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Take a minute to remember

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and offer thanks to anyone you might know who was there....or who lost a loved one:

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If not for them, the world would have been a dark, dark, place... Thanks to them and their families!

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I am sorry to say that WWII is just a distant memory to some. I have actually had to explain to people,mostly young people, but some old enough to know, who we fought in that war....what it was about. It was the last time our country came together as one and EVERYONE did their part..from kids collecting scrap metal to old folks helping out any way they could. They knew then that our very way of life was at risk if we didn't win. My grandmothers sent 5 sons and one daughter to the war. Most of the soldiers fought in conditions that the soldiers today can't imagine. No body armour, sometimes even no ammunition or food. Thousands of soldiers WALKED from Normandy to Berlin.

We owe a HUGE debt and thanks to that generation..and like you said, many are gone now. But we must NEVER forget what they did,why they did it,and for whom.

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Same here with my great grandmother sending 4 sons and a son in law - fortunately all but 1 son made it back.  He was on the USS Indianapolis  - Navy didn't even know it had gone down for 3 days after dropping one of the a bombs off on the island for it's final flight!

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as soon as the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor..my uncle dropped out of high school along with many others to join up. It was like this all over...they didn't wait to be drafted...

50 years later, he and all the others were given their diplomas..even though they didn't graduate.

he got kinda forgetful towards the end but he could recall every detail of his service..he was so proud.

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My Father and uncles from both sides served during ww2 luckily all made it back, but i have heard the tales from my mother and father about the sacrifices during the war and the home front efforts, also about the rationing of about any thing you cold imagine and the ration stamps used to buy things.  The older generation such as myself heard the stories first hand from our Fathers ,Uncles and other older people. Now there are very few Veterans of that war left and the young generation for the most part does not even care about events happening now much less any thing that happened 66 years ago and without the sacrifices of those brave men life would not be as we know it today.

Dan

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My Father and uncles from both sides served during ww2 luckily all made it back, but i have heard the tales from my mother and father about the sacrifices during the war and the home front efforts, also about the rationing of about any thing you cold imagine and the ration stamps used to buy things.  The older generation such as myself heard the stories first hand from our Fathers ,Uncles and other older people. Now there are very few Veterans of that war left and the young generation for the most part does not even care about events happening now much less any thing that happened 66 years ago and without the sacrifices of those brave men life would not be as we know it today.

Dan

I have my grandmother's diary from 1942-1943. I feel like I was there by reading her daily entries. You were lucky to get meat once a week...unless you raised your own chickens(which they did).Even things like shoes and gasoline were rationed.Ad on a pension of $30 a month that my grandfather got, you didn't get much of anything,with 4 kids at home. Shedid laundry,made quilts,grewn and canned her own food..anything to make a little money. Times were tough but back then,peole knew how to cope. And people today think times are hard.

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John, THANK YOU for reminding me/us. We all owe them a great great amount of praise, most of my uncles went there .... most all came back.

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Guest Terry

My dad was there, 101st Screaming Eagles............ ;) Have pictures of him and president and Churchill before they jumped, he went down the line talking and shaking each hand. Have the pic of both of them with my dad.

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My dad was there, 101st Screaming Eagles............ ;) Have pictures of him and president and Churchill before they jumped, he went down the line talking and shaking each hand. Have the pic of both of them with my dad.

I'd love to see that pic,Terry. All I have of my Uncle is a pic of him sitting in some bar in Hawaii with some floozie.

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Guest Terry

I'll see if I can get the pic this weekend to scan, if not I'll use the newspaper cliping......

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that would be cool. I am a huge WWII buff. I would love to see it.

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I would like to relate something that happened to us a few months a go. 

We were coming out of a local restaurant after having dinner with my wife's family.  My Brother-in-law Ben who is over 80, fought in WWII.  Ben is Japanese American, and served with honor for the country he loved.  As he was waiting by the curb with his cane in one hand and pulling his oxygen tank with the other,  a young man came up to him after  noticing his ball cap that said "WW2 Vet". 

This young man stood at attention and commented to Ben about how he now serves in the services because of the example of the men and women of Ben's generation who were dedicated to their country.  The young man then thanked Ben and left. 

Those around us were nearly in tears at the show of admiration.  Sometimes we forget the sacrifices that are made every day on our behalf.  It is sad that we sometimes need to be reminded of the things we take for granted.

Gary

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what is even sadder is that many young people today don't have a clue....

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That's why it surprised us and made us so emotional.  Happy to say that this young fellow was  right on.  You could see my brother-in-laws chest rise and a smile on his face with pride.  It was worth the price of the meal.

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Yesterday was my birthday and I spent the ENTIRE day watching Band of Brothers!  Awesome birthday if you ask me. :thumbsup: 

While I was Indianapolis Saturday I went to the War Museum downtown and then to the Soldier and Sailor Memorial Monument.  Great places to see for sure.

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what is even sadder is that many young people today don't have a clue....

Honestly I didnt think much about the WW2 until I was out of high school. Guess it was just not "into" it. I graduated high school in 2002 and upon graduation there were a group of WW2 vets there and a few buddys of mine just talked to them for HOURS. We learned more in those couple hours than we did throughout school. I could not believe some of the things and stories the told us. Amazing and the dedication.WOW... All we could say is thanks... I didnt even know them and they are stuck in my mind to this day as heros.... I joined the army in jan of 07, wish i could still be in...

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what is even sadder is that many young people today don't have a clue....

Honestly I didnt think much about the WW2 until I was out of high school. Guess it was just not "into" it. I graduated high school in 2002 and upon graduation there were a group of WW2 vets there and a few buddys of mine just talked to them for HOURS. We learned more in those couple hours than we did throughout school. I could not believe some of the things and stories the told us. Amazing and the dedication.WOW... All we could say is thanks... I didnt even know them and they are stuck in my mind to this day as heros.... I joined the army in jan of 07, wish i could still be in...

our elderly are our greatest asset . . . .oh the great stories from my grandmother and grandfather about their early years and Gma telling about her brothers experience in the war.  Grandmother and her family traveled to Detroit to talk to the survivors of the Indianapolis sinking after losing the brother and the accounts helped the family to cope.  and hearing that the part of the ship Uncle Amby was on is where the first torpedo hit so it was unlikley he had to deal with the 3 days of sharks picking the men off one by one.  After hearing from her account I had to read the book and loved the movie when it cam out about the Indianapolis.

And we cannot forget the soldiers right now Fighting a tough battle!

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our elderly are our greatest asset . . . .oh the great stories from my grandmother and grandfather about their early years and Gma telling about her brothers experience in the war.  Grandmother and her family traveled to Detroit to talk to the survivors of the Indianapolis sinking after losing the brother and the accounts helped the family to cope.  and hearing that the part of the ship Uncle Amby was on is where the first torpedo hit so it was unlikley he had to deal with the 3 days of sharks picking the men off one by one.  After hearing from her account I had to read the book and loved the movie when it cam out about the Indianapolis.

And we cannot forget the soldiers right now Fighting a tough battle!

I read that book Dakota...WOW.  That had to be something else.  I could not even imagine for a second what that had to be like.  Hey John, I too am a WWII buff.  While I was in the service I spent 3 years living in Germany and got to travel around a bit.  Actually went to one of the camps and reality hits you right in the face when the smell is STILL there!  Make you appreciate what you read in the text books a whole lot more!

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Guest Terry

Didn't foget ya Banner........ Going to my Dads house next week, will get the picture for ya. I seen one he has also of 100's of them in the sky dropping in, nothing but white shoots falling from sky, he still has his rip cord also, pretty cool. Lot of Eagle stuff also like patches on BDU stuff, two purple hearts, He was pinned down with no ammo etc.... Then Patton came in etc...... They called them the pukeing pelicans as they dropped in, I have the Bastone plack also that says NUT'S !!!!!! Not many of those guy's still with us, My dad is 88, born 1922. And plays golf at 88 years old.................... ;)

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Guest Terry

Well it did'nt scan to good but here is one of the pictures.

post-0-12986554852639_thumb.jpg

post-0-12986554889808_thumb.jpg

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very cool! Thanks for posting. I love stuff like this!

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