Grandfather Just Found Out

Atrocities · #1 March 27th, 2001, 07:17 AM

My Grandfather, a WWII War vet and winner of two Bronze stars, just found out that several of his old war buddies are still alive and kicking. The Fighting Tigers under General Patton's 10th division, (to the best of my recollection) was the unit he was with. My grandfather does not talk much about the war, but he did tell me after he was blown up by a potato masher (German grenade) he was sent to a hospital, and lost contact with many of his buddies. He assumed that many of them were killed, and gave up on trying to find them until Last month when my mother happened arcossed a web page dedicated to the unit and the men who belonged to it. Low and behold, my Grand father's name was listed as MIA, and she got in contact with them to tell them that he was alive and well. He was very proud to show me all the information and the letters he got from his old buddies. Man, I had no idea how well revered he was by those men. I am immensely (sp) proud of my grandpa. Just thought I would post about it.

Tim Brooks · #2 March 27th, 2001, 08:25 PM

Atrocities:

Way cool! You know, we have heard from alot of the 101st Airborne guys for WWII, having developed 101. It is really interesting to hear their stories of what war was like back then. Your grnadfather must be proud of what he accomplished and that he made it back alive. So many didn't... Glad he found some "buddies".

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Tim Brooks
Shrapnel Games

Instar · #3 March 31st, 2001, 04:16 AM

My grandfather served in Korea, in the Chosin. He doesn't talk about it much either, but damn it musta been mighty damn cold. I have nothing but the utmost respect for our veterans.

Atrocities · #4 April 6th, 2001, 07:23 AM

Here Here.

My dad did 9 years in the Core. Has two bullet holes to prove it too. Man, to think that people believe that we don't need a military today is as fightening as the same concept must have been back in 1901. Funny how things turn out huh?

Psitticine · #5 April 8th, 2001, 07:57 AM

My dad served in Korea. He managed to get home in one piece, more or less, but he never forgot about his buddies who didn't.

He finished his degree and became a psychologist. When the Vietnam War was going on, he opened our home as a sort of halfway house for the returning soldiers and volunteered a lot of his time towards helping them as best he could.

I was born in '70 and so I don't remember too much about those years, but I do remember some of the faces, and the pain they carried. And I'm sure I'll be thinking about them once again this Memorial Day.

Dunno what my point here is, except maybe to say that even though I've lived most of my life in peacetime, I'll never have any doubts about the measure of sacrifice involved in being a veteran or how lucky we should count ourselves to have such men and women among us.