was a real concern in those days?
My service involved Cold War stuff that will never see the light of day. When I get that, "Thank you for your service" I don't know how to react or what to say.
But another thing. My unit had a reunion up at Lake Tahoe close to 20 years ago and there were other reunions taking place at the same time and several of them were staying in the Embassy Suites where we were, maybe because of the free drinks at happy hour. But, knowing some WWII combat Vets, I was struck by some of those Vietnam Veterans. Some of them couldn't handle a friggin' REUNION without going to pieces. Either left town or holed up in their rooms, but some of these guys appeared to be really fucked up. I suppose you could chalk it up to the attitude when they came back. The only two I know personally is my brother and the guy across the street, and they seem normal, but they don't talk about it. So, I guess it's complicated? The WWII guys were truly heroes and Vietnam vets might have been spit upon. And, the John Kerry's are still getting away with their bullshit. Liberals are some truly EVIL BASTARDS! (that throw somebody else's medals over the Whitehouse fence) And they have been committing traitorous behavior from Paris to Teheran. The cocksucker belongs in prison with Hillary! And, people vote for Liberals without knowing what the hell they stand for! Go figure? They are so close to permanently fucking up this country, and wonder of wonders, people vote for these assholes! Go figure?
(end of rant)
Happy Memorial Day!
Good hunting. El Bee
[ May 31, 2021, 08:41 AM: Message edited by: Leonard ]
Posted by earthwalker (Member # 4177) on May 31, 2021, 10:48 AM:
My dad went in for WWII. He was in for 30 or so days and they let him go. Doc said he'd never live to 25. That haunted him until they day he passed.
FIL was in got out on family death. Then after he reenlisted. He was a MP and a cobbler in Hawaii.
Had a great uncle get gassed in WWI. He never talked again and was a walking shell.
Posted by Paul Melching (Member # 885) on May 31, 2021, 11:14 AM:
My father was WW11 and the Korean conflict 13 years 8 months and 11 days in the submarine service.
My oldest brother was an air traffic controller in Thailand and Cambodia where we never were, wink wink !and my other brother was a grunt marine in the jungle. My uncle Bob was a lifer in the secret service! retired a Major General. All came home but not without damage especially the Marine!
[ May 31, 2021, 11:16 AM: Message edited by: Paul Melching ]
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on May 31, 2021, 12:04 PM:
I forgot to mention Victor Gray! This guy was so gung ho he volunteered for a second tour when he couldn't tolerate the spit and polish at Pendleton. He's a good buddy and we worked together at three different companies. I need to buy him a lunch real soon!
Good hunting. El Bee
edit: This is scary! Vic's email returned as undeliverable. I need to find out why?
[ May 31, 2021, 12:23 PM: Message edited by: Leonard ]
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on May 31, 2021, 02:31 PM:
Whew! Scared me! I called Victor and we had a real nice chat for an hour. He's doing fine, just a little mixup with his email address. We promised to get together soon!
I don't usually like Marines but he's a good dude!
Good hunting. El Bee
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on June 01, 2021, 10:07 AM:
I got all caught up with Victor and one nugget is that he scored the Lotto a while back. I've never known anybody to get that lucky, and good for him. He said that when he first got to Vietnam he was issued an M16 and pointed in the direction of his outfit, where to report. On his own initiative, he went to a nearby quarry and sighted in his weapon. You would think, entering a war zone, that zeroing in a personal weapon would be some sort of priority, especially the vaunted Marine Corps, which is composed of "Riflemen" in addition to any other Military Occupational Speciality, (MOS) at least what the US Army calls it. But here he was, sent to report where he could be burning up ammo, with an un-zeroed rifle, before he crawled into his fart sack that night. Just a little piece of trivial.
I never made it to Viet Nam, although I was rejected on the basis of my particular qualifications weren't needed at that time, but I qualified 'Expert' with every personal weapon in the inventory. They just weren't looking for any other, just Infantry, Airborne, etc. and I was Signal Corps. So, put me in the same category as Victor, another volunteer to go to war, but I missed out on that adventure.
...probably just as well? I was young and dumb and bulletproof; Immortal.
I introduced Vic to some benchrest stuff and pretty soon he was walking around with a laminated "bragging group" for his wallet. Like I said, I kind of warmed up to Marines, in general, just because of working with him for so many years. Before that, I thought they were all Dicks. lol (just kidding)
another wandering BS trip, by El Bee
Good hunting.
[ June 01, 2021, 10:08 AM: Message edited by: Leonard ]
Posted by Semp (Member # 3074) on June 04, 2021, 05:17 AM:
quote:
Like I said, I kind of warmed up to Marines, in general,
I'm certainly glad to hear that. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Posted by Paul Melching (Member # 885) on June 07, 2021, 04:04 PM:
My older brother that was an 0311 grunt was made a rifle instructor at Pendleton upon his return from Nam. Boy could shoot !
[ June 07, 2021, 04:05 PM: Message edited by: Paul Melching ]
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