We must honor all veterans

[19Fordy]

Remember D-Day
June 6, 1944
Normandy Invasion

Many of whom who died for our freedom as well as those who returned and put our old Fords together on the assembly line. I always think of them when I drive my 40.

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by 19Fordy

Remember D-Day
June 6, 1944
Normandy Invasion

Many of whom who died for our freedom as well as those who returned and put our old Fords together on the assembly line. I always think of them when I drive my 40.

[19Fordy]

Gosh Pete, That photo sure hits home. War is truly hell. Thanks for posting.

[BlueSunoco]

Yes, war is a horrible thing. There are no 'winners' only ole Satan his-self. He loves the suffering death destruction economic turmoil misery worry sadness hate.

[Bored&Stroked]

I respect the sacrifices of all our fallen warriors/heroes - for there is nothing about our freedoms that was ever free. When you watch a movie like "Saving Private Ryan" - you get a small glimpse of what it was like to be tasked with landing on the beaches with an unbelievable amount of firepower being directed at you.

My father was in a submarine in WWII - had many scary tales to tell . . . but D-Day always sticks in my mind as one of the more horrific episodes thrown at the thousands of soldiers who carried out their mission . . . many of which died or were wounded.

Thank you to all who have served . . . we owe you a huge amount of gratitude . . .

[1952henry]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

A good read is D-Day by Stephen Ambrose.

[Flathead Fever]

When I was a little kid, I had a friend that lived across the street. When we were both around 12 his dad started taking us to the gun range each week to practice shooting. Every Saturday we were off to the range. When we'd get home, he'd make us clean those guns until they were like new inside and out. He always said I want you guys to be able to defend yourselves, that's why I take you to the gun range. In his den he had Lugar's hanging on the wall, at least six of them he had taken away from Germans, one was nickel plated with ivory grips. He had a bank safe full of more collectible guns and more bullets stored then I ever seen one person possess, drawers and drawers of them. I never thought to ask him about shooting one of the Lugers, wish I would of. Anywhere you sat in the house there was a loaded handgun within reach, stuffed under the couch cushions, in cabinet drawers, the house was a fortress inside. His wife had one in her purse. Us kids new where all the guns were hidden in the house, knew they were loaded, and knew never to touch them. that was just normal. Today my guns are in a safe, the same bank safe Bob had kept his guns. It was always unlocked and the door open when Bob had it, It would take me forever to get the safe open and then to find the keys to the security locks on each of the guns. That makes them pretty much useless.

I knew Bob was a WWII vet, but he never talked about it until I got to be in my thirties. He was at D Day and marched through Europe on foot. I like WWII jeeps and ask him about them. He said he had never ridden in a jeep; we walked everywhere but he had one story about a jeep. He was standing next to a jeep talking to the driver when a sniper shot the jeep driver in the head. He said riding in a jeep made you more of a target than walking did.

He said the towns he stayed in had prostitutes. The orders would come in to tell the soldiers to move out, but they didn't tell the soldiers where they were going. When they'd get to where they were going the same group prostitutes had beaten them there. Somehow the prostitutes knew where the Army was sending the soldiers before the soldiers knew.

My other good friend's dad was in the Korean war, one of only three guys in his entire regiment that survived, and he got shot in the butt. Now that I think about it his house was a fortress to. The entire backyard had barbed wire strung around the perimeter and he had guns all over the house.

[19Fordy]

Sadly, I did not see any mention of D-Day on the news and did not meet anyone who even mentioned it. Hope it doesn't become a remote memory - soon forgotten.

[TomC750]

My father in law was on a Navy ship in WW2. He was a gunner. He shot down an incoming Baka bomb, a nearly impossible task. Years later while at the ship's reunion he was practically mobbed by those on the ship at the time. It was only then that his family who were attending learned what he did. A true war hero.

[Clem Clement]

Please include the modern wars ie Vietnan, Iraq and on. We suffer as well.
Clem

[34fordy]

Originally Posted by 19Fordy

Sadly, I did not see any mention of D-Day on the news and did not meet anyone who even mentioned it. Hope it doesn't become a remote memory - soon forgotten.

It seems that WWII is starting to slip from history now. My dad was in WWI so I heard about that when I was a kid. There were 3 war surplus stores in our town with lots of WWII leftovers that we kids went to. Neat stuff to us. My older brother had a deep interest in the Civil War so I learned about that also. If not for that the Civil War and Spanish American War along with WWI had already been pretty much forgotten. Even in my little diatribe here I have failed to mention the war to gain our independence from Great Britain. I hope the sacrifice made never becomes irrelevant to me, for all those who fought to keep us and others FREE!

[Blownflatheaddeuce]

Originally Posted by 34fordy

It seems that WWII is starting to slip from history now.

Its may feel that way but not in my house.

Not EVER.

[fortyonerag]

Originally Posted by Clem Clement

Please include the modern wars ie Vietnan, Iraq and on. We suffer as well.
Clem

Amen. Thank you for your service.

[GB SISSON]

Neither my father or my father in law had any desire to travel outside of the USA once they returned home from overseas. I too noticed that I never saw any mention of D Day on television that day. I am very greatful for what all our fighting men have done to keep us free and am exceedingly proud to call myself an American.

[Gene1949]

Originally Posted by Clem Clement

Please include the modern wars ie Vietnan, Iraq and on. We suffer as well.
Clem

About time that was said here. Thank you. I don't know how many times I've wanted to respond to those who lionized WWII but forgotten about us that fought our nation's wars in less than grateful circumstances. TO WIT;
We came home to an ungrateful nation but we fought, bled and died no less than the "heroes" of WWII. Time has mitigated my bitterness somewhat but every year reading the comments here about this time my old lady has to scrape my fat ass off the ceiling.

"Greatest generation"? I maintain children of the '60s were equally if not more so. You see, my generation gave 20% of our citizens the right to vote (If anyone is interested I'll recount my 3rd "cherry jump" at Ft. Benning), had a president assassinated, put a man on the moon AND fought a war for an ungrateful nation. IF that doesn't qualify us as a "great generation" I don't know what does.

Sorry guys, I apologize for the rant but something I've needed to get off my chest for a very long time.

[tubman]

I posted this in response to the same topic on memorial Day. I know it doesn't really help, but it may explain what's happened.

"I know some of you are disappointed when the events of WWII fade into the past and end up being forgotten by some. Unfortunately, these events now belong to the past and will slowly disappear.

To put it in perspective, consider these facts : At the end of WWII in 1945, The Civil War had been over for exactly eighty years. The current year is now 2025; WWII has been over exactly eighty years as well.

Time marches on."

[51504bat]

Originally Posted by Gene1949

About time that was said here. Thank you. I don't know how many times I've wanted to respond to those who lionized WWII but forgotten about us that fought our nation's wars in less than grateful circumstances. TO WIT;
We came home to an ungrateful nation but we fought, bled and died no less than the "heroes" of WWII. Time has mitigated my bitterness somewhat but every year reading the comments here about this time my old lady has to scrape my fat ass off the ceiling.

"Greatest generation"? I maintain children of the '60s were equally if not more so. You see, my generation gave 20% of our citizens the right to vote (If anyone is interested I'll recount my 3rd "cherry jump" at Ft. Benning), had a president assassinated, put a man on the moon AND fought a war for an ungrateful nation. IF that doesn't qualify us as a "great generation" I don't know what does.

Sorry guys, I apologize for the rant but something I've needed to get off my chest for a very long time.

The unwilling, led by the unqualified, to do the unnecessary, for the ungrateful.

[1948F-1Pickup]

I see a sampling of them all at the VA hospital where I work. Not many WWll vets left at this point but I did speak to one a couple of weeks back setting up an appointment for him. A fair number of patients from the Korea campaign, lots from Vietnam. Not as many as you would think from the latest, Desert Storm, etc. I spent 27 years in, but my orders to Afghanistan were cancelled at the last moment in anticipation of “draw-down;” so retirement was the viable path for me. Grateful for all those that gave so much, regardless of when and where.

[Newc]

There are all veterans and then there are a few COMBAT veterans. Very different view points. Newc

[New2restoring]

Welcome home brother