Memorial Day Roll Call

[HuskyNan]

While today is a day to remember our fallen heroes, please don't forget our veterans. Not all saw battle or were in a war but all made our safety and security their mission.

Posters (regardless of fan affiliation) - please recognize the fallen hero in your life.
Veterans - please stand up and be recognized for all you've done for our country. Thank you for your service.

 

[Kibitzer]

Permit me to honor a dear friend and great veteran who passed away a few weeks ago.

Ray Stone was a plankowner (member of first crew of a commissioned ship) of the USS Intrepid, the most hit USN ship in WWII. Ray survived five kamikaze hits and one torpedo hit below the water line. He wrote a great memoir, "MY SHIP! The USS Intrepid."

Before Ray left, I was collaborating with him to plan a unique ceremony on the flight deck of Ray's Ship (now a museum in NYC). The plan was to celebrate Ray's 90th birthday and for one of his shipmates and his wife to reenact their wedding vows on the occasion of their 70th (!) wedding anniversary.

Ray didn't make it so they held a memorial service for Ray and the couple said "I do" once again. My daughter Dana played "Amazing Grace" as the crew folded Old Glory during the tribute to Ray.

Today I recall Ray with admiration and a depth of affection that is cherished by veterans,

Ray Stone. R.I.P.

 

[JavaMan]

Well said, Nan! Three cheers for all of our honorable veterans. We salute you.

 

[Alexmia]

As both a veteran (US Army. Medical Corp, 101st Airborne Division, Ft Campbell, KY) and a Barbershopper here is my tribute.

 

[Shenandoah]

My son and I, both Cavalry. Me 1st Cav, in the 70's, him, current 3rd Cav Rgmt, Iraq and Afghanistan. My Dad, also, USNR in WW2, North Africa

 

[huskeynut]

Our family has a list of those who have served or are serving our great nation;
My father - US Navy
My father-in-law - US Navy
My uncle - US Army
My uncle - US Navy
My brother-in-law - US Army
My wife's grandfather - US Navy
2 of my wife's uncles - US Navy.

And proudly, our third son, PO3 - US Navy - a submariner presently on deployment in the Atlantic.

God Bless all our veterans and those who gave their all, buried here or in foreign lands, so we can enjoy the freedoms of the United States of America!

 

[Tonyc]

US Army's Finance and Accounting Ft Bragg. 1972/1975

 

[Beemer]

My grandfather US Army and my father US Navy.

 

[Storrsbred]

I served in the Far East. ASA, 1961- 1964. It grieves me deeply for all who have fallen or been maimed.

 

[CocoHusky]

United States Army Air Defense Artillery Officer 1986-1991.
Thanks and salute to my fellow veterans everywhere.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

In Memory of Irving Cohen, WWII, adjutant of General D.Eisenhower while in England! Combat duty post D-Day!

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

My father served in the Army Air Force in WWII, stationed in England as ground crew for B17 Flying Fortress bombers.

They were not quite Flying Fortresses, in truth. Many limped back to base with dead crew aboard, some didn't make it back, and some crashed on landing - my father's tent-mate was sliced in half by a crash-landing plane. So I'll offer thoughts of remembrance for the members of the 388 Bomb Group (H) that lost their lives in WWII.

The only family member that lost their life for our country was my great-uncle, Raymond Tropp, who died as a result of gas poisoning in WWI. He survived the war by a couple of years, but his lungs were damaged beyond repair.

 

[Wonkster]

USASA, 1966-1970.

Fort Dix
DLIWC, Russian
Goodfellow AFB
USASAFS, Berlin

 

[BroadwayVa]

At age 15 I joined the Conn National Guard 43rd Div 169th inf Reg, 3rd Battalion, Company L , 3 platoon Bristol Ct. Capt. Sessions
Later I joined the US Navy, VF 154 , 4 years. Spent 4 months in US Naval Hospital Newport, RI with 100 of the greatest young kids I'll ever know. They were survivors of the Frozen Chozen and the Yalu River--you'd get physically ill if I related their frozen lost body parts. I never meet a Marine I dont say THANK YOU, I have seen tiny bit of what you have been thru. The Navy Nurses --God blessed the Navy by sending Angels down to serve us injured or wounded. I love Navy Nurses beautiful with conviction, Semper Fi.

 

[Kibitzer]

My father served in the Army Air Force in WWII, stationed in England as ground crew for B17 Flying Fortress bombers. So I'll offer thoughts of remembrance for the members of the 388 Bomb Group (H) that lost their lives in WWII.

Permit a comment.

A few years ago we (Military Order of the Purple Heart) had Andy Rooney as our guest speaker at a luncheon. Andy was closely associated with units like the 388th and its members.

Andy explained that the policy was that 25 missions qualified any crew member with a ticket to go home. Complicating matters was the grim statistical fact that the attrition rate of planes not returning from missions was 6%.

Andy went on to describe a visit to a quonset hut billet for bomber crews. A youthful airman was seated on his bunk; on the wall were markings (4 I's, then a slash to symbolize 5) that totaled 18.

Andy congratulated the crew member for being so close to going home. The airman did not share Andy's joy; he explained: "I just got here three days ago and they gave me this bunk."

 

[BroadwayVa]

At age 15 I joined the Conn National Guard 43rd Div 169th inf Reg, 3rd Battalion, Company L , 3 platoon Bristol Ct. Capt. Sessions
Later I joined the US Navy, VF 154 , 4 years. Spent 4 months in US Naval Hospital Newport, RI with 100 of the greatest young kids I'll ever know. They were survivors of the Frozen Chozen and the Yalu River--you'd get physically ill if I related their frozen lost body parts. I never meet a Marine I dont say THANK YOU, I have seen tiny bit of what you have been thru. The Navy Nurses --God blessed the Navy by sending Angels down to serve us injured or wounded. I love Navy Nurses beautiful with conviction, Semper Fi.

1st WWI ---Uncle Gassed and shell Shocked (PTSD) Treated as a coward by people who never served.
Cousin--New Guinea---I"ll Equipped under trained
Brother- New Guinea--Phillipines US Army Air Corp (once stationed in tents in the winter at Westfield Ma)
2 Cousins (brothers) 82nd Airborne Jumped on D day
2 Uncles Eurorean (ETO)
2 Uncles Navy Pacific ( LST hit by KameKozi (spelling wrong phonetically correct)
1 Uncle on New Guinea --Master Sgt
2 Cousins in USA WWII
2 Cousins Korea
2 Nephews Vietnam
1 Daughter (Maj) Engineers US Army Jumped with Black Knights
2 Son's in Law Army Iraq
1 Brother in Law Army WWII Battle of Bulge (met the Russians at the Elbe, didn't like them)

 

[BroadwayVa]

While today is a day to remember our fallen heroes, please don't forget our veterans. Not all saw battle or were in a war but all made our safety and security their mission.

Posters (regardless of fan affiliation) - please recognize the fallen hero in your life.
Veterans - please stand up and be recognized for all you've done for our country. Thank you for your service.

[/QU

Thank you NAN for this---
Interesting tid bit about WWII---The Army Air Corp took over the Florida/Miami Resort hotels for their use. My Brother 18 years old did his basic training out of one of these hotels---fell out each morning on the beach for calisthenics . Then went from the hot Miami to the winters cold of Westfield, Mass. We were thrilled because we got to see him again--then he went to Calif aboard a ship to Lae New Guinea (hot again). Next Great memory is when he came home in 1946. He's gone now but the memories linger on!!

 

[msf22b]

USMA Band 62-65
(pretty soft, but someone had to do it).

 

[Beemer]

My father served in the Army Air Force in WWII, stationed in England as ground crew for B17 Flying Fortress bombers.

They were not quite Flying Fortresses, in truth. Many limped back to base with dead crew aboard, some didn't make it back, and some crashed on landing - my father's tent-mate was sliced in half by a crash-landing plane. So I'll offer thoughts of remembrance for the members of the 388 Bomb Group (H) that lost their lives in WWII.

The only family member that lost their life for our country was my great-uncle, Raymond Tropp, who died as a result of gas poisoning in WWI. He survived the war by a couple of years, but his lungs were damaged beyond repair.

The same thing happened to my father's uncle, he was caught in a gas attack in France. Fortunately for him the damage was not too severe as he lived well into his 80s.

 

[veryolddog]

Father: United States Navy Submarine Service Pacific Theater WWII, CPO.
Brother: United States Navy, Destroyer Service, Korean War, PO 3rd Class.
Me: United States Marine Corps, 1967 - 1990.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Father: United States Navy Submarine Service Pacific Theater WWII, CPO.
Brother: United States Navy, Destroyer Service, Korean War, PO 3rd Class.
Me: United States Marine Corps, 1967 - 1990.

Semper Fi!!

 

[BroadwayVa]

The same thing happened to my father's uncle, he was caught in a gas attack in France. Fortunately for him the damage was not too severe as he lived well into his 80s.

Unless one has been gasses or in an artillery attack, being shelled, it is not possible to imagine the fear of those that have endured. I develop tears when I think of the mental and physical anguish those of WWII, WW1 , among the many other terrible wars and places endured.
PTSD isn't a dream, it's real. Some of those you see "homeless" are enduring PTSD--look at them, some are VETS.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Permit a comment.

A few years ago we (Military Order of the Purple Heart) had Andy Rooney as our guest speaker at a luncheon. Andy was closely associated with units like the 388th and its members.

Andy explained that the policy was that 25 missions qualified any crew member with a ticket to go home. Complicating matters was the grim statistical fact that the attrition rate of planes not returning from missions was 6%.

Andy went on to describe a visit to a quonset hut billet for bomber crews. A youthful airman was seated on his bunk; on the wall were markings (4 I's, then a slash to symbolize 5) that totaled 18.

Andy congratulated the crew member for being so close to going home. The airman did not share Andy's joy; he explained: "I just got here three days ago and they gave me this bunk."

Many missions the 8th lost 60 percent especially deep into Germany. 1000 plane raid 600 planes 6000 men lost.

 

[Gus Mahler]

I had a first cousin killed in Vietnam in '67. I looked up to him when I was really young. Had just turned 20 and hadn't been married very long. Was right around Christmas time. He's my fallen hero.

My father (Army) was an occupation troop in Germany right after WWII. I had three uncles serve in the Navy during or right after WWII. One of them went on to be on the (first, I think) crew of the first atomic-powered submarine (Nautilus?). He might have been on the first trip under the Arctic Ocean. Memories fade. Had an aunt who was a WAVE in the Pacific in WWII. Does that count? We were sure proud of her. Several other cousins served, including a career man in the Air Force.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Many missions the 8th lost 60 percent especially deep into Germany. 1000 plane raid 600 planes 6000 men lost.

There is an excellent book from maybe the '70's called "The Mighty Eighth" which details much of it. However your numbers are just wrong. A list of heaviest 8th Air Force mission losses shows 60 planes lost as the highest, which happened twice. On 14 October 1943 when 60 of 222 planes were lost on a mission to Schweinfurt appears to be the worst (percentage wise). Total for the war, 10,600 missions flown and 4,145 planes lost, of course, this doesn't indicate how many planes were on the mission. For my father's group, out of Knettishall, the chart lists 306 missions and 142 bombers lost.

In 1969 we traveled to England with my Dad and some of his fellow vets to see the remains of the old base (not much left, even that long ago) and to visit the American military cemetery at Cambridge, where he led part of a short memorial service.