Author Topic: Memorial Day (Read 4373 times)

Pete · « **on:** May 28, 2012, 07:24:59 AM »

On this Memorial Day, I will remember my grandfather who served in the Pacific during World War Two.

During the war he had a pet spider monkey that road around on his shoulder, they ate loads of iguanas, and my grandfather was injured when he was stabbed by a Puerto Rican guy over a dispute and was sent home.

True story. When I was a kid, I thought the war must have been rough ridin' awesome.

steve dave · « **Reply #1 on:** May 28, 2012, 08:09:16 AM »

Yeah, every story my grandfathers told me was very fun sounding. Like, in Korea, they would march tons of miles to the front line and relieve the guys there. They would then sit there all day just bullshitting and right before they got relieved they would have a huge machine gun fight with the Koreans because they then wouldn't have to carry their ammunition all the way back to the base or fort or whatever.

steve dave · « **Reply #2 on:** May 28, 2012, 08:50:05 AM »

Other grandfather was a forward engineer in a B17 bomber. Right before going over to carpet bomb the the living crap out of the enemy/civilians of the enemy country he got yellow fever or scarlet fever or some sort of fever and got put in the infirmary and by the time he was better the war was over. Truly the greatest generation.

SdK · « **Reply #3 on:** May 28, 2012, 09:51:27 AM »

One Grandfather fought in the Korean War. The other fought in WWII. The latter's official separation date with the Army is 2 years after what his family thought it was. He would just disappear for long stretches.

steve dave · « **Reply #4 on:** May 28, 2012, 10:05:51 AM »

Quote from: Sundance_Kid on May 28, 2012, 09:51:27 AM

One Grandfather fought in the Korean War. The other fought in WWII. The latter's official separation date with the Army is 2 years after what his family thought it was. He would just disappear for long stretches.

you should go search for your secret family relatives. they could be rich or something. you wouldn't want to miss out on that.

'taterblast · « **Reply #5 on:** May 28, 2012, 10:26:06 AM »

yeah basically by the time my grandpa was the age that i am right now, he had navigated fighter planes all over rough ridin' europe and told them where to drop bombs and crap. i've basically been playing with legos my entire life.

Pete · « **Reply #6 on:** May 28, 2012, 10:27:44 AM »

Another true family war story...

...my dad got one of the last spots in his county's reserve units and did not have to go to Vietnam, but he said that boot camp sucked really bad. He told me all about it in horribly graphic terms when I was a kid to ensure that I would never dare join the army.

steve dave · « **Reply #7 on:** May 28, 2012, 10:37:29 AM »

My wife's cousin was in Iraq a few years ago. Completely mumped up on prescription drugs and meth now. Uses the military experience as an excuse for his current stealing from everyone in the family lifestyle.

Stevesie60 · « **Reply #8 on:** May 28, 2012, 10:38:17 AM »

Quote from: Pete on May 28, 2012, 10:27:44 AM

Another true family war story...

...my dad got one of the last spots in his county's reserve units and did not have to go to Vietnam, but he said that boot camp sucked really bad. He told me all about it in horribly graphic terms when I was a kid to ensure that I would never dare join the army.

Sounds like my dad. He left for the Army on his 17th birthday. Learned how to put bombs together, but if he was called to put one together in the war, there was no way he was getting out of range before it went off. He didn't learn that until later.

kim carnes · « **Reply #9 on:** May 28, 2012, 10:38:49 AM »

My grandpa was a diesel engineer on a ship in the pacific. He had to wear hearing aids the rest of his life because of it. Thanks a lot USA

kim carnes · « **Reply #10 on:** May 28, 2012, 10:41:05 AM »

Quote from: steve dave on May 28, 2012, 10:37:29 AM

My wife's cousin was in Iraq a few years ago. Completely mumped up on prescription drugs and meth now. Uses the military experience as an excuse for his current stealing from everyone in the family lifestyle.

I think my cousin does something similar. Maybe not meth but stealing and what not.

O-town Kat · « **Reply #11 on:** May 28, 2012, 10:48:31 AM »

You should be able to earn a Purple Heart for just really loving the Cats because it's kind of like suffering through a war.

ChiComCat · « **Reply #12 on:** May 28, 2012, 10:55:25 AM »

Quote from: Jakesie60 on May 28, 2012, 10:38:17 AM

Quote from: Pete on May 28, 2012, 10:27:44 AM
Another true family war story...

...my dad got one of the last spots in his county's reserve units and did not have to go to Vietnam, but he said that boot camp sucked really bad. He told me all about it in horribly graphic terms when I was a kid to ensure that I would never dare join the army.

Sounds like my dad. He left for the Army on his 17th birthday. Learned how to put bombs together, but if he was called to put one together in the war, there was no way he was getting out of range before it went off. He didn't learn that until later.

I know someone who puts together bombs for the army. Maybe I should let him know how this ends

Dugout DickStone · « **Reply #13 on:** May 28, 2012, 11:32:27 AM »

My bro has been to Iraq and afghan. Said they get steak like twice a week.

hemmy · « **Reply #14 on:** May 28, 2012, 11:48:45 AM »

Quote from: Limestone on May 28, 2012, 11:32:27 AM

My bro has been to Iraq and afghan. Said they get steak like twice a week.

That would be annoying. What about pizza?

Kat Kid · « **Reply #15 on:** May 28, 2012, 11:57:55 AM »

My grandpa served with the Royal Canadian Air Force in "war not a conflict" Korea. Then he worked as an exec for corningware, was a grandmaster bridge player and drank at the office. Like Mad Men if it were set in Detroit with a few other things different too.

Dr Rick Daris · « **Reply #16 on:** May 28, 2012, 12:04:58 PM »

my dad's brother flew planes or something for somebody. i'm guessing air force. then he taught flying or something back in the us and then died in a plane crash or something.

Dugout DickStone · « **Reply #17 on:** May 28, 2012, 12:05:19 PM »

KK is Canadian?!?!

Kat Kid · « **Reply #18 on:** May 28, 2012, 12:14:05 PM »

Quote from: Limestone on May 28, 2012, 12:05:19 PM

KK is Canadian?!?!

canadian friend outed.

Dr Rick Daris · « **Reply #19 on:** May 28, 2012, 12:16:36 PM »

Quote from: Kat Kid on May 28, 2012, 11:57:55 AM

Like Mad Men if it were set in Detroit with a few other things different too.

or like strange brew if it were set in detroit with a few other things different too.

Dr Rick Daris · « **Reply #20 on:** May 28, 2012, 12:17:42 PM »

also, kk really let his guard down with this one. it's going to become "a thing".

bubbles4ksu · « **Reply #21 on:** May 28, 2012, 12:19:03 PM »

my uncle was a sonar dude on one of the first nuclear subs. he tells me that the cold war was not at all cold between u.s. and soviet submarines. they were trying to kill each other every single day. apparently we sank a couple of theirs and they got 2 of ours as well. makes sense, i guess.

his best story is about the cuban missile crisis. all of the married men fled the port to be with their families for the end of the world and he and the other half of the crew went back underwater to kill the soviet subs off the florida coast.

8manpick · « **Reply #22 on:** May 28, 2012, 12:32:12 PM »

Quote from: Ging on May 28, 2012, 12:19:03 PM

my uncle was a sonar dude on one of the first nuclear subs. he tells me that the cold war was not at all cold between u.s. and soviet submarines. they were trying to kill each other every single day. apparently we sank a couple of theirs and they got 2 of ours as well. makes sense, i guess.

his best story is about the cuban missile crisis. all of the married men fled the port to be with their families for the end of the world and he and the other half of the crew went back underwater to kill the soviet subs off the florida coast.

My cousin was on one of the more recent nuclear subs

Both grandfathers were military, one Navy, the other Air Force I believe. I don't know any details really, I should probably ask them about it.

Saulbadguy · « **Reply #23 on:** May 28, 2012, 02:15:51 PM »

Draft evasion.

ChiComCat · « **Reply #24 on:** May 28, 2012, 02:19:05 PM »

Quote from: Saulbadguy on May 28, 2012, 02:15:51 PM

Draft evasion.

This is my military heritage too. I think there are at least 2 ambulance drivers in my family history