# Grandpa was a Tommy Gunner! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 26, 2006, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-was-a-tommy-gunner/370292 "2006-08-26T04:07:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-was-a-tommy-gunner/370292/1 "2006-08-26T04:07:55Z")
I have been making a display for my Father’s Service Flag, and his medals. Some time ago, I mentioned his service career in the thread [A Soldier’s Life](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=5424478#post5424478) I got in touch with the Department of Army, and they said sure, they would send to central records, verify his list of commendations, and send me a full set. That was a couple of months ago. I remember one medal, from my childhood that dad had in a box, and as a soldier, I knew he qualified for at least the National Defense Service Medal, and in all likelihood, the Good Conduct Medal. So, I was planning on four medals in a display box, to be hung below the box for the Flag. The package came today, from the Department of the Army. There are ten medals in it! Ten! I know for a sure fact Dad did not wear the ribbons for ten medals on his class A uniform when I saw him in it. (Of course he wore enlisted men’s pants, and hat, so go figure uniform regulations, and Dad.) The complete list is: \*\*Army Commendation Medal Good Conduct Medal American Defense Service Medal National Defense Service Medal, with Bronze Star Attachment (1). (for a second award of the NDSM) American Campaign Medal European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal Army of Occupation Medal and Japan Clasp Armed Forces Reserve Medal United Nations Service Medal, with Korea Clasp He also has one Sharpshooter badge (carbine) and one Expert badge (Submachine Gun!). Grandpa, was a Tommy gunner! Damn good one, evidently!\*\* Oddly enough, he was not awarded the Vietnam Service Medal, since he was in Viet Nam at a time we were not officially in Viet Nam. (Technically, he was an advisor, and not “under arms” while he was there.) He was unofficially shot at, and fortunately, unofficially missed. I seem to remember him mentioning unofficially shooting back, but perhaps that is left to conjecture. Tris ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-was-a-tommy-gunner/370292/2 "2006-08-26T05:23:22Z")
That is just so cool! I mean, how really, really cool is that? ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-was-a-tommy-gunner/370292/3 "2006-08-26T05:28:27Z")
The Tommy Gunner part is what really blew my mind. Not all that many Lt. Colonels are experts on automatic weapons, I do notice that he evidently never bothered to qualify with a pistol. Now I know why he didn’t have one when he got out, like my Grandfather did. Shame I never got to inherit the damn Thomson! Tris ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-was-a-tommy-gunner/370292/4 "2006-08-26T05:33:55Z")
That is just fantastic! What a wonderful and unanticipated gift. Though I am sorry that you will have to find a bigger box 🙂 I think that now I’m going to have to contact the Marine Corps regardng my dad. He too served in WWII, and just died back in March. He was 11 days shy of his 18th birthday the day Pearl Harbor was attacked; he tried to enlist the next day, but was turned away. He went back a couple of weeks later, and wound up getting an all-expenses paid tour of the South Pacific. He serverd until the end of the war, then returned to civilian life. He never really talked about his time in the service; all I really know is that he was a mechanic, made it as far as Staff Sergeant, and was not at all hapy about having to make the trip home via submarine. Perhaps I can uncover a few mysterious gems as well. Thanks for giving me the inspiration. Semper Fi ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-was-a-tommy-gunner/370292/5 "2006-08-26T06:01:37Z")
Thanks for the service your father gave for our country. My late FIL always told his children he had given his medals (from WWII) to his mother, who had destroyed them. After the death of my FIF, we not only discovered the metals but many other artifacts my intelligent FIL had hidden. They will be donated to Fort Benning, after Dad’s great grand-son has had a chance to understand them. ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-was-a-tommy-gunner/370292/6 "2006-08-26T06:43:46Z")
My most sincere congratulations. I am not trying to start a debate here, but just between you and I, you have every reason to be very proud. The dude is a hero to me! ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-was-a-tommy-gunner/370292/7 "2006-08-26T06:51:15Z")
He **could** be a [grease gunner.](http://world.guns.ru/smg/smg32-e.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-was-a-tommy-gunner/370292/8 "2006-08-26T07:08:29Z")
[QUOTE=Boyo Jim] He **could** be a [grease gunner.](http://world.guns.ru/smg/smg32-e.htm) [/QUOTE] Yeah, yeah, yeah. But he was an ordinance officer. If you were in charge of ordinance, and chose your own sub machine gun, what would you choose, huh? Tris ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-was-a-tommy-gunner/370292/9 "2006-08-26T07:13:58Z")
[QUOTE=Triskadecamus] Yeah, yeah, yeah. But he was an ordinance officer. If you were in charge of ordinance, and chose your own sub machine gun, what would you choose, huh? Tris [/QUOTE] If I was around in the 50’s and had a cool leather jacket, I would want a grease gun. 🙂 Also, if you haven’t heard it, I reccommend to you Warren Zevon’s “Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner”. ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-was-a-tommy-gunner/370292/10 "2006-08-26T07:18:07Z")
[QUOTE=LiveOnAPlane] The dude is a hero to me! [/QUOTE] He was a father to me, and all the hero I ever needed. Thanks for noticing. Tris ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-was-a-tommy-gunner/370292/11 "2006-08-26T07:23:34Z")
And of all the Thompson Gunners, Roland was the best. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-was-a-tommy-gunner/370292/12 "2006-08-26T07:34:12Z")
> [@](#): > > I do notice that he evidently never bothered to qualify with a pistol. My Dad qualified as Expert on the M1903 Springfield, the M1 Garand, the M1 carbine, The BAR, the 75mm Pack howitzer, and the 105mm field howitzer, (no mention of the Thompson), but he could never qualify on the M1911 .45 pistol. He told us that he always envisioned writing a combat report, “Lt. B drew his pistol and hurled it at the oncoming enemy.” ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-was-a-tommy-gunner/370292/13 "2006-08-26T10:09:09Z")
My husband was in Vietnam during his service in the Marines 62-66 and he got the Service Medal. What years was your grandpa over there? Also, I’m interested in hearing how long it took for you to get the medals. We screwed around with these people for the better part of two years. We asked for one thing and got another, blah, blah, blah. Very frustrating. It was fun to receive them in the mail finally. Incidently, when we were trying to get my FIL into the VA system, we found out that a huge chunk of paperwork (including his) was lost in a big fire where they were stored. I thought that was really sad for people who had illustrious military time. He was only in for 9 months, and a gazillion miles from the front. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-was-a-tommy-gunner/370292/14 "2006-08-26T13:39:54Z")
**Trisk** Your Grandpa could kick ass and take names. How cool is that?! I bet he could take on Chuck Norris and win! ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-was-a-tommy-gunner/370292/15 "2006-08-26T15:50:08Z")
[QUOTE=Shirley Ujest] **Trisk** Your Grandpa could kick ass and take names. How cool is that?! I bet he could take on Chuck Norris and win! [/QUOTE] I don’t mean this to in any way diminish your grandad, Tris, but with a Tommy gun and a 105 mm howitzer, **I** could kick Chuck Norris’s ass. _If_ there was anything left of it to kick, ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-was-a-tommy-gunner/370292/16 "2006-08-26T16:05:30Z")
[QUOTE=Boyo Jim] I don’t mean this to in any way diminish your grandad, Tris, but with a Tommy gun and a 105 mm howitzer, **I** could kick Chuck Norris’s ass. _If_ there was anything left of it to kick, [/QUOTE] I understand. In the later years of his service, Dad’s primary weapon was the Nike Hercules Missile (a nuke). Sorry Chuck. **Kalhoun** , Dad was in Vietnam in 1955. (Yeah, I know, we weren’t _in_ Viet Nam in 55.) He came home in 56. ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-was-a-tommy-gunner/370292/17 "2006-08-26T16:18:30Z")
[QUOTE=Kalhoun] Also, I’m interested in hearing how long it took for you to get the medals. [/quote] From first to last, including trying to find out who to send stuff to, it took about six months. > [@](#): > > Incidently, when we were trying to get my FIL into the VA system, we found out that a huge chunk of paperwork (including his) was lost in a big fire where they were stored. Yes, there was a very large fire, and also at least one very large flood that destroyed records of the WWII veterans. My father’s records were not part of that, but there were tens of thousands of veterans who were less fortunate. It’s a shame. Tris