To my fellow Veterans...

MCMLVTopps

We did our time, oftentimes in some nasty places. Many of us didn't want to be where we were, some volunteered, others were drafted. Our sacrifice cannot be measured by mere words, only we know what it was like to be thousands of miles from home and in a combat zone. There were many lonely days and nights, counting the days to be able to go home.

We did our best and served our country, it would be impossible to forget those times. Always remember those special guys/gals that served with us. I'm not sure if I'd say "Happy" Veteran's Day, but I'd surely say we did our best when we were called upon.

Korea, Vietnam

GroceryRackPack

perkdog

Proud of my Father

USMC infantryman 1968 Vietnam

He still to this day has survivors guilt

2dueces

My father enlisted December 8th, 1941 the day after Pearl Harbor at 17 years old with my grandmother’s permission. At 5’8” 120 pounds he was the perfect size for a tail gunner in the Army Air Corps.
To all you veterans, thank you for your service.

stevek

@2dueces said:
My father enlisted December 8th, 1941 the day after Pearl Harbor at 17 years old with my grandmother’s permission. At 5’8” 120 pounds he was the perfect size for a tail gunner in the Army Air Corps.
To all you veterans, thank you for your service.

Tail gunner. I've seen war videos showing that was the most hazardous position on the plane, and all the other positions were already quite hazardous.

Courage beyond most people's comprehension, including me.

thisistheshow

To all of the veterans, I say thank you!

doubledragon

None of us will ever understand what it was like, all we can do is thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your service, thank you Al, and thank you to everyone who served. 🖒

perkdog

@2dueces said:
My father enlisted December 8th, 1941 the day after Pearl Harbor at 17 years old with my grandmother’s permission. At 5’8” 120 pounds he was the perfect size for a tail gunner in the Army Air Corps.
To all you veterans, thank you for your service.

My father lost an uncle at Pearl Harbor

galaxy27

my grandfather served in World War II, and here are his medals that my mother allowed me to keep.

clockwise, starting top left:

Air Force Commendation, Purple Heart (he was shot multiple times in the Battle of Tarawa and survived), Army Good Conduct, American Campaign, Pacific Campaign, Victory Medal WWII

he told me a number of harrowing stories. compatriots next to him in bunkers who died right before his very eyes, Japanese women and children who jumped to their deaths because they were petrified of being captured, et cetera. visuals that haunted him for the rest of his life.

he loved sports -- football, basketball and especially baseball -- but all of the kneeling that took place late in his life really bothered him. so much so that he almost stopped watching games because of it.

this is my favorite picture of him. first time i saw it i messed with him and said, "looking a little James Deanish there, are we?" the best part for me is the cig between the fingers. he was a chronic smoker the majority of his life. i did a rough calculation based on the info he once gave me and i determined that he smoked three quarters of a million cigarettes in his lifetime. he was even trying to fire up in his final days. the man dodged bullets -- literally and figuratively -- and died in 2017 at the age of 92.

stevek

My only regret in this thread is that I can only give each post one "Like" - I'd like to make it a thousand.

ajaan

@2dueces said:
My father enlisted December 8th, 1941 the day after Pearl Harbor at 17 years old with my grandmother’s permission. At 5’8” 120 pounds he was the perfect size for a tail gunner in there Army Air Corps.
To all you veterans, thank you for your service.

My uncle was a tail gunner in a B-24 flying out of North Africa. The family lore says he lost his hair from fright. I have a copy of the diary he kept. Very interesting reading.

stevek

@ajaan said:

@2dueces said:
My father enlisted December 8th, 1941 the day after Pearl Harbor at 17 years old with my grandmother’s permission. At 5’8” 120 pounds he was the perfect size for a tail gunner in there Army Air Corps.
To all you veterans, thank you for your service.

My uncle was a tail gunner in a B-24 flying out of North Africa. The family lore says he lost his hair from fright. I have a copy of the diary he kept. Very interesting reading.

You could do a Youtube audio of that diary, and I think a lot of folks would click-on to watch it. I know I would definitely click-on to watch it.

I realize it would be a lot of work, but decent coin can be made doing it.

Wouldn't really need to do too much visually. Perhaps a few pics of your uncle, interspersed with some stock pics of B-24s, stock B-24 videos, etc.