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What family members of yours fought in WWII?
Posted on 5/31/13 at 11:47 am
Posted on 5/31/13 at 11:47 am
Warrning: Many of you will find this thread boring. I know the vast majority of you could not care less about my family, but please do not rain on my parade, I'm genually curious as to what the responses will be.
1940's America is by far my favorite time period to study in American history. I love reading or watching anything to do with WW2.
I used to sit in front of the TV with my pops watching the old History channel when it was non-stop WW2 stuff.
Anyway back to the point of this thread:
My fraternal grandfather (the greatest person to ever grace gods earth) volunteered for the infantry at 18. He hadn't even received his High School diploma. (he latter received the physical diploma at my sisters graduation in 2002. Not a dry eye in the place.) He married my Grandmother at a small church in Charleston SC days before shipping off to England.
He went on to land during the invasion of Normandy, the third wave on Omaha beach (thank god he was in the third wave). He fought his way through Europe, battling the Nazi's throughout France and up into Holland. He was involved in almost every major battle of the European theater, including the Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennes Forrest. He eventually made his way across the Rhine where he meet some Russian soldiers, who according to my grandfather, were absolutely bat-shite crazy (shocking).
He never got seriously injured but did get shrapnel through his hand from a German 88 in Belgium. He never really talked about his experience until Saving Private Ryan came out. I think that helped a lot of veterans from that war to speak about their time served.
He had a couple cousins fight in the big one too. One great uncle caught a bullet in the arse in Italy, and another had to bail out of his bomber over a german town, they never found his body, those damn krauts.
My Maternal Grandfather was crazy smart. The Government wouldn't let him enlist and instead sent him to a facility in PA where he made chemical weapons. If you google his name, declassified records of what he was working on pops up. He never talks about it and the one time i asked I got shot down with the quickness.
TL:DR
Both Grandfathers and a couple great Uncles. Out of the 5 members of my family that participated all survived expect one.
'Merica
P.S. I'm sure I have made some spelling or grammatical errors, hopefully Chicken doesn't grade too tough on here.
1940's America is by far my favorite time period to study in American history. I love reading or watching anything to do with WW2.
I used to sit in front of the TV with my pops watching the old History channel when it was non-stop WW2 stuff.
Anyway back to the point of this thread:
My fraternal grandfather (the greatest person to ever grace gods earth) volunteered for the infantry at 18. He hadn't even received his High School diploma. (he latter received the physical diploma at my sisters graduation in 2002. Not a dry eye in the place.) He married my Grandmother at a small church in Charleston SC days before shipping off to England.
He went on to land during the invasion of Normandy, the third wave on Omaha beach (thank god he was in the third wave). He fought his way through Europe, battling the Nazi's throughout France and up into Holland. He was involved in almost every major battle of the European theater, including the Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennes Forrest. He eventually made his way across the Rhine where he meet some Russian soldiers, who according to my grandfather, were absolutely bat-shite crazy (shocking).
He never got seriously injured but did get shrapnel through his hand from a German 88 in Belgium. He never really talked about his experience until Saving Private Ryan came out. I think that helped a lot of veterans from that war to speak about their time served.
He had a couple cousins fight in the big one too. One great uncle caught a bullet in the arse in Italy, and another had to bail out of his bomber over a german town, they never found his body, those damn krauts.
My Maternal Grandfather was crazy smart. The Government wouldn't let him enlist and instead sent him to a facility in PA where he made chemical weapons. If you google his name, declassified records of what he was working on pops up. He never talks about it and the one time i asked I got shot down with the quickness.
TL:DR
Both Grandfathers and a couple great Uncles. Out of the 5 members of my family that participated all survived expect one.
'Merica
P.S. I'm sure I have made some spelling or grammatical errors, hopefully Chicken doesn't grade too tough on here.
37
Posted on 5/31/13 at 11:50 am to Patton
My granddad fought in the Air Force and hates Japs to this day 
Posted on 5/31/13 at 11:50 am to Patton
One grandfather who is no longer with us.
He had a twin that fought too. He unfortunately saw him get gunned down.
Never talked about it.
He had a twin that fought too. He unfortunately saw him get gunned down.
Never talked about it.
Posted on 5/31/13 at 11:50 am to Patton
Had relatives that fought on both sides.
Posted on 5/31/13 at 11:50 am to Patton
Both of my Grandfathers.
One was in the African campaign that moved up through Italy.
The other was in the Pacific campaign and fought a lot over there. Lord rest his soul we buried him this Memorial weekend
... Love Ya Paw Paw 
One was in the African campaign that moved up through Italy.
The other was in the Pacific campaign and fought a lot over there. Lord rest his soul we buried him this Memorial weekend
... Love Ya Paw Paw Posted on 5/31/13 at 11:54 am to McRebel42
quote:
The other was in the Pacific campaign and fought a lot over there. Lord rest his soul we buried him this Memorial weekend ... Love Ya Paw Paw
Truly the greatest generation
Posted on 5/31/13 at 11:54 am to McRebel42
quote:
One was in the African campaign that moved up through Italy.
Same...one GF fought with Patton.
Posted on 5/31/13 at 11:55 am to parkjas2001
quote:
one GF fought with Patton
Man I bet he's got some stories.
Posted on 5/31/13 at 11:56 am to Patton
My maternal grandfather did. I think he was in occupied Japan, Okinawa maybe. He received a Purple Heart.
Another neat thing about him serving is the story of how he and my grandmother met. My grandfather was in the same unit as my grandmother's uncle, and her uncle had her send a picture to my grandfather. He liked how she looked, so he started writing her letters. They had never met in person before, but as soon as he returned from the war, they got married.
Another neat thing about him serving is the story of how he and my grandmother met. My grandfather was in the same unit as my grandmother's uncle, and her uncle had her send a picture to my grandfather. He liked how she looked, so he started writing her letters. They had never met in person before, but as soon as he returned from the war, they got married.
Posted on 5/31/13 at 11:58 am to Patton
My papy snuck into the Navy at age 16, dropped out of high school and forged the necessary documents. Fought in the pacific, never really liked to talk about it too much.
My maternal grandfather was a borderline genius, he attempted to enlist but since he had an engineering degree he was assigned to help design fighter planes. His hearing went to complete shite at around age 45 as a result of being exposed to the crazy loud engines with little to no ear protection.
My maternal grandfather was a borderline genius, he attempted to enlist but since he had an engineering degree he was assigned to help design fighter planes. His hearing went to complete shite at around age 45 as a result of being exposed to the crazy loud engines with little to no ear protection.
Posted on 5/31/13 at 12:01 pm to Patton
quote:
Truly the greatest generation
They really were
Posted on 5/31/13 at 12:04 pm to Patton
My family was either too old or too young for WWII. Dad and mom were born during, and g parents were too old at the time. However, my grandfather sold the very lucrative family business to start a new one that entirely supported the war effort. Which is somewhat wierd, as our family in germany, company, made planes(Fokker) for germany. Other grandfather was a regional supply master for rationing here in the states, which had its benefits
Posted on 5/31/13 at 12:04 pm to Patton
my grandfather fought in a tank destroyer division in the battle of the bulge.
Posted on 5/31/13 at 12:08 pm to TT9
Badass. But I don't think I'd like being in a 1940s Sherman
Posted on 5/31/13 at 12:09 pm to Patton
Grandpa he was in the army d day+5, he also served in Korea, and Vietnam. Retired from the Army after 24 years then started working for a civilian agency that sent him back to Vietnam. Retired from the civilian agency after 30.
Posted on 5/31/13 at 12:18 pm to Patton
Great uncle (maternal grandfather's brother).
Killed in action just outside of Campoleone, Italy 69 years ago this week.
It may have been today. The old army telegrams my mom has lists two different dates (5/31 and 6/1).
Killed in action just outside of Campoleone, Italy 69 years ago this week.
It may have been today. The old army telegrams my mom has lists two different dates (5/31 and 6/1).
Posted on 5/31/13 at 12:19 pm to Patton
Both of my grandfathers. One was a paratrooper in the Pacific and he wouldn't ever walk into an asian restaurant. The other was a Lieutenant Colonel or something in Europe. Never got the chance to meet him.
Posted on 5/31/13 at 12:20 pm to Patton
Maternal grandfather was in the Navy in the Pacific during WWII. Shared all kinds of stories with me growing up (Nothing graphic except when I was older he told me stories about things the natives of the Philippines told them the Japs did to them before the Americans got there). Died back in December. The greatest man I've ever known.
This post was edited on 5/31/13 at 12:22 pm
Posted on 5/31/13 at 12:30 pm to Patton
My maternal grandfather (Pop) was in WWII. He was 101st airborne - the screaming eagles. He was in bastogne as well.
Posted on 5/31/13 at 12:31 pm to Henry Jones Jr
My grandfather was stationed in Hawaii for almost the entire war. His "war stories" are mostly just accolades for the delicious pineapples and nice warm weather.
My other grandfather had really poor vision, so he didn't go to war, but he did work on the Manhattan Project.
My other grandfather had really poor vision, so he didn't go to war, but he did work on the Manhattan Project.
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