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Military Stories

SixStringerSixStringer Member Posts: 131 ✭✭✭
edited May 2002 in General Discussion
I've noticed that alot of you folx around here seem to be prior service. I myself hope to be a hornet driver some day (should be hearin from the pilot selections board any day now.) Anyhow, just out of curiosity, any good war stories to tell? Funny stories, stories of old friends, stories of heros, anything really.
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Comments

  • RosieRosie Member Posts: 14,525 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Stringer, I'm sure you will hear a few good funny stories, stories of old friends Etc. If you hear any hero stories they will be of someone else, not the teller. If you hear WAR stories of the story tellers exploits they will be just that, stories. At least this is true of everyone I know. I wish you good luck with your future plans. Rosie
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  • robsgunsrobsguns Member Posts: 4,581 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Heros,
    I have had heros. I have known men who seemed bigger than life in my eyes as a youngster, and still even bigger as a young man. When you speak of war stories I think of a war of a different type. I am being a little inspired of a TV show that just finished up for the night. I had already read you thread asking about stories, and I thought maybe that the best thing I could do is tell you of this one.

    As a seargeant in the Corps at Camp Pendleton in '95 I had a dispatcher working for me, us, at 7th ESB. His name was Cpl Brooks. Well liked by all and the father of a beautiful little girl, he was happily married, and an asset to the Corps. Cpl Brooks was having some trouble internally and was sent for a check up. He was diagnosed with cancer. It was not particularly surprising. Cpl Brooks dipped and smoked. Cpl Brooks fought hard and made progress towards overcoming his cancer, and came back to work after a time. Then suddenly he was in the hospital again. Cpl Brooks died after we all went to visit him at Balboa Hospital in SanDiego, or shortly thereafter. I know this is not the type of story you were expecting, but its one with a message. Even though I was of a higher rank, I dont think I ever looked up to anyone more than I was looking up to him at that time. I never saw anyone try so hard to live in my life. I also have never seen anyone deserve the peace that can be found in death than he did. It is strange, but I was so glad to see him finally go. You see, heros come in all types, and for me, he is a hero. I have typed this here, though it may seem out of place, in the hopes that any of you who read this, and smoke, or use tobacco products, might find the strength to quit. You see, you are most likely someones hero. For whatever reason, whether it be from your children, spouse, neighbor, or friend, you may be someone's hero. What you do influences those around you, and your passing will have an affect long lasting. For those who look up to you, and your friends and family, please try to stop smoking, dipping, or whatever. This story has even more meaning to me for a more personal reason. Shortly after Cpl Brooks died, I was on CAX at 29 Palms, I was sitting behind the wheel of an MK48/16, preparing to leave Camp Wilson. A gunny, I cant even remember which one right now, jumped up into the cab beside me in the passenger seat. I was surprised. He looked at me, then looked out the windshield. I was looking at him, and he didnt say a word right away. Then he turned back towards me, and asked "Your mom has a boyfriend, Bill, that has pretty much been your father for the past 10 years?" I suppose I knew what was coming. I said yes. He said, " I dont know any good way to say this, but, you have to go home, now, he's died Roberts. Its stunning when someone tells you someone you have loved is dead. It was like being woke up to the sound of gun fire. I had no idea he had cancer. He never told anyone, when it was no longer concealable, he told my mom, but I never knew, because I wasnt there. I have a picture of him, sitting on the lake in his fishing boat, sun setting behind him, same old fishing hat on, with those dark sunglasses, looking every bit the man's man that he was. Its the way I remember him, and will always think of him. He was my hero. Some wars, well.....you just cant win.

    SSgt Ryan E. Roberts, USMC
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  • Big Sky RedneckBig Sky Redneck Member Posts: 19,752 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If you want real war hero stories, somebody posted a good site a couple weeks ago. For me this is about as real as it gets but I know there are alot of stories that will never be told.
    http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/moh1.htm

    Also to me there are so many real life hero's that one cannot begin to name them all, to me they are as follows.
    The men and women who are or was members of any branch of the military who answered the call of duty and came home. The ones who did not make it home are idols to me.
    The police officer who goes above and beyond the call of duty and has risked his life or gave his life for another human being.

    The firefighters who will go to harms way and face sheer hell for the hopes of saving a life.

    The paramedics, ambulance drivers, helicopter pilots, and the ER doctors who without a care who the person is will give his/her all to save that life.

    The people who wll go without a care to their own saftey to rescue another.

    There are people everyday who risk their lives so anothger may live, these people are professionals and ordinary citizens.
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  • Shootist3006Shootist3006 Member Posts: 4,171
    edited November -1
    It seems to me that there is only ONE major difference between a 'war story' and a 'Fairy Tale'

    A fairy tale starts out "Once upon a time" and a war story starts out "this is no sh&t"



    Quod principi placuit legis habet vigorem.Semper Fidelis
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  • SixStringerSixStringer Member Posts: 131 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Rosie. When I ment stories of heros I ment of others. Obvioiusly a true hero would never call himself that.
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  • v35v35 Member Posts: 12,710 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Rosie, that sounded like a pretty cynical comment. Who are you speaking for ?
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  • beachmaster73beachmaster73 Member Posts: 3,011 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    A couple of years ago one of my cadets told me his great grand father was a hero in WWI and would I let him bring in his medals to show the class. I have heard that before when kids have told me about their families' medals that then turn out to be Good Conduct Medals and "I was there medals". Imagine my surprise when he brought in a oblong blue box with the words "Distinquished Service Cross" on the lower right corner. His great grandfather was a PFC when he earned it so you know it wasn't an "end of tour award" for some 0-8 who actually heard some cannon fire once.
    We had a guy in Monroe Michigan a few years ago named Matt Urban. He was involved with youth and used to take kids camping and boxing. Big colorful guy who had been badly shot up in WWII, for years he never made a big deal about his service. I honestly think he had seven( that's right seven) Purple Hearts. He modestly said he led his troops as well as he could although he did manage to get shot more often than most soldiers. Right before he died, about 10-15 years ago, the Army found a long lost write up for the MOH that had been laying in some bureacrat's desk for forty years. He got his belated MOH but had never discussed his actions which earned it with anyone.
    Sometimes you just never know where someone has been and what they've done. Beach
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  • idsman75idsman75 Member Posts: 13,398 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Beach--The last five years of my life have taught me a few lessons including the lesson that those who "been there done that" (i.e. true heroes) generally don't talk about their feats of heroism. Usually there are plenty of other people that will do the talking for them. The gentleman in your example led the life of a TRUE hero. He didn't need to tell his story and he didn't need someone else to do it for him. Acts of heroism should be praised but too much praise creates a certain risk. Too many will shy away from their opportunity to take the hard path over the easy path because the last person that did so was a "hero". I personally believe that a hero is a common man who is placed in an uncommon situation and rises victoriously when duty calls. It will be a sad day when the common man refuses to be placed in an uncommon situation because only heroes rise from them in victory. Too much chatter stirs the ghosts of those that did not walk from that battlefield to share in the fruits of victory.
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  • woodsrunnerwoodsrunner Member Posts: 5,378 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I managed a short stretch in the signal corps. No stories to tell. Just went to work every day and did my job, until I got discharged for my arthritic knees. But..

    In sept of 1992 I wandered into the little town I grew up in after four years out "finding myself". I got myself a room in a rooming house and settled in. I had been gone long enough that the few friends I had left had mostly moved away, A few others didn't want to have much to do with me, because I started finding myself in the bottom of a bottle before I left. An old guy in the rooming house named Nicky befriended me when I needed a friend most. I gave him rides around town when he needed them and he often met me in the hall with a plate of dinner when I came in from my night shift job. One day Nick spies me sneaking a gun case into my room. It held a P-17 Enfield I was playing with back then. When he asked I showed it to him and he said " I haven't seen one of these since the war". He didn't talk much about the war, but he revealed that they wouldn't let him re-up for Korea. I asked him why and he layed three of those long boxes on the table in front of me. 2 of those held Purple Hearts. A year later Nick died of congestive heart failure. When I mentioned to his daughter that she should see that her son got those medals she replied "that junk, I threw that out yesterday" The dumpster had been emptied in the meantime.

    If you had asked this question to Nick he would have said "I did what needed to be done, A few men I called brothers did alot more. I don't want to talk about it".

    THANKS NICK
    Thanks from me for being my friend.
    Thanks from your country for all you did.
    Thanks from your daughter who hasn't a clue.
    Thanks to those men you called brothers for all they did.
    Semper Fi Nick

    Woods, the allergy sufferer

    How big a boy are ya?
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  • mcneely77mcneely77 Member Posts: 411 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Beach, I read about another hero in Michigan. He was from Bear Lake, Just north of Manistee. I forget the details, but he was light skinned black, lied about his color so that he could be in the front lines in WWII. If I can find the article, I will get the rest of the story. Anyway, he has passed on, but he was credited with saving something like 8 lives in one incident.

    Do not mistake my kindness for weakness.

    IALEFI, ASLET, NRA, and proud owner of a pair of S&W revolvers.
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  • RosieRosie Member Posts: 14,525 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    35, If you have to ask you will never understand. I did not mean disrespect for anyone and if you are looking for a pissing match you will have to look else where. This is to important for that.



    Edited by - Rosie on 05/06/2002 22:13:13
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  • SixStringerSixStringer Member Posts: 131 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I think that these stories are very important at times like this. Right now their is alot of things happening that we have no idea about, alot of men (and women) fighting and dieing in the middle east to keep us safe. In my mind they are all heros, but some of them go above and beyond. I'm sure if you ask them they will just say they are doing their job.
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