Floored to learn some family history

O

old medic

Senior Member
I have always been a WWII buff and knew that both of my Grandfathers had served in the Pacific Theater. My one Grandfather would not talk about his experiences, he would only say he did what he had to stay alive and that he had lost his younger Brother in the war...This past weekend DW and I took a quick trip to FL to visit my Stepmom, and I was absolutely floored to finally hear the story about his WWII experience. Him and his Brother were stationed in the Philippians, captured and involved in the Bataan Death march. His brother was executed during the march and just left on the side of the road.
 
That’s horrible old medic. My dad and all my uncles were overseas for WW2 and all came home. My dad was gone for 4 years. My grandfather was in WW1.
 
I dated a fellow who told me his uncle had been in the Bataan Death March. He said his uncle would never talk about it and would get very angry if anyone asked him about it.

My dad was a medic on a Navy ship but never saw any really bad action.

The Spousal Equivalent's dad was also a Navy medic, attached to the Marines, and was there at Iwo Jima.
 
old medic said:
I have always been a WWII buff and knew that both of my Grandfathers had served in the Pacific Theater. My one Grandfather would not talk about his experiences, he would only say he did what he had to stay alive and that he had lost his younger Brother in the war...This past weekend DW and I took a quick trip to FL to visit my Stepmom, and I was absolutely floored to finally hear the story about his WWII experience. Him and his Brother were stationed in the Philippians, captured and involved in the Bataan Death march. His brother was executed during the march and just left on the side of the road.
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Have you ever read about the Bataan Death March in the Philippines? It’s a horrific story.

You all heard the old joke: “Do you know what a shame is?” “It’s when a bus of lawyers goes over a cliff with one empty seat.”

But, what’s really a shame is all of these former WWII soldiers dying and taking all of this history with them. They should want to talk about it. Any men or women that are left is probably in their 90’s+. They should be willing to share their stories so we can all learn. I have read a lot of books about WWII. My dad, like so many other fathers had served in the war. There were times when he didn’t want to talk about some of his experiences, but as he got older, he gave it up. The best story I read was about the USS Indianapolis. A friend suggested the book “Out of the Depths.”

When I was in Hawaii for the first time (1990), there were men walking around in green uniforms that were actual survivors from 12/7/1941. I couldn’t get enough. The one older gentleman asked me “What are you, a cop?”
 
911 many veterans have PTSD and talking about their experiences can cause them to relive the trauma. That’s why veterans don’t want to discuss it.
 
My dad fought in WWII. He turned 18 in January of 1945 and was drafted out of his senior year in high school. After basic training he was assigned to the 97th Infantry Battalion. He fought in two battles and recalls shooting at many Germans. He was wounded near Dusseldorf, Germany in April of 1945. A bridge that he was about to cross was Zero'd in by the German's. It was blown up as he approached the bridge. Others of his division were actually crossing the bridge, and many were killed or injured. Fortunately, dad's wounds were not life threatening, but prohibited him from walking (Foot and leg wounds). By the time he was mobile again, the war in Europe ended.

He did not talk about this until he was older. He passed away 10 years ago; I still miss him every day. They are a generation that did what had to be done. They were raised during hard times and were very tough! They made great soldiers...and saved the world!
 
My dad was in the US Navy in WWII. He had a difficult time afterwards. My mom learned never to shake my dad awake. He refused to talk about WWII till he was in his 80s. I got him a framed pic of his ship, a destroyer, the "Gregory". Then every time I'd visit, he'd drag me over to the pic and point out exactly where the Kamikaze plane hit the ship. He was standing only 20 feet way. ( That made me think of my own existence.) I knew where the plane hit had great significance to my dad. "Lost at sea" is a euphemism for eaten by shark. Then one day, he finally told me that the spot where the plane crashed into the ship was where his best friend was standing.
 
I remember as a kid my uncle telling me about his experiences on a sub in the Pacific. A few years ago I found out he was on the USS Parch, the most decorated sub in the Pacific. I was able to get a copy of the sub's action log, and in a book on the sub, found my uncle in 2 group photos.
 
Having 2 great uncles growing up one American the other German gave us some wild times at Holiday get together times. One in the US infantry the other in the 12th SS for Germany, they were the best of friends though.

They fussed at each other all the time but both never really said anything to offend the other one. Hans married my mother's next oldest sister and got his US citizenship here. Legally obtained it.
 
911 said:
Have you ever read about the Bataan Death March in the Philippines? It’s a horrific story.

You all heard the old joke: “Do you know what a shame is?” “It’s when a bus of lawyers goes over a cliff with one empty seat.”

But, what’s really a shame is all of these former WWII soldiers dying and taking all of this history with them. They should want to talk about it. Any men or women that are left is probably in their 90’s+. They should be willing to share their stories so we can all learn. I have read a lot of books about WWII. My dad, like so many other fathers had served in the war. There were times when he didn’t want to talk about some of his experiences, but as he got older, he gave it up. The best story I read was about the USS Indianapolis. A friend suggested the book “Out of the Depths.”

When I was in Hawaii for the first time (1990), there were men walking around in green uniforms that were actual survivors from 12/7/1941. I couldn’t get enough. The one older gentleman asked me “What are you, a cop?”
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It's possible senior military officials literally ordered soldiers to NOT talk about it....like, as a matter of security or whatever.

When my WWII vet uncle told me a horrific story, he prefaced it with "I'm not supposed to tell you this, but...."

The story was; while his ship was poised off the coast of a Philippine island, some Japanese soldiers tied an American POW to a pole at the top of a hill so the guys on the ship could clearly see him, and a few of them pulled out knives and started doing that "death of a thousand cuts" thing to him.

The guys on the ship had orders to refrain from shooting any of the Japanese soldiers, so my uncle and two shipmates raised their rifles and shot the American...put him out of his misery. He never explained why they were ordered not to shoot the Japanese. He probably didn't know why; orders are often given without explanation.

Maybe there was thousands of Japanese soldiers behind that hill, and maybe heavy weapons, too. Also, my uncle was on a supply ship and, as you probably know, those aren't heavily armed. Minimally armed, sometimes.
 
There are always exceptions to the rules, but I have heard so many people say “They didn’t want to talk about it.” It’s like all if a sudden, men were part of some secret mission. Then you have a man like Edgar Harrell who writes a book and makes a YouTube video about his experience on the USS Indianapolis who tells all and what a story he had to tell. He died just a few years ago, unfortunately. I call each man who served on that boat a hero. The pure hell they went through was unbelievable.

I spent 14 months in Vietnam and I was shot, went out on patrols night after night and I am willing to tell anyone that wants to know some of the stuff I did to survive with no malice in my heart or to hide the facts. In fact, as a state cop when I would go to high schools to talk about safety or to recruit, I would open my presentation with a war story. One thing I learned about high school kids, especially boys, they love to hear war stories.

For instance. Eleven of us were on patrol late one night. In fact, the sun was just beginning to rise. We came upon these 2 or 3 Rangers that had 2 Vietnamese men hung upside down from a tree. I could tell by looking at these guys, they were weren’t in the mood to carry on a conversation or play any games. We said “Hey” and kept walking. When we got maybe 50 yards away, we heard maybe 5 shots ring out from where we came from. You figure it out.

The older I got, the more my dad told me about his part in the war. My dad lost about 80% of his hearing while in France from the bombing. He never accepted a dime from the VA, but did take the hearing aids, which he only wore when he went out. My dad was then sent back to the states to work in the underground ammo dumps in Utah. My mom said she really didn’t want to be there, but it’s where she belonged. My dad said “I was doing what I was ordered.”
 
I consider myself so lucky now. My father and his 3 brothers, and his brother-in-law, were all in WWII. My Dad was stationed in New Guinea. All my Dad got was malaria. My father and my 4 uncles, all came back alive. I did have an aunt, my Dad's older sister, who died in a small plane crash im 1938, a month before her 22nd birthday. So there was one aunt that I never got to meet, since she died 12 years before I was born.

You do find yourself wondering about that aunt or uncle that you never met. What were they like? You always wish that you could have had them in your life also.
 
911 said:
Have you ever read about the Bataan Death March in the Philippines? It’s a horrific story.
Click to expand...
Oh yes I have, as I said, am a big WWII buff, especially the Pacific theater. My job as a paramedic put me in contact with many many Veteran's over the years... even one from the Spanish American war. I have been involved with the Patriot Guard Riders since 2006 and have attended 100s of Veterans funerals. My uncle was a Marine in Vietnam and the only time I heard stories from him and my grandfather was when they got together and got a few drinks in them. They both argued with me about being a Vet... Sure I volunteered into the Army, But the most dangerous mission was guarding an ammo dump at fort Jackson, Only wounding was busting my knuckles turning wrenches on trucks.
 
I was a Vet Center volunteer in 1983,when PTSD became properly diagnose-able in medical manuals.
My husband, with 30 % SC for PTSD when I met him, shared with me a few of the main stressors he had incountry-not all of them were from combat.
His PTSD progressed to 100 % P & T and ,with a change in his psychologist at the VA, he was able to open up more to me- and to the VA about the combat stressors. He spent 21 days in the VA inhouse program in Buffalo NY but had to list his stressors by month, detailing them, and that was very revealing to me.

Fortunately all of them could be verified by the VA, and his DD 215, and his initial diagnosis came from the Director of the Newark VA, a Vietnam vet ,who was also at the scene, as a psychiatrist in Vietnam, of a horrible stressor- a volunteer job , he got ,along with some Marines , that he relayed to this man. 1983. The Director immediately gave him a Buddy statement and his VA claim took only 3 months. I still have the award letter- VA called it a "nervous condition", then changed it to PTSD.

The travesty of Afghanistan has, in my opinion, affected many -if not all, veterans negatively.
I am a graduate of America Military University ( Tactical maneuver warfare) and was shocked by the Worse (in my opinion)
military decision our country has ever made.
 
I have watched several war documentaries on the History Channel. Compared to Vietnam, some of those men lived in Hell for their time over there. I am always so proud of our Navy and fighting corpse in the Army and Marines. Our Air Force took care of the skies, especially with the artillery they carried onboard for long range firing.

I think it's without a doubt that we had some of the best Generals in the war. Their strategy was brilliant in some cases. We could have done a better job in Hawaii pre 12/7/41. Just like the towers, we weren't prepared. My dad loved Ike. I don't know how many times we went to Gettysburg while he was there so he could maybe get a look at him, which he finally did.

In fact, he shook his hand and Ike thanked my dad for his service and they spoke for maybe 2 minutes before the SS rushed him away. On the way back to his limo, he turned around and looked at my dad and said, "These guys are a pain in the ass." And then they both laughed. At least that was my dad's story.

My dad was in the second wave to land at Omaha. I asked him if he was scared. He said "Yeah, I was sure I was going to die that day. Luckily, the Marines and Army guys that went in first cleared out a lot of the bunkers that were lined up along the coast where they landed." My dad then asked me if I was ever scared while in Vietnam. I told him I was and in fact, I would write a few lines on a piece of paper to my mom and dad and put it in my shirt pocket at times.

WWII is just full of history and although I don't like wars, I do like reading about WWII.
 
This AM the news stated that our military recruitment stats are the lowest they have been in 80 years.

I believe that the Afghanistan pullout ( 2021) is one of the Main causes for that. Other factors are the COVID shot mandate, that had already affected this decline , and also the "Woke" crap that infiltrated the military.

In my opinion the $85 billion of materiel, cash, PCs, jeeps, ambulances, weapons of all sort, helicopters, all left behind, etc etc etc, is probably actually much higher,
and far more Important than that, the cost of the American lives lost, was Horrific.

I believe this tragic event will go down in history, as the Worse Military decision our country has ever made.

I will never forget it. But I still hold the belief that our Military is the greatest in the world and recruitment will grow in time.

I have helped veterans get their proper compensation, as a volunteer, for decades.

It is not easy to deal with the VA claims process. Because of the often LONG VA claims process system, yet the VA is not their enemy,
TIME is.

Thank God for the Brave men and women who serve now and all who have served in our MILITARY !
 
Widow of Vietnam Vet said:
This AM the news stated that our military recruitment stats are the lowest they have been in 80 years.

I believe that the Afghanistan pullout ( 2021) is one of the Main causes for that. Other factors are the COVID shot mandate, that had already affected this decline , and also the "Woke" crap that infiltrated the military.

In my opinion the $85 billion of materiel, cash, PCs, jeeps, ambulances, weapons of all sort, helicopters, all left behind, etc etc etc, is probably actually much higher,
and far more Important than that, the cost of the American lives lost, was Horrific.

I believe this tragic event will go down in history, as the Worse Military decision our country has ever made.

I will never forget it. But I still hold the belief that our Military is the greatest in the world and recruitment will grow in time.

I have helped veterans get their proper compensation, as a volunteer, for decades.

It is not easy to deal with the VA claims process. Because of the often LONG VA claims process system, yet the VA is not their enemy,
TIME is.

Thank God for the Brave men and women who serve now and all who have served in our MILITARY !
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Thank you for your care and service to our Veterans! I am very aware of the suffering that many vets are experiencing. It really gets to me. Thanks again. :)
 
My dad’s entire unit was sent to Normandy and were killed. Luckily he was hospitalized because he was so sick. He didn’t find out for a few years. Because he had flat feet which is really painful if you walk to much they sent him to England to be a driver for a difficult colonel. It’s interesting how one small thing determines if you live or die.
 
I was always glad my father was 4F He tried to enlist several times at several different places but his heart murmur always showed up & he was turned away.
 
My dad was drafted and because he had flat feet the doctor wrote he can not be in the infantry. Of course they put him there which caused him so much pain and sometimes he could barely walk hence being in and out of the hospital until they made him a driver.
 
Thank You, Paco! Yes, too many vets are suffering and the veteran suicide stats are still at 22 a day-horrible!
When I was in the local volunteer fire department, we had many veteran members and one committed suicide- a Vietnam vet with no visible appearance of being so depressed. His wife could not see this coming but he had fairly recently lost a friend to suicide, a man he ran into in the local village-long ago and they both recognized each other from the same unit in Vietnam!

Teacher Terry-so true-it can be a small thing - my Army husband ( I lost two disabled vet husbands) was feeling he would be sent to Korea but instead he was sent to Germany.

He became separated from his other siblings for many many years and I found his sister living about 30 miles from us, and we contacted her, and here she also had served in the Army in Germany! Same time, same place!

We had a wonderful reunion with her family and ours.

My Marine husband, who served in Vietnam, had some incredible stressors, one involving the death of his closest Vietnam friend, in his same unit. At an intersection, the road looked as if it had been 'swept' for mines, and it had fresh America jeep tracks on it. His friend in a tank approached the intersection, when he did from another road, in a Deuce and 1/2, and he had the right of way , but the Marine handling the traffic ,for some reason, waved the tank into the intersection first and it exploded. The Vietnamese had made it look like it had been 'swept' and was safe. They were more sophisticated in warfare than our country imagined.

It was a very sad day when we got tracings of his friend from the Wall. My husband had other incidents like that, when he could have been killed, but others next to him, in dug- outs were, and he suffered from survival guilt all of his life.

But a good thing happened at the Wall-he had put their commander , the "Old Man" into a body bag, after he had been shot and pronounced dead and loaded him onto the helo. His fellow Marines under the man's command were devastated.

At the Wall you have to know the exact proper first and last name and hometown of the deceased vet you are seeking on the enormous panels.

But they could not find the 'Old man' at all with that info and the panel woman said that means he survived!

This was not unusual- in a few instances - after someone was pronounced dead. The choppers could get there in a heartbeat and some were not dead at all, but severely wounded.

This is the Fog of War- it happened this week in GAZA- whereby IDFs killed 3 IDF soldiers. Hamas men do not wear uniforms, and the 3 men, whose IDF shirts were gone, came out of a building with a white cloth on a stick, and asked for help in Hebrew.


This was a tactic Hamas has used many times, to ambush the IDF.

We tried to find the 'old man' many times with his real name and Hometown, but couldn't. I asked my husband how old the 'old man' was and he said 25. 6 years older than my husband and most men in his unit.1st MarDiv 65-66.
 
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