RE: My Grandfather's Military history (Full Version)

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seydlitz_slith -> RE: My Grandfather's Military history (6/2/2008 2:45:14 AM)

The plane is a Dauntless. Most likely an SBD-3.
Here is a picture of the same area of the SBD-2 that is at the Naval Air Museum in Pensacola.

The cockpit framing is unique to the Dauntless. I have cross checked my pictures of the Vindicator and other Navy aircraft and can confirm that the framing belongs to the Dauntless.

http://collections.naval.aviation.museum/emuwebdoncoms/pages/doncoms/Display.php?irn=16028043&QueryPage=%2FDtlQuery.php

[image]local://upfiles/6829/7E307F530B7C4BF1B656A1E0A2EAFC29.jpg[/image]



Gem35 -> RE: My Grandfather's Military history (6/2/2008 7:01:17 AM)

I hope to find out from the archives of what rank and unit My Gradfather was in, I am very proud of him and thank you again for the confirmation that the plane in question was a Dauntless.[:)]



panda124c -> RE: My Grandfather's Military history (6/2/2008 9:01:53 PM)

My father was CIC USS Arkansas, during the Pacific cruises, and USS Midway during the Bikini Island test.



Gem35 -> RE: My Grandfather's Military history (6/4/2008 4:58:23 AM)

I was wondering if the artists here at the forums could incorporate my Grandfather's picture and an SBD Dauntless into a banner/sig for me?
Please Please with sugar on top?[&o]



Big B -> RE: My Grandfather's Military history (6/4/2008 5:52:36 AM)

My Father joined the Navy in 1944, he told me 'all the girls were going for guys in uniform' - so he joined up, even though he was 4-F because he was born deaf in his right ear. It didn't take the Navy but four months to find out, so he was discharged by 1945. He never left Great Lakes Naval Training Station, where-ever that is (Illinois I think).

But when Korea came around, the Army nabbed him at the ripe old age of 25. He told them he was 4-F from WWII, but he and his older brother - had burned his discharge papers...and he couldn't prove it. So the Draft took him anyway. He, being a 'character' from Peoria Ill (...his friends at the time were up and coming 'hoodlums') decided that THE worst thing the Army could do to him was send him to Korea (where his cousin just became KIA), took an extended last leave (extended by about 60 days).
The FBI actually arrested him at home, turned him over to the Army - who quickly court-marshaled him, and for punishment - he spent two weeks in the stockade at Camp Roberts California, while his outfit out-processed to Korea....he left with them on the same troop-transport (with 60 extra days leave at home).

By Christmas Day 1951 he landed in Japan, and by January 1952 he started a combat tour with the 5th R.C.T. in Korea as a basic rifleman (he was actually assigned the squad B.A.R.).

He never talked about what he did in Korea until I was 45 yrs old, but now I know that he saw his 'share' and had to kill many Koreans and Chinese - 'close' (he would have been bayoneted 4 times at night - had they not worn FLAK Jackets by '52). I remember he took me aside one evening, and said "just between us boys, I was never in big battles - just a lot of patrol action".

When I was 23 and joined up (in a cowardly way really - my younger brother gave my parents the news I was on my way to Ft Benning GA...I called him from LAX) I was told my Dad cried when he heard the news(during the 1980 Iranian deal)... years later I finally understood why.

He's 82 now and in poor health - don't think he'll see too many more years (months?) But he's still a character.



Gem35 -> RE: My Grandfather's Military history (6/4/2008 6:12:15 AM)

My Grandfather and his good friend trained at Great Lakes during the war.[:)]
It is in Glenview Illinois, a norhtwest suburb of CHicago, where I grew up.



Big B -> RE: My Grandfather's Military history (6/4/2008 6:48:31 AM)

Thanks Gem35, I thought it was around Chicago.
quote:

ORIGINAL: Gem35

My Grandfather and his good friend trained at Great Lakes during the war.[:)]
It is in Glenview Illinois, a norhtwest suburb of Chicago, where I grew up.


Just thinking, I remember my Dad's uncle (by marriage - who was about 5-7 years older than he) was one of the original Darby's Rangers. He was lucky enough to be one of the 9 men that came back from Cisterna Italy (at Anzio, when two of the three Ranger Battalions were wiped out in Jan or Feb 1944).

He said that when he came home during the war, they were all together for dinner, and the record that was playing - skipped and ran (that zipping sound, for those of you who don't know what a record sounds like when the needle runs over the record).
The poor guy dived under the dinner table - reflex I guess. He said he was never the same after the war.

Costs we don't often think about.




Hornblower -> RE: My Grandfather's Military history (6/4/2008 8:45:06 AM)

My uncle Joe was in the 1st ID (North Africa, Sicily, D-Day, the whole 9 yards) and my Uncle John was in the 5th Marines (Peleliu, Okinawa, and Korea).  Oh the fights they had over thanksgiving dinner!  It was better then the football games.   God Bless there souls..



Jam_USMC -> RE: My Grandfather's Military history (6/29/2008 5:11:00 PM)

Haven't been at this forum for a while, new job, new baby, moving, etc. But I have to add my two cents. I work at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Loius, so if anybody has any questions about whose records are there or which were burned, or how to get them I guess I could be of some assistance though I've only worked there for about 6 months. But here is an overview:

ARMY-and only Army- released from service (discharged) 1912-1954, almost all of these are gone. But I have worked two cases where the records were mostly intact. If you write your congressman or senator and ask for the record, we pretty much have to do all that we can to Reconstruct the records using alternate sources, otherwise you'll get a letter saying you are out of luck.

Air Force records: The dates of the burned records are similar to army, but pretty much last names A-H are there, the others, mostly not.

If you want the record of USMC or Navy (starting in 1890 to present), they are all there. Yes, they really are. I've handled dozens of these records in my brief time there. If they were destroyed it was incidental only.

If the veteran, of any branch, was released more that 62 years ago there will be a $50.00 charge for the record because it is archival and now belongs to the National Archives. But, the upside is, if you have the cash, you can get ANY archival record you want--even if you are not related. But that doesn't mean every Joe-bag-o-dounts out there can get a copy of Nimitz and Halsey's records. Those of course are special cases and I haven't been there long enough to know how to get them.

The misnomer about the whole fire thing is that everthing prior to 1973 was destroyed. It is not true. Only one floor burned. It was just the army records, the dates listed above (and roughly half the Air Force), the were the hardest hit by the fire. Unfortantely, that was pretty much every soldier that served in WWI and WWII--and that's a heck of a lot of people.

Here is what is there:

Army: 1954 to present.
Navy: 1898 to present
USMC: 1890 to present.
AF: I won't get into the whole Army, AAC, Air Force thing, but if served in WWII A-Hubbard is there. After 1954, they are all there.

There are really really tons of nuances and details about whose records are there and how to get them. If anybody wants advice just make a post. I visit often enough to keep relatively current of the crazy and ridiculuos events surrounding the world of the WITP forum, and the even more ridiculous world of the constant struggle of good vs. evil--also known as the thread vs. anti-thread.



Hornblower -> RE: My Grandfather's Military history (7/2/2008 5:03:13 AM)

My Great Uncle John served in the 1st ID in world war 2. He volunteered right after 12/7 from Brooklyn.  He was in North Africa, Sicily, and Normandy. He hardly talked of it.  He had a room set up in the back of the house, a library/den, I guess you could call it, where he had his Class A’s hanging up, and some Newspaper clippings  His brother in law, my other great uncle Joe, who is dating Joe’s sister Mary, opted for the Marines. He ended up fighting at Okinawa and Peleliu.  Neither of them spoke much of it, until Thanksgiving.. And for some odd reason from what I remember, the “fight” between them always started Right after the first football game started.  Personally, as a little guy, in awe of what they both did, and thinking I really understood what happened I loved it..  Joe and Johns kids didn’t share the interest, while I did.  Which makes me think that’s why I was the favorite nephew.   
 
Anyway that’s not the point… Uncle Joe really never spoke of what he did- a quiet very reserved dignified man (God bless his soul) I never really understood what he went through and what he kept buried until that one thanksgiving when he called the boys, all 6 of us- yours truly being the youngest, into the back room and he talked.   He talked about a patrol late in the war when they came across a CAMP and the living hell they saw.  I rather not go into details, but he broke down in tears.  Some thing I guess are better left unsaid..



John Lansford -> RE: My Grandfather's Military history (7/2/2008 9:24:13 AM)

My deceased father in law served in the Merchant Marine on an AKA in the Pacific.  He didn't join until 1943 but was at Iwo Jima during the kamikaze attacks.  He was a plane spotter and had such great eyesight he could ID the plane when it was near the horizon.  He stopped at places like Guadalcanal and Saipan but didn't see any fighting at either spot.

Two of my uncles fought in the Army as well; one served in Italy and brought an Italian rifle home, a Carcano that my dad still has.  The other one was in an artillery unit in the Philippines.  Neither one will talk much about what they did in the war...



Q-Ball -> RE: My Grandfather's Military history (7/2/2008 12:59:23 PM)

My Grandfather served in the Pacific, and I am very fortunate in that he wrote a 120-page memior before he died last year. He was a Piper Cub observation pilot with the 218th Field Artillery of the 41st Infantry Division. I have tons of pictures, here is one of his wedding before getting shipped out. When I was a kid I thought all the stories of Biak and Aitape and battles were boring, but as I got older I got more interested and he decided to write the memior. I have posted a story or two in response to a history question on the forum, like the fact that Pilots were issued whiskey rations, or that he was in a Malaria zone for 2 full years and his morale was just fine, thank you.

[image]local://upfiles/6931/F5AB9AD6FADE4E29B2E6565014339585.jpg[/image]

I don't know why his experience was different than others, but he was very open about the war, went to every reunion, and seriously thought of staying active duty after the war. After the war he and a partner bought a Piper Cub---I bet not too many vets flew their plane AFTER the war. He did stay in the reserves and eventually made Colonel.

PS, like GEM 35, I would LOVE to incorporate this photo into an Banner, honoring him as a Pacific War Veteran. I just don't know how to do art!



Canoerebel -> RE: My Grandfather's Military history (7/2/2008 2:19:44 PM)

In some recent posts I mentioned that WWII ships, aircraft, and tanks were the "coolest" ever.  Now that I think about it, so were the uniforms, and also the girls!  Hey, Q-Ball, your grandma was good looking! 



Gem35 -> RE: My Grandfather's Military history (7/3/2008 12:36:15 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball

My Grandfather served in the Pacific, and I am very fortunate in that he wrote a 120-page memior before he died last year. He was a Piper Cub observation pilot with the 218th Field Artillery of the 41st Infantry Division. I have tons of pictures, here is one of his wedding before getting shipped out. When I was a kid I thought all the stories of Biak and Aitape and battles were boring, but as I got older I got more interested and he decided to write the memior. I have posted a story or two in response to a history question on the forum, like the fact that Pilots were issued whiskey rations, or that he was in a Malaria zone for 2 full years and his morale was just fine, thank you.

[image]local://upfiles/6931/F5AB9AD6FADE4E29B2E6565014339585.jpg[/image]

I don't know why his experience was different than others, but he was very open about the war, went to every reunion, and seriously thought of staying active duty after the war. After the war he and a partner bought a Piper Cub---I bet not too many vets flew their plane AFTER the war. He did stay in the reserves and eventually made Colonel.

PS, like GEM 35, I would LOVE to incorporate this photo into an Banner, honoring him as a Pacific War Veteran. I just don't know how to do art!

Send a PM to Feurer Krieg or Dixie among others, they would be happy to help you if you are really really nice.[;)]



Q-Ball -> RE: My Grandfather's Military history (7/3/2008 3:48:02 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

In some recent posts I mentioned that WWII ships, aircraft, and tanks were the "coolest" ever.  Now that I think about it, so were the uniforms, and also the girls!  Hey, Q-Ball, your grandma was good looking! 


Thank you for the compliment! Though back then, everyone had a uniform, so not to unique.

He was very fortunate. He graduated flight school with a group of 6 friends together. The other 5 KIA'ed. He was the only survivor.



Gem35 -> RE: My Grandfather's Military history (8/16/2008 2:22:06 AM)

Going through some more of my Granfather's "stuff" we came across this photo.
Again, can you folks confirm the aircraft for me?


[image]local://upfiles/14028/AD475521134F4FF9A43EF1CB6E6FC81C.jpg[/image]



scott64 -> RE: My Grandfather's Military history (8/16/2008 3:05:45 AM)

My grandfather( Dads side) fought in Italy during the Battle of Monte Cassino. I can't find his book that has his unit history. My other grandfather (Mothers side) fought with the 364th Infantry 91st Division in France during WW I. He fought in Saint-Mihiel (Sept 1918), Meuse-Argonne (1918), Ypres-Lys ( Nov 1918).

[sm=00000028.gif][sm=Crazy-1271.gif]



sventhebold -> RE: My Grandfather's Military history (8/16/2008 8:58:45 PM)

MY grandfather was in the Army WW1 and was on a troop train crossing the country on his way to France when the Spanish Flu sruck the train. He said every time the train stopped they unloaded bodies. He himself came down with it and was in a coma for several days and came out of it most of the rest of his unit wasn't so lucky.

His younger bother (my great uncle) served as a mechanic in an amoured outfit> He met Gen Patton when the Gen  came to him and wanted carpet installed in the back of his jeep. He did the job and the Gen came to inspect it. Evidently he wanted to stand in the back of the jeep. While the Gen was testing it the UNSECURED carpet shifted and he FELL face first onto the ground. Well Uncle Clarence basically had his ass chewed out thoroughly and threatened to be jailed but the Gen calmed down and chuckled "Would you glue it down please....."

So he did....

My great Uncle survived  the war in one piece not a scratch even though he lost some of his friends. The fall of 1945 he came home and went deer hunting outside Fosston Minn. and was ATTACKED and GORED badly by a large buck. He had to kill it in self defense and go to the hospital to be patched up.[:'(][:'(][:'(][:'(]

He always laughed about that.

I had another cousin who drowned in a DD tank on D-Day June 6 1944



sventhebold -> RE: My Grandfather's Military history (8/16/2008 9:17:03 PM)

On the other side of my family my grandfather was an Estonian. When Uncle Joe took the Baltic states in 1939 he and all the men in the family above the age of 16 were ENROLLED in the army at gunpoint. He became a mechanic (I think) and was allowed to go home on leave (hence my mother) He was still in the army when Hitler attacked in 
1941. His unit was overrun and he was taken prisoner. In a strange twist as he was being transported to the fatherland on a prison train it was bombed by American bombers and he was killed. None of the men in the family survived the war.

I went to Germany 86 to 89 and my mom came over and got to see her Aunt who survived the war one last time. She cried since she hadn't seen her last in 1951.  My grandmother wont talk about what happened to her but she absolutely HATES the color yellow. Mom hints about some of their family and friends being executed in a field of yellow flowers.  

I went to Berlin before the wall fell twice and got to see the ruins still standing on the russian side. The bullet holes the blast marks.

Now the russians are running around in Georgia it just marks me shudder and sick to my stomach. I had hoped we were past this crap.[:@][:@][:@][:@] 



John Lansford -> RE: My Grandfather's Military history (8/16/2008 11:11:37 PM)

My father in law served in the Pacific on board an AKA, the Philip K Dickman, from 1943 to the end of the war.  He had originally tried to join the USAAF but by then they had so many aircraft mechanics they didn't want him for that job, neither did the USN, so he joined the Merchant Marine.  His eyesight was so good that he could ID planes when everyone else saw them as a dot, so he got assigned as the spotter on a 40mm AA gun director.  His ship stopped at Guadalcanal after it was a rear area, and was offshore for the Iwo Jima landing.  Some time after that he suffered an injury to his leg and was shipped back to the mainland, where he was when the war ended.  He had some interesting stories about that time off of Iwo though, and when we took him to the USS North Carolina it was like he was suddenly 24 years old again.

I also had two uncles that were in the Army; one in Italy (managed to send home an Italian Carcano rifle somehow), the other in an artillery unit that fought in the Philippines.  Unfortunately both of their records were destroyed in the St. Louis fire...



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