Posted by HisHughness on 5/29/05 1:01pm
Msg #41122

Please take a moment

Had a wonderful signing last week.

The borrowers were a 55-year-old woman and her 85-year-old father. This being Texas, the woman's spouse had to sign off, too. He was 86. Seems he and the father grew up together as best friends. Then 10 years ago he married the daughter, 31 years his junior. Though the three of them live together in the same house, the daughter says the two guys are no longer best friends.

The husband was a former bomber pilot; flew B17s in the European Theater. Bombed Germany. Came back from one mission with 117 flak holes in his plane, but he never had to bail out. Well...he did, once, after a midair collision -- during training. Flight training was much more dangerous for him, apparently, than war.

He flew B17s in the Big One, then went into SAC and flew B36s. This is the only person I have ever met who has even flown in a B36, much less piloted one. For those of you who can still remember breast-feeding (Hmmmm. I remember a few times when I...never mind), the B36 was a long-range bomber that replaced the B29 (which dropped the A bomb on Hiroshima). It had eight -- count 'em, eight -- piston engines. You took off with eight engines, but almost nobody ever landed with the full complement still operating. The B36 was HUGE, some say even bigger than my ego.

They were in service, though, only about 10 years, when they were replaced by the B52, now over 50 yeaars old and still the long-range mainstay of our aerial defense. This guy also flew the B52, in Korea. His wife said he had been in three wars: World War II, Korea, and with his ex-wife.

That was indeed the Greatest Generation. Youngsters can't really appreciate what they did for us. Very simply, they saved the whole damned world for at least the opportunity for democracy. Were it not for them, we probably would be speaking German today in Topeka. We owe them a debt that in a very real sense is simply too big for us ever to repay.

Men take a lot of bum raps today, in this age when the focus is so much on alleged victims. Please take a moment Monday to remember those men -- and they were almost exclusively men -- who gave so much in World War II, the forgotten war in Korea, and in Vietnam. Then, if you would, take a further moment to remember all of our servicemen and women, whenever and wherever they might be, and be proud that today women are taking the opportunity on many fronts to share in the burdens of defending our country.

Every one of them deserves our gratitude.

Reply by Paul2/FL on 5/29/05 1:33pm
Msg #41127

Amen to that! In my lifetime I have had the privilege of knowing a number of these men (and some women) who were part of the greatest generation. Without exception, they were the most honorable people I have ever met.

Reply by Happy_in_Fl on 5/29/05 5:21pm
Msg #41144

Thank you Hugh for that good word. We all do owe a real voice of gratitude to all the men and women who gave so much to protect and defend democracy as we enjoy it today.

I had two brothers who served in the Navy during WWII. My older brother has passed on now, but one is still alive. Both were on ships that were torpedoed, and somehow both survived.

The stories they told the rest of the siblings upon returning, will always stick in our minds.

We SALUTE each and every one of you on this Day of Memory and Memorial!

Reply by Sam I am on 5/29/05 5:24pm
Msg #41145

Thanks for reminding everyone what Memorial Day is all about - and it is NOT mattress sales. I hope I am long gone before 9/11 becomes a day of barbecues and clearance sales.

***and they were almost exclusively men -- who gave so much in World War II, the forgotten war in Korea, and in Vietnam*** I received a book last Mother's Day titled "Our Mother's Wars" - tells the stories from the women who also served. Excellent reading!

Reply by BarbaraL_CA on 5/29/05 5:37pm
Msg #41148

Very well said, Hugh ... Thank you. n/m

Reply by Laura_NH on 5/29/05 10:33pm
Msg #41165

Hugh,
thank you for this post. while i was active duty in the US Navy during the first Gulf war, i was never at the Gulf. Radio communications was my specialty, and I remember vividly sending important messages back and forth to the ships and subs during the war.

My brother, however, was at the Gulf War the first time. He has the 'non existant' Gulf War syndrome, and at age 36 has more health problems than an otherwise normal 36 yr old should. I have many friends who were there on the front lines in the Gulf, I have met men who served in Vietnam and carried Agent orange, and are now suffering health problems because of it. I served my country with pride, knowing that it may very well be my brother out there who doesnt come home. Fortunately, he did. Friends I was stationed with when i was in, are now in the Gulf for the second war over there. Remembering them and supporting them through prayer, emails, letters, cards and packages are important, and very appreciated.

Even though that was not Vietnam, Korea nor WWII; I still can appreciate all the veterans and our active duty service men and women who are serving today. And as a veteran, it is nice to be remembered as well. thank you. Remember how they sacrificed for us, our children and our childrens children; because as Hugh said, we all could be speaking German right now. Please dont forget the folks who are out there everyday, in the hot sun or the cold rain, standing there for us, our country, so we can remain Free. God Bless.

laura

Reply by SamIam_CA on 5/30/05 12:23am
Msg #41171

Laura - what a great post. Thanx for sharing your story with us - and all the best thoughts for your brothers return to good health.

Reply by Arant19 on 5/30/05 8:53am
Msg #41183

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY EVERYONE!!!!

Thanx Hugh for sharing your signing story. Thanx to you as well Happy in FL. Sam I am, you're definitely right. We have forgotten about the men & women who served in those wars. It's about barbecuing & celebrating with family & friends as well as talking about when to get to those after-the-holiday sales. It hasn't changed, though, because the young women & men are still fighting an unnecessary war today. I don't believe should have occurred. No one found destructive weapons with Hussein. There was suppose to be PEACE after the capture of Hussein. Our young women & men are still there dying over a war that should not have happened. Yes, Laura thanx for the post. I, too, wish all the best to your brother. All the wars were/are important except the war that is going on today. It is a senseless and selfish act to put our young through the abuse they're suffering while the president is celebrating with his family & friends. I will do my part to remember all the women & men who have served & is serving our country so that we can live better. It's a shame those who served & is still serving get no RESPECT.

HAVE A GREAT MEMORIAL DAY!!

Carolyn

Reply by Laura_NH on 5/30/05 10:19am
Msg #41189

Re: Please take a moment - thank you

Thank you for your thoughts about my brother. I appreciate them very much, as will he.

Reply by JUlie-MI on 5/30/05 8:30am
Msg #41180

My grandpa was a wireless guy in WW II and somehow stormed the beaches of Normandy.

One story in our family, is that my grandparents were newlyweds when Grandpa entered the Army. He had a stop over in Kansas City, MO and grandma took the train from Detroit to meet Grandpa there. My grandparents always said my mother, their first born, was conceived there. My mother was born Nov. 1943, but Grandpa did not meet her until she was 14 months old. Grandpa was a stranger to my mother, and she scratched his face as she was going through stranger anxiety at the time. Grandpa said, he touched the scratch everyday, and was sad when it healed over as that was motivation for him to get the enemy and come home to his wife and daughter.

We have a clipping from one of the Detroit newspapers, of an article and photo of my grandma holding my infant mother on her lap. It was the norm in those days, to run articles of servicemen's newborns in the paper. Now, fathers may take the family leave when a child enters the family. My generation has no clue, what the greatest generation went through.

Grandpa will be 86 this year and he has more marbles than I do! Two years ago, he has his last army reunion, as there are only 5 men left in his group. Up until then, they all met once a year in Oct. in various cities. He still writes letters to the remaining men although they will probably never meet again. He will not talk about the war to his family. It was so horrible he doesn't want to trouble his family.