Veterans Day 2021

[Too Many Projects]

Originally Posted by 1967 4K

I ashamed to say but I don’t know the name of the aircraft carrier he was on. He said he loaded bombs on planes down in the second deck. He was there when the kamikaze pilots were hitting the ships.
Long story about Dads PTS he suffered the rest of his life. RIP Daddy!

Wow, hazardous duty. The flat tops were a primary target for Jap bomber planes, just as theirs were for ours.
Glad he made it home alive.

[Lynn]

My Dad never finished high school. His father was a drunkard and a wife beater. Dad quit school to go to work, as he was the oldest of four children. Someone had to help put food on the table. Not long after that he joined the Army during WWII. Not sure exactly when he went in, but I don’t believe he was 18 yet. Not sure if he lied about his age, or got his Mom to give permission. He continued to support the family while in the service.

By February 1945, as the war was winding down, Dad drove an amphibious tractor in the 672nd Amphibian Tractor Battalion. He fought in the Philippine Islands; nasty jungle warfare. He was involved in the Los Banos prisoner of war internment camp rescue. Dad drove one of the Amphibious Tractors under cover of darkness with nothing but a hand held compass all night to get to the camp simultaneously with the paratroopers dropping from the sky at dawn while Filipino guerillas were sneaking into the camp and slitting the throats of the few Japanese guards still on duty in the camp. The bulk of the guards were in a field adjacent to the camp doing morning calisthenics, so they were easy pickins.

They rescued over 2300 men women and children, all civilians, who were slated for execution THAT DAY. The mass grave had already been dug. Colin Powell said, among other things, that this was the greatest military rescue in American History.
Dad was 19 years old. He never considered himself a hero. I only remember him talking about this ONE time when I as five of six years old. All he talked about was the suffering those starving prisoners had endured.

Here is a link to a little blip written in the late 90’s by a fellow who was a young boy in that camp. http://www.axpow.org/angelsatdawn.htm

There are at least three books written about the rescue. The best one is Rescue at Los Banos by Bruce Henderson. Here is a pic of the jacket for that book. It is an easy read, and will make you cry, even if your Dad wasn’t there.

The story didn't get much press because on the same day, February 23, 1945, an iconic photo hit the wires: Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima made most of the front pages.

My youngest son retired in May after 20 years in the military. He spent 15 months as a foot soldier in Bagdad in 2003-2004. Worst 15 months of my life. Thank God he made it home in one piece. I often feel guilty because of the sacrifices my Dad and my son both made. I never served in the military.

Thank God for our Veterans.

[69M22Z]

Originally Posted by Lynn

My Dad never finished high school. His father was a drunkard and a wife beater. Dad quit school to go to work, as he was the oldest of four children. Someone had to help put food on the table. Not long after that he joined the Army during WWII. Not sure exactly when he went in, but I don’t believe he was 18 yet. Not sure if he lied about his age, or got his Mom to give permission. He continued to support the family while in the service.

By February 1945, as the war was winding down, Dad drove an amphibious tractor in the 672nd Amphibian Tractor Battalion. He fought in the Philippine Islands; nasty jungle warfare. He was involved in the Los Banos prisoner of war internment camp rescue. Dad drove one of the Amphibious Tractors under cover of darkness with nothing but a hand held compass all night to get to the camp simultaneously with the paratroopers dropping from the sky at dawn while Filipino guerillas were sneaking into the camp and slitting the throats of the few Japanese guards still on duty in the camp. The bulk of the guards were in a field adjacent to the camp doing morning calisthenics, so they were easy pickins.

They rescued over 2300 men women and children, all civilians, who were slated for execution THAT DAY. The mass grave had already been dug. Colin Powell said, among other things, that this was the greatest military rescue in American History.
Dad was 19 years old. He never considered himself a hero. I only remember him talking about this ONE time when I as five of six years old. All he talked about was the suffering those starving prisoners had endured.

Here is a link to a little blip written in the late 90’s by a fellow who was a young boy in that camp. http://www.axpow.org/angelsatdawn.htm

There are at least three books written about the rescue. The best one is Rescue at Los Banos by Bruce Henderson. Here is a pic of the jacket for that book. It is an easy read, and will make you cry, even if your Dad wasn’t there.

The story didn't get much press because on the same day, February 23, 1945, an iconic photo hit the wires: Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima made most of the front pages.

My youngest son retired in May after 20 years in the military. He spent 15 months as a foot soldier in Bagdad in 2003-2004. Worst 15 months of my life. Thank God he made it home in one piece. I often feel guilty because of the sacrifices my Dad and my son both made. I never served in the military.

Thank God for our Veterans.

Incredible story. Thank you for sharing that.
God Bless our Veterans.

[Too Many Projects]

Lynn, I was never in the military either. I was drafted in '71 in the first ever lottery, which by the way is the ONLY lottery I've ever "won". After testing my hearing 4 times, they declared I had a severe high frequency hearing loss, that I was completely unaware of, and was unsuitable to send to Vietnam, so classified me as 4F. I've had the ringing in my ears my entire life and thought it was "normal" until then.

[PeteLeathersac]

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Here's a couple pics I'd better share w/ you guys today, sorry they're fuzzy copies.
First are my two Grandfather's in their Canadian WW1 Uniforms, both teenagers then.
After the war, one went back to the mountain farm and other home to the City and University, then on w/ their lives.
They first met when my folks got together 40 years later and after talking about their war experiences, realized they'd both returned home to Canada on the same March 1919 voyage aboard White Star's RMS Olympic, sister of Titanic which carried approximately 6000 boys also mother's answered prayers per trip.
My Dad's father then pulled out the second pic below from the 03/17/19 Toronto Star Newspaper of the Olympic pulling into Halifax harbour in Wartime Dazzle paint w/ another shipload of fellas happy to be home...alive! He'd saved it being he was in the picture leaning on the rail but what he didn't know was, the lad a few yards away up the ropes waving his hat was now standing right beside him also had saved a copy of the same newspaper picture too.

One more thing, I'm very lucky to have my one Grandfather's Kit bag, complete w/ Helmet, ID Tags which are Leather, Puttees, Utensils, photos from home including his dog also Nos WW1 Bandages and more.
Also in the bag are two letters from the King but more important, letters from home.
One of the best things is his Diary, it starts w/ travelling a few days by horse to sign up then on to the last page, home safe and looking forward to getting up early and milking cows.
It's sure helped me a few times over the years whenever I think life seems tough, a run through the bag also a few pages of the Diary are usually more than enough to quickly realize how mistaken I am.

Thanks to those who gave their everything for the world we all enjoy each and every day!

~ Pete

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[PeteLeathersac]

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[PeteLeathersac]

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RMS Olympic in WW1 Dazzle Paint.

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[Too Many Projects]

Wow, seems like quite the "coincidence" them being on the same ship and then having children that got married.

[PeteLeathersac]

'

All true but more amazing is the picture w/ them both in it.
Here's a shot w/ some contents of the Kit Bag.

~ Pete

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[Lynn]

Originally Posted by Too Many Projects

Lynn, I was never in the military either. I was drafted in '71 in the first ever lottery, which by the way is the ONLY lottery I've ever "won". After testing my hearing 4 times, they declared I had a severe high frequency hearing loss, that I was completely unaware of, and was unsuitable to send to Vietnam, so classified me as 4F. I've had the ringing in my ears my entire life and thought it was "normal" until then.

Mitch: you and I are obviously about the same age (and we both owned 54 Chevys as our first car).
I was lottery number 72 in 1971 (drawn in 71 but called the 1972 lottery for guys who would turn 19 during 1972). I heard that they called up number 45 just three months in. I didn't even enroll in college, as they were escalating things in Viet Nam, and I fully expected to get drafted. No student deferments. I never got a letter. I had considered going in with a friend on the "buddy plan". He backed out when he drew number 362.

Just curious; what was your lotto number?