What did you or your family do in the military?

[airtj]

Military Service

Grandma H: Navy Nurse
Grandpa H: AF B-25 or B-24 hydraulic maintenance

Grandpa S: AF B-52 Tail Gun maintenance

Dad: AF Crew chief SR-71, F-4
National Guard Crew chief KC-135

Father In Law: US Navy electrician

Thank You Veterans

 

[Little Chacha]

My Grandfather was a Veteran and he was in the war. My other Grandfather, Ben was also a Veteran, he is 78 years old and I see him all the time. He cannot hear very much but he can hear if he turns his earphone on. Sometimes, it get very static and we hear him coming across the room. My cousin Trent is with the Army. Trent went on a training in Georgia and is now stationed in Colorado. Trent was a boy and now is a man. He calls my Mommy ma'am and his Mommy ma'am. He opens the car door for us and also the door at the mall and at his house or any house. Trent's Dad- Uncle Darrel is with the Navy. Trent did not go for the Navy cause he was upset with his Dad at that time. My other Grandfathers were also Veterans with the USAFFE- that is the US Armed Forces in the Far East. We talked about this at school last week. We salute all the men and women in military!!!!!!! Thank you Veterans......... From Hannah.

 

[NWarty]

Grandfathers:
1- Served with the 78th Infantry Division (Lightning) and fought through to Germany, remained with the occupation forces in Berlin until 1946.

2- Eyesight was too band, but he was exceptional musician and played with the Army Air Force band.

Me,
14 years active duty, both federal and as a National Guard AGR, 13A Field Artillery BN S3, two tours in Iraq.

 

[Naismith]

My Dad was a Captain in the British Army in Burma, was captured by the Japanese, escaped, joined up with the Indian Army until the end of the war. For which he earned the Burma Star and India Star medals amongst others.
The wonderful British government when he died declined to gave my Mum a reduced pension because they refused to recognise his Indian service.

 

[pfflyers]

I had a father-in-law who flew as a crewchief/gunner on B-17s in the ETO. He was a latecomer, by the time he got there most of the time only lead planes carried bombardiers, so he flew several missions as what they called the "togglier", the guy who dropped the bombs when the lead plane did. As a latecomer he was kept in England for a while after VE Day and flew on a few relief flights into Germany so he got a ground-level view of the results of aerial bombing.

My father was younger, missed WWII, served in the USN from 1947 to 1951 as an electricians mate. Did some time on an ocean-going tug (ATF) and an oiler (AO). Never got near Korea. He finished his hitch in Philidelphia, working on the reserve fleet. One of his duties there was prepping the ships and training the crews for transfer to foreign navies. When the Brits sank that Argentinian cruiser in the Falklands he thought he might have worked on that one.

I was in the US Army 1975-78, served as a crewchief on AH-1G and S Cobras at Ft Hood, Tx and in Germany. Did short tour with the National Guard after I got out of the regulars. Got to work on UH-1Ms and the ultimate version of the AH-1S.

My nephew just got out of the USMC, did a tour in Afganistan and spent some time in Okinowa. Haven't had a chance to hear about his service time.

 

[robert41]

I have two uncles that served in WW2. One an MP in the US Army, in Europe. One in the US Navy served on a sub in the Pacific. Both survived the war. My dad served in the Wisconsin National Guard in the late 60's. Dad was adopted and much younger than his brothers. Also an uncle from my second dad, that was in the US Army Special Forces in Vietnam.

 

[TARPSBird]

My father-in-law (RIP) served in a U.S. Army coastal defense artillery unit in in the Philippines in WWI, and later in the Philippine Scouts in WWII.
My uncle Jerome (RIP) served in the Fiji Islands in WWII and died there in 1943 due to accidental drowning.
I served 26 years in the Navy as an Intelligence Specialist in a variety of job assignments, 16 years of my career was in Naval Aviation (recce/fighter/attack).
My son is a Staff Sgt. in the Army, he is presently deployed to Afghanistan.

 

[PRB]

My father was a US Army medic in the Italian campaign in WW-II. After the war in Europe ended his unit, the 262ND Station Hospital Detachment, was put on a ship bound for New York. Half way there they are informed that they were put on the wrong ship, and that this ship isn't going to New York, but to the Philippines, to prepare for the invasion of Japan icon_eek, and “sorry, but you'll just have to come with us.” Can you imagine that?? They hadn't reached the Philippines when the Pacific War ended, but they continued on to the Philippines and finally Japan after the surrender. He got to see what was left of Nagasaki at some point.

 

[fallenphoenix1986]

Maternal Great grandfather was an infantryman in WWI, gassed at some stage and had respitory problems for the rest of his life. He was also the only one of five brothers to survive the war.

Maternal and paternal uncles both served in the merchant navy in WWII, Aleck (maternal) was lost in 43, Jack (paternal) was a bit like uncle albert in "Only fools and Horses", torpedoed five times over the war came home every time, still alive today.

Paternal grandfather was a Horsa pilot at Arnhem, stayed in after the war and made sergent, demobbed before Korea. Now living in a servicemans hospital.

Maternal grandfather had absoloutly abysmal eyesight so spent the war in a shipyard.

My father applied to the RAF, pilot or nothing, unfortunatly his eyesight kept him out.

Like father like son... eyesight not good enough to fly for the RAF however it turns out I pass for the FAA and AAC, currently trying to get into the Navy as pilot... probably not the best time to attempt this with the current butchering the Brittish forces are getting from the bean counters. Failing that I'm a Mechanical Engineer, so if aircrew dosn't work out I'm considering Engineering Officer.

Craig

 

[Flyboy208]

What an interesting read this thread is ... Great Idea !

My Dad was a Doctor / Captain with the 82nd Airborne Division during the mid 60's and participated during the Dominican Republic uprising, the first time the 82nd was mobilized since WWII . 1st Battalion/ 325th Infantry

My Uncle served over 25 years in the USAF, started out as a B-17 pilot in 1944, went on to fly S/A-16's during Korea, and was a liasion officer in South America with the USAF Southern Command, flying numerous other aircraft ... He retired as a LTCOL

Of course I did 8 years with Hornets in the US Navy ...

Perhaps the next Family member will serve in the USMC ...

Mike :salute:

Mike

 

[strikehawk]

My maternal grandfather served in the Army and chased Pancho Villa, said he lied about his age and was about 16 at the time.

My great uncle and namesake served in that Army and survived that PTO while my favorite uncle joined the Marines prior to hostilities an was captured at Wake Island, survived the POW camps. He lived nearby until his passing in 1986.

My Father served in the Navy during Viet Nam and beyond retiring as a Chief Petty Officer in 88 with 30+ years. He was the standard that I judged any other Chief by, maybe not fair but my old man was the archetype CPO.

Myself, retired from the Navy after 20 years, active and reserve, worked the flight deck on the Saratoga at the beginning as a fueler and ended my career as an AO1 with the best Navy SpecWar support squadron ever, HCS-5.

At this time my son is a Sgt in the Marines on his second enlistment with a tour in Iraq and Afghanistan respectively.

Counting all the cousins and those that married into the family, at least one member of my family has served the US continuously since 1939, a tradition that few families can claim.

To all other Brother Warriors out there.....

:salute:

 

[norab]

My dad was photo intel/cartographer with the USAF in post war Germany. Two uncles involved with PT boats in WWII. One was a captain in air rescue attached to a P-47 training squadron out of Millville, NJ. The other served in PT's in the South Pacific, returned from a mission as the only survivor on his boat and never really recovered mentally from it.

 

[roger-wilco-66]

Recollections of great grandpas are dim, one was in WW1 in the navy, the other escaped the perils of WW1 by being stationed in Jerusalem (!!).
Grandpa flew Luftwaffe H-111 and later Ju-88 in WW2, the other was a midget sub designer and later a tank commander (fell in the Ukraine 1944).
I enlisted in the german army as a specialist in military intelligence / electronic warfare back in the eighties.


Cheers,
Mark

 

[rpjkw]

My Dad flew B-25s in the US; he never flew in the war zones. Dad died in 1998 and I wish now I'd asked more questions when I was a kid.

Bob

 

[Cazzie]

Maternal great-great grandfather - fought in the Battle of Staunton River Bridge at age 15 as a Confederate Militiaman.

Maternal grandpa - too young for WW I, served in the Merchant Marine in WW II

Paternal grandpa - server in the US Army Infantry in WW I at age 18. Gassed in combat. Died at the age of 28 in 1928 from repercussions of the gassing.

Father - US Navy WW II, served in the Iwo Jimi and Okinawa campaigns on the AKA 78 Trego, a Combat Cargo ship.

Two uncles, brothers of my father, served in the US ARMY during WW II.Uncle Edward (Red), was in Alaska, but never saw combat. Uncle Allison (Al) served in Europe and was twice decorated with a purple heart and once with a Bronze Star for knocking out a German machine gun nest during the Battle of the Bulge.

Brother - US Army Korea and Germany. no combat

Me - US Navy, no combat, grew up!

Caz

 

[Astoroth]

My father lied about his age to join the US Navy at 17, served on a frigate during WWII. That's really all I know, he wouldn't talk about it much.

Father-in-law was a truck driver for the Army, was assigned to the Manhatten Project. That's all he could tell my wife......ssshhhhh!

I wanted to join the Air Force, but health reasons prevented me from serving.

 

[GypsyBaron]

My father served with the 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division in Italy during WWII.

I served in the US Navy for 8 1/2 years, from 1959 to 1967, and did two
6-month tours in Viet Nam, TDY with OASU/VX-8.

My brother was in the US Army in the 1960's and served a tour in Viet Nam as well.

Paul

 

[warchild]

My father was on either the Philadelphia or the Pittsburgh in the 1920s, and also servedon a gunship during the Boxer rebellion on the Yankzee River.

My Brother Bob, was also a Navy man during the Korean War, but i ont knowwhat ship he was on.. My other Brother Buddy, was a radar man in Northern alaska, also during the Korean War.. I guess he helped set up the DEW line..

I was primarily a perimeter guard in the army stationed at Cmp John F McDermott at Nha Trang VietNam.

 

[wantok]

My maternal grandfather fought in WWII during the Rabaul campaign, PNG, initially as career for the Japanese army and then changed sides to fight alongside ANZAC and US forces as "coastwatcher/local spy." His service as local "intelligence" officer with other native New Britainers went unrecognized to this day. From what I was told, he switched sides because he stole from his own vegetable garden. During the Rabaul occupation, the Japanese laid claim to all local food gardens to which natives weren't allowed to harvest from. As punishment for stealing his own food, he was hung upside down for 24 hours without food and water.

My elder son is a Sgt in the USMC and just left (mid May) for his 4th tour to Afghanistan. His first 3 tours were to Iraq. My second born son is in the USAF and will be leaving for Afghanistan in the Fall.

God Bless all who've served and currently serving.:salute::salute:

 

[rhumbaflappy]

My father was a US Army dentist in WII, Pacific theatre. As a "jaw breaker" he saw some horrific head wounds, as it was the practice to send the head injuries to the dentist, so he could patch them up well enough to get them back to the transport ship.

He also had some unnerving times as Japanese snipers loved to shoot medical officers and nurses. He lost a few close friends that way. And he also went nuts, and was sent to Honolulu for R&R in a psych ward. My mother was in Wisconsin with a toddler ( my oldest brother ), and was beside herself with worry because after 6 months in the hospital, my father stopped writing.

A year later, the Red Cross finally located him. He was arrested on Tinian, because he had no security clearance. Tinian was having a security sweep in preparation for the Enola Gay mission.

My father's wartime rank was Major. And as a Major, no one questioned him, or asked to see his orders when he would board a plane for an island destination as a hitcher. This was a common practice in the Pacific. What was uncommon, was my father. He simply flew from island to island, seeing the sights of the Pacific, totally AWOL, for a year.

Oddly, he wasn't punished... just flown back to Honolulu, and the hospital, where he stayed until he was honorably discharged, and sent back to Wisconsin ( probably under guard ).

He was nearly 80 years old before he told my mother what he did in the war.. he couldn't remember. Perhaps the hospital did something to his memory.

He was very patriotic and had the highest respect for fellow servicemen 'til the day he died. He never joined any post-war organizations ( such as the American Legion ), nor did he ever claim any veteran's benefits. But his headstone has a service ensignia, by my mother's request. He hated war and all forms of violence. He was a dentist post-war for about 12 years, then quit and became an autoworker.

Dick