topic Catching Up On WW2 in Community Chat

Catching Up On WW2

Noel7 — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 22:26:27 GMT

Just spoke with my daughter's second family, she grew up with them, the kids were either at our house or their's. They are Filipino-American, a few of the 3.5 million in the US.

The mom and I were close, she died way too young from cancer, Their father was a much older close compatriot of General Dwight D. Eisenhower during WW2. Others in the family, brothers and cousins fought in the Philippines during WW2 with Americans, saving many American lives.

There's much more to that story for those interested in World War 2.

Re: Catching Up On WW2

hckynut — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 22:40:44 GMT

@Noel7 wrote:

There's much more to that story for those interested in World War 2.

"Killing the Rising Sun"--------Bill O'Reilly

Re: Catching Up On WW2

Imadickens — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 22:44:19 GMT

All war is hell! My father served in the Marines, in the Phillipines, I believe, at least for part of his tour. He never spoke of it only a few guys he served with. My fil was in 8th Air Force, was the waist gunner (I think that's what they called it). Other than saying he got frost bite, he never spoke of it either! I never heard any men who served in the war talk about it at all. After my fil died, one of his buddies wrote a book about their time. The only thing we ever knew about it!

Re: Catching Up On WW2

Noel7 — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 22:46:13 GMT

@Imadickens wrote:
All war is hell! My father served in the Marines, in the Phillipines, I believe, at least for part of his tour. He never spoke of it only a few guys he served with. My fil was in 8th Air Force, was the waist gunner (I think that's what they called it). Other than saying he got frost bite, he never spoke of it either! I never heard any men who served in the war talk about it at all. After my fil died, one of his buddies wrote a book about their time. The only thing we ever knew about it!

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@Imadickens

Your father was quite a guy to have served in the Marines during WW2. You are right to be very proud of him.

Re: Catching Up On WW2

proudlyfromNJ — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 22:50:41 GMT

My FIL was a Marine on Iwo Jima during WWII.

Re: Catching Up On WW2

Noel7 — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 22:52:43 GMT

@proudlyfromNJ wrote:
My FIL was a Marine on Iwo Jima during WWII.

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@proudlyfromNJ

We've had several friends who were Marines. Brave, brave men.

Re: Catching Up On WW2

momtochloe — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 23:01:32 GMT

@Imadickens wrote:
All war is hell! My father served in the Marines, in the Phillipines, I believe, at least for part of his tour. He never spoke of it only a few guys he served with. My fil was in 8th Air Force, was the waist gunner (I think that's what they called it). Other than saying he got frost bite, he never spoke of it either! I never heard any men who served in the war talk about it at all. After my fil died, one of his buddies wrote a book about their time. The only thing we ever knew about it!

@Imadickens my dad was a Marine at Iwo Jima and was seriously wounded. Without a brash, young doctor who stepped in he would have most definately lost his left arm if not his life. He and my uncle volunteered even though both had families with small children. I was very close to my dad and even when I asked him about his service he would never speak of it which to be honest I am kind of bummed but I guess it wouldn't really have changed anything as he was and is still my hero!

Re: Catching Up On WW2

Noel7 — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 23:02:41 GMT

Lovely @momtochloe

Re: Catching Up On WW2

momtochloe — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 23:05:44 GMT

@Noel7 wrote:
Lovely @momtochloe

Thank you for this very kind post @Noel7 as I still miss him every day as he was always not only my hero but my champion . . .

Re: Catching Up On WW2

drizzellla — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 23:11:07 GMT

My Dad was in the 98th Bomb Group. He and a bunch of his fellow service members worked hard and tried to find all the guys who served together, It was quite a group. They had reunions once a year, all over the country.

Yesterday I got back from my husband's reunion of his Vietnam Battalion. This was their 3rd reunion. And they are planning to get together next year. I never went to their reunions before but I am so glad I did. Met a bunch of wonderful people. I will gladly go to next years reunion. And Fort Campbell couldn't have been more accommodating. We even met the current members of the Battalion. What a fine group of men.

Sadly I knew so little about WW2 from school. I have learned much more from traveling, documentaries, books and talking to my Dad and his friends. In fact I corresponded quite a bit with a guy from Belgium, he is writing a book about one of the missions my Dad flew.

Please give us more to the story

Re: Catching Up On WW2

MyGirlsMom — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 23:19:21 GMT

Both my father and father in law fought in WWll. My father in law earned a purple heart and my husband has it. I was explaining the meaning of it to my youngest last week.

Re: Catching Up On WW2

Noel7 — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 23:22:38 GMT

@drizzellla wrote:
My Dad was in the 98th Bomb Group. He and a bunch of his fellow service members worked hard and tried to find all the guys who served together, It was quite a group. They had reunions once a year, all over the country.

Yesterday I got back from my husband's reunion of his Vietnam Battalion. This was their 3rd reunion. And they are planning to get together next year. I never went to their reunions before but I am so glad I did. Met a bunch of wonderful people. I will gladly go to next years reunion. And Fort Campbell couldn't have been more accommodating. We even met the current members of the Battalion. What a fine group of men.

Sadly I knew so little about WW2 from school. I have learned much more from traveling, documentaries, books and talking to my Dad and his friends. In fact I corresponded quite a bit with a guy from Belgium, he is writing a book about one of the missions my Dad flew.

Please give us more to the story

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Hi @drizzellla

Nice to meet you, I enjoyed reading your post, you have two close to you to be proud of, your husband and your dad.

My parents used to talk about WW2 and that began my interest. There are so many facets to that time in history, I've done posts about several before. San Francisco was highly impacted by the war, practicing blackouts, watching the beaches for possible invasions, shipbuilding, and the pain of course of our Japanese-American friends taken to nearby camps. A family friend was born in one of the camps.

Those who fought were such heroes, and the women served in many ways, from nurses on the front lines to taking over so much in the factories.

Re: Catching Up On WW2

Noel7 — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 23:27:22 GMT

@MyGirlsMom wrote:
Both my father and father in law fought in WWll. My father in law earned a purple heart and my husband has it. I was explaining the meaning of it to my youngest last week.

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@MyGirlsMom

Thank you, and belated thanks to your father and FIL, obviously a brave man, as were our close friends from the Philippines who fought for American freedom and their own, and the millions who are now patriot American citizens.

Re: Catching Up On WW2

MyGirlsMom — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 23:33:47 GMT

I watched the "Victory at" films in high school, my husband had to watch them , courtesy of his dad. We both learned a lot about the war in the Pacific.

Re: Catching Up On WW2

CLEM — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 23:39:00 GMT

Oh my, I don't know if I should contribute to this grave conversation or not.

You see, my father and his brouthers and my mother's brothers and all other male relatives also fought in the war. Some came back but others did not. However, they did fight for Germany. They also never spoke of it as far as I know.

But I think when that when the Allies fought against Germany they were not only fighting for their own countries, but also fought to bring freedom for us. And for that I thank all those who sacrificed so much on the other side especially the Americans.

But war is hell.

Re: Catching Up On WW2

Noel7 — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 23:42:55 GMT

@CLEM wrote:
Oh my, I don't know if I should contribute to this grave conversation or not.

You see, my father and his brouthers and my mother's brothers and all other male relatives also fought in the war. Some came back but others did not. However, they did fight for Germany. They also never spoke of it as far as I know.

But I think when that when the Allies fought against Germany they were not only fighting for their own countries, but also fought to bring freedom for us. And for that I thank all those who sacrificed so much on the other side especially the Americans.

But war is hell.

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That was brave of you @CLEM

You have a nice take on freedom for all.

Re: Catching Up On WW2

Bibione — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 03:07:50 GMT

My dad got the equivalent of a purple heart medal.He was about 20 when he just started his military service in Italy.Then Hitler turned on us and he was taken to East Germany for 22 months.

He almost died of starvation and it took him 2 months to go back home near Venice after the war ended.

I worked for over 14 years in a beach resort near Venice renting apartments mostly to German tourists.I made friends with many German customers.The ones who served in the war told me that they had to fight.I even met a tall older man who was in the Gestapo.He was very nice and polite.My dad spoke German and he also became friends with some of my German customers.He never had any resentments against them.