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Spending time with a WWII Vet.
TOOLS1
Member Posts: 6,133
Yesterday I visited with a Gentelman who was in the 82nd Airborn during WWII. We talked about the battle of the Bulge mostly.
Being from the south he talked abouy how cold it was and how he had never seen snow like that before. It seems that his unit was suposed to ship out to the Pacific so thay had already turned in their equpment. All of the sudden they were put on trucks and sent out.
He told me about how men would be wounded and would be back at the lines in a day or two.He talked about how many men were killed and wounded. But did not speak of any one that he knew personaly.
He is planing on going to the unit reunion this year. But does not feel that there will be any more after this one, as most of them have passed away or are in failling health now.
He also told me of his father. His father had received a Purple Hart during WWI. He did not find out about it until 1982, after his mother passed away and he was going through an old trunk. No one had ever spoken of it.
I am so glad that I was able to spend this time with him and look forward to visiting with him again. These men have given so much. What impresses me the most about them is how thay have adapted to live quietly with the ghosts of men and the loss of youth and trust. We have innocence and trust that we feel each day. I have never seen an enemy run at me with frightend resolve to kill instead of being killed I dont sit in a cold wet hole in the ground and wish I could smell my wifes perfume nor do I hope I will get a scribbled drawing from a cousin or a smaller brother or sister and think it is the best part of home.
These men gave up on the idea of playing baseball with their friends on a warm afternoon, only to shoot at people they dont know. They do not speak of it now, my dad never did, and it is difficult to get them to tell about it. It was a different world they left and the war made them different. The world they came home to was familair but not willing to keep a remerberance of the real sacrifice that was laid out. The world just wanted to go forward; not keep what was a sad memory as if keeping it was not pleasant enough to discuss in mixed company . It was as if you dont mention it, it didnt happen or cause any unpleasantness .
I cant imagine the children of today ever knowing what they enjoy now , not knowing what was done for them. I see it again,and again these men are quietly holding their secrets to themselves only to die with them and I am afraid that the real death is people not knowing what they went through; a death of men who gave all and we take forgranted.
The loss is greater than we realize I am saddened at my own ignorance and the future ignorance of those who will not see the gift they gave for us. I would like them to tell what they saw and felt. I would like them to let people know. I am afraid they will go quietly away like thier quiet lives not ever telling us what they have in their hearts.
TOOLS, and toolbabe
Being from the south he talked abouy how cold it was and how he had never seen snow like that before. It seems that his unit was suposed to ship out to the Pacific so thay had already turned in their equpment. All of the sudden they were put on trucks and sent out.
He told me about how men would be wounded and would be back at the lines in a day or two.He talked about how many men were killed and wounded. But did not speak of any one that he knew personaly.
He is planing on going to the unit reunion this year. But does not feel that there will be any more after this one, as most of them have passed away or are in failling health now.
He also told me of his father. His father had received a Purple Hart during WWI. He did not find out about it until 1982, after his mother passed away and he was going through an old trunk. No one had ever spoken of it.
I am so glad that I was able to spend this time with him and look forward to visiting with him again. These men have given so much. What impresses me the most about them is how thay have adapted to live quietly with the ghosts of men and the loss of youth and trust. We have innocence and trust that we feel each day. I have never seen an enemy run at me with frightend resolve to kill instead of being killed I dont sit in a cold wet hole in the ground and wish I could smell my wifes perfume nor do I hope I will get a scribbled drawing from a cousin or a smaller brother or sister and think it is the best part of home.
These men gave up on the idea of playing baseball with their friends on a warm afternoon, only to shoot at people they dont know. They do not speak of it now, my dad never did, and it is difficult to get them to tell about it. It was a different world they left and the war made them different. The world they came home to was familair but not willing to keep a remerberance of the real sacrifice that was laid out. The world just wanted to go forward; not keep what was a sad memory as if keeping it was not pleasant enough to discuss in mixed company . It was as if you dont mention it, it didnt happen or cause any unpleasantness .
I cant imagine the children of today ever knowing what they enjoy now , not knowing what was done for them. I see it again,and again these men are quietly holding their secrets to themselves only to die with them and I am afraid that the real death is people not knowing what they went through; a death of men who gave all and we take forgranted.
The loss is greater than we realize I am saddened at my own ignorance and the future ignorance of those who will not see the gift they gave for us. I would like them to tell what they saw and felt. I would like them to let people know. I am afraid they will go quietly away like thier quiet lives not ever telling us what they have in their hearts.
TOOLS, and toolbabe
Comments
"The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time"...Abraham Lincoln
KC
Who knows what sort of horrors he witnessed? All he will say about Normandy was that he was there. Can you imagine jumping out of a boat under heavy fire and wading ashore while all around you your buddies are being slaughtered? But he kept going and eventually made it home more or less in one piece.
SIG pistol armorer/FFL Dealer/Full time Peace Officer, Moderator of General Discussion Board on Gunbroker. Visit www.gunbroker.com, the best gun auction site on the Net! Email davidnunn@texoma.net
"off"season a large number of the campers were WWII vets.Two were Normandy survivors.I got to hear hours and hours of recollections
from these amazing men.
When "Saving Private Ryan" debuted,I went opening night,with all these stories I heard for nearly Five years of my adolescent life,
running like a video tape on fastforward.
The horror stories of bodies blown apart,and the ocean being red
with blood,came home to me in that theater.
I wish I could go back and tell those men how much I appreciate
what they did,and what they sacrificed.They truly are the greatest
generation.