No, thank ** you **!
I have absolutely no words, and can’t even hope to relate, but I do serve and I do appreciate those that went before me. I just had some Canadian friends come down for the weekend, and they were surprised that the US Veterans Day isn’t something bigger. I told them that our Memorial Day is our big ‘military holiday’ but has been transformed into the ‘beginning of summer holiday’. A shame, really . . .
Tripler
::standing and saluting::
Jasper, my dear friend. I saw this thread, and was afraid to read it, so I put it off. I put it off the second time too, wasn’t ready for what I knew I would find inside. This time, I made myself read it. (well, most of it, I’ll have to take it in doses I guess). It warmed my heart to hear how the Americans and Canadians are still appreciated for what they did there. And, all the other Allied as well.
Both of my parents were on active duty during WWII.(I was a late kid, they would be in their 70’s now had they lived). To this day I don’t know what my dad did, he was never allowed to talk about it. Something to do with communications is all I can tell you. Mom flew supply planes, as one of the very first WAC’s (Woman’s Army Air Corp). I was raised on stories about the Holocaust that I still can’t bring myself to tell you here. It made an impact on them that lasted till the day they died. The look in Dad’s eye especially, sometimes when there’d be something on tv about it…I have no words to describe that look.
I got a taste of that I think when I was in the Philippines when so many of the POW’s were coming home ('71-'73). I was barely a teen then. Everyone on the base who could tried to meet almost every plane that landed. I went with my track team, my girl scout troop, our choir, and sometimes with my family. My own POW (the name on my bracelet) came home, and I got to meet him. We broke the bracelet together, and he kept his half. While I can’t describe adequately, so I won’t try, the look in their eyes, I can tell you that each and every one of them had that same look, and their eyes will haunt me for the rest of my life.
Now, and since my son was 7yrs old, on the day before Memorial Day, he and hundreds of other boy scouts walk around and place an American flag on every grave at the Ft. Sam Houston Nat’l Cemetery, including those of three of his grandparents and several friends of his parents. (We’d go early so he could do that.) My heart swells inside and the pride in those men and women who served our country and helped so many more countries just overflows through my eyes, as they are now.
What they all said. Thanks, my friend. {{{{{{Jasper}}}}}}
As for me and my house, we will NEVER forget.
<wiping at my eyes, hoping no one notices> Now, where did those darn kleenex’s go, got a runny nose, that’s all.
Dad wasn’t well-spoken but he did have a sardonic, bitter sense of humor: He once described himself as “a political prisoner of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.”
An Ordnance Corps “gun plumber” in the 721st Field Arty Btn, 66th Inf Divn, Dad had the unenviable and necessarily lonesome job of clearing hangfires out of the 155-mm howizers. If you don’t know, a hangfire is when you’ve pulled the lanyard (the gun’s “trigger”), the primer cap’s gone “pop,” but the propellant (powder) didn’t fire the shell out of the howitzer barrel. When you’re clearing hangfires, the charge could still detonate with no warning if it’s smoldering, and once you’ve opened the gun’s breech (the back end), you could be on the receiving end of a very unpleasant and lethal experience.
As I was growing up, it was routine for Dad to be up at all hours of the night, sitting in the darkness at the dining-room table, smoking cigarettes and thinking. He was never able to talk much about a lot of his war experiences, but I know he had his share of close calls, saw things nobody should have to, and lost cousins and good friends. I’m deeply grateful to all the veterans everywhere, but I’m particularly appreciative that I’m the son of a World War II veteran.
In response to the “Waltzing Matilda” discussion, I would like to point people towards Benjamin Britten’s “Ballad of Heroes”, with texts by Randall Swingler and W.H.Auden about those men who fought and died in battle not because they loved war but because they loved peace.
I’ve searched all over the web and can’t find the lyrics, alas, but I’ll keep looking. It’s quite a moving work, and always makes me cry (which is awkward if one is singing it at the time). Not to be confused with Britten’s excellent War Requiem (although I know of at least one recording that has both works on it).
jr8
“To you we speak, you numberless Englishmen, to remind you of the greatness still among you…”
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Nukeman *
**
I understand how you feel: A USN diver was murdered in a famous terrorist incident. I never knew him, but I’ve never been able to forget him because we’re exact contemporaries.
I debated with myself for the longest time before posting to this thread…
I had two uncles in the army duwing WWII, one in Korea, my Father in both Korea and VietNam, three cousins in Nam and I fought in Desert Storm.
Very few things bring tears to my eyes any more, but this thread has managed to do so repeatedly. I am a member of the local VFW and am proud to be so. Were it not for the courage of these men, we would not be able to live the life that we do today. One of the men in my VFW lost both legs while on a bombing mission over Germany in WWII. One lost an arm during the Battle of the Bulge. One lost an eye, a hand and one leg on Iwo Jima. At the time these things happened, these men were in their 20’s!!! I find it hard to imagine todays 20 year olds doing the same thing. I have the greatest respect in the world for ALL veterans whether they served in a combat zone or not and pray that MY children will never know firsthand the horrors of war and personal combat.
Thanks for a great and especially moving post Coldfire.
Bill
I’ve read some more, and cried some more. And realized I left out some important things as well. My husband <just for you, Coldy ;)>, MrBear to most of you, is retired AF, and while Desert Storm was going on he was busy hopping all around the country training those who would go in Combat Medical Care and other such classes. They decided he was too valuable teaching that for them to send him over there, and as a wife I can’t be sorry for that. A dear lifelong friend of mine was over there, as a Chaplain’s Asst. and to this day I can’t get him to tell me very much about his time over there. But he gets a certain look in his eyes when I try to bring it up…
Our son just started college on 3 scholarships, one of which is a full 4yr AFROTC one. His goal is to be a JAG lawyer and serve his time in the military. So continues the family tradition; the men serve and the women wait and pray.
Thank you again, Coldfire and all of you who have shared your stories with us. I’m reminded anew why I’m so proud to be an American, and more importantly, a member of this race we call human.
Sigh The one time I forget to preview because it’s late at night… I’m sorry folks. That’s supposed to say just for you, not a smilie there.
I don’t know how I missed reading this thread before, but I’m glad I just stumbled across it. Even though I usually consider myself more aware of things than a lot of my fellow Gen-Xers, and I do appreciate the sacrifices that our veterans have made, and all who have fought for freedom no matter what their country, this made me stop and think a little deeper.
Exactly six years ago this week, I visited a penpal in the Netherlands. I remember commenting to my friend that I was very glad to have her interpreting for me, as I was afraid people would think I was a typically arrogant American tourist expecting them all to speak English to me because I didn’t speak Dutch. My friend replied that I shouldn’t worry, because many Dutch people can be distant to each other, “but they will bend over backwards to do anything for you if they know you are American.” I wondered why, as the Netherlands certainly seemed like a prosperous enough country not to need our tourist dollars that badly. It never occurred to me that it might be because of the role Americans had played in WWII. My friend, being of Indonesian descent, probably didn’t understand it from that perspective either as her family did not come to Europe until after the war.
I wish I had understood then why we have a special place among Dutch hearts. Three of my grandparents served in the war. My maternal grandma never saw battle, of course, and my maternal granddad passed away long ago and I don’t even know which theater he fought in. My paternal granddad was in Europe though, landed at Normandy and helped liberate Europe, and it would have meant a great deal to me to let him know that even a couple of generations later, the sacrifices he and the other soldiers made is still remembered. Unfortunately, he passed away last year at age 86. He never talked much about his experience in the war, and most of what I know about it is secondhand. He was one of the kindest-hearted human beings I have ever met, though.
I loved him for all the things he did for me growing up, and even more now thinking about the things he did for others - who he didn’t even know, just because it was the right thing for him to do.
For the record, my friend was right. Everyone was incredibly friendly and polite to me when they found out I was American. On the other hand, they seemed to act much the same with their fellow Dutchmen as well.
Whichever holidays everyone is celebrating, you have my wish that they be peaceful and happy.
~ Randi
Wolfgrrl, that was lovely.
Tonight, I will be standing at the Dam Square in Amsterdam, along with about 150,000 others. Again, I will observe the two minutes of silence at 7:58 PM. Those who died and those who fought for our freedom may never be forgotten.
It’s going to be the first time that my grandfather isn’t there anymore. He died last summer at 87 years old (you can read about his wartime actions and Royal Decorations elsewhere in this thread). And as time goes by, more and more freedom fighters will slip away from us. That’s why, if anything, it becomes more and more important each year to remember them. They may be gone, but they may never be forgotten.
Tomorrow, May 5, we celebrate our regained freedom, and freedom in general. Usually, Prince Bernhard (husband of former Queen Juliana) conducts an inspection of the veterans, as they march past him outside Hotel De Wereld in Wageningen, the place where he made the Germans sign a treaty of defeat in 1945. Due to hoof and mouth disease, this ceremony cannot take place this year. And with the health of the 91 year old Prince as it is, it’s not unthinkable that he will never be able to inspect the parade again. I hope this tradition, too, will continue though. The sheer pride on the faces of the veterans (mostly Dutch, but of course there are always Canadians, British, and American vets as well) as they march past the Prince, saluting, always gets to me. These were the men that fought for my freedom. They deserve to live forever. But unfortunately -and logically- their parade, too, grows shorter every year.
So I’ll repeat what I’ve asked before in this thread. If you have a veteran in your family, or if you know one in your neighbourhood, make sure they’re not forgotten. Make sure they know we still care. Shake their hand, and thank them for risking their lives for our freedom. And tell them a lot of people are thankful. Everywhere.
One guy in Amsterdam would be very grateful if you made these guys smile.
I was going to quote the relevant verse from The Band Played Walzting Matilda, but I already did last year on page 2.
And women! One of my dearest friends is a woman who flew helicopters in the Gulf War.
… which was about freedom too, sort of. 
Didn’t mean to exclude women per se, but my WWII mindset made me type “guys” - WWII vets are, of course, almost exclusively male. There are numerous women who have played major roles in the Resistance, however, so your point is certainly valid.
Many American women, my grandmother included, were part of the Women’s Army Corp. I’d tell her thank you for her role in helping the fight for freedom, but we lost her about 10 years ago. Both of my grandfathers also fought in Europe (and one also was in the Pacific for a while, I think), but they are gone, too. Your posts are very poignant for pointing out that we are losing the opportunity to thank and praise these people for what they have done. Thanks again, Coldfire, for this thread.
Darn it, Coldfire. You can warn me the next time you type something that can make me cry. I’m at work, for crying out loud!
That was really beautiful, though. And inspirational. I think the idea of your parade is wonderful, and it makes me wish that we did more here to recognize and remember our country’s heroes.
Great thread. I remember this one the first time around. I was lurking without registering and it stuck in my head as what can make this place worth coming back to. It made me sit back and truly appreciate what those vets had done and how much they should be recognized. This thread had the greatest impact on getting me to register here. Just forget the detail that I didn’t register until August.
Both my grandfathers were in there mid-twenties raising families when the US entered the war. Thankfully, they didn’t go (more than likely I wouldn’t be here because my parents were born after WWII) but I miss the chance to honor them for their service. I do honor them in other ways and for other things. Raising great children that would be my parents would be one thing. Unfortunately, my mom’s father passed away before I was born but I still cherish my dad’s father.
As far as vets go, my father and all of my uncles have served in the US military at one point in their lives. Some have seen action and some have not, but I still am thankful for all their service in protecting this nation and its ideals.
I got to go now before I start bursting out it tears. 
**IMO T/5 Richard O. Nichols 1924-1994 **
Coldfire, I am very glad to see this thread (how did I miss it last year?) and be able to say a few words about dad. He served in the Pacific, island-hopping as far south as New Caledonia and to such places as Pelelau (sp?), the Phillippines and ultimately to the occupation of Japan.
He didn’t see combat, though his unit would often arrive on an island when there were still Japanese snipers. The only medals he came back with were a sharpshooter and a good conduct medal.
But his would have been one of the units used in the invasion of Japan had it been necessary. Gives me horribly ambivalent feelings about Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
He didn’t talk much about the war, though I was able to get a few bits of information from him before a stroke at age 61 left him paralyzed and mostly unable to speak. He says that he “probably” saved the life of a Phillippine civilian who was badly wounded with an infected arm, by getting him medical supplies, including antibiotics. I strongly suspect him of being over modest.
He was also able to help a family of Japanese civilians who had been pen-pals with him prior to the war, and was showered with gifts in return. One of my most precious possessions is a small deeply carved lacquerware box from those friends.
Like most of his contemporaries, he had a strong sense of duty. Having grown up as the youngest of five children during the Depression when his father lost the family apple orchard,he knew something of hardship. His experiences gave him compassion rather than bitterness, and he was the finest individual it has ever been my privilege to know.
Memorial Day seven years ago was the last day I saw him, when I visited to help my mother and aunt decorate the various graves at local cemetaries. He died a few days later.
It pleases me that he had many Japanese friends, and that my mother has continued sister-city efforts with a small Japanese community, including a visit there and hosting many many visitors in her home.
Thanks, dad, and to all who served. Many of us boomers (and Gen Xers and Yers as well) appreciate your efforts
Are they taking nominations for “Best Thread Ever”? Because I would like to make one.
Unfortunately, I didn’t start lurking on SDMB until July last year, because my grand-father would have loved to have read this. He died a couple of months ago at the age of 86.
As a Welsh Territorial (militia), he was called to active duty prior to the outbreak of WWII, and was part of the occupation forces afterwards. In all, he served more than seven years. He used to tell stories of when he trained as a radar mechanic, taught by instructors who had never seen radar equipment themselves.
Thanks for reviving the thread – I’m glad to have read it.
Thanks Coldfire for reviving this thread. Soon, in America, we will be celebrating Memorial Day. Many people just think of it as another day off, and another reason to drink large quantities of booze. I can only hope that with this thread the American Dopers will pay their due respects to the men and women of the armed forces who lost their lives (and freedoms) because of that war.
You don’t have to do anything but to shake the hand of a vet, or plant some cheap American flags at a Memorial cemetary. Honor those who have gone before.
Once again, thanks Coldie. You are a master wordsmith and a true patriot.