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My Earnest Request to All!!

Discussion in 'WWII General' started by Sgtleo, Nov 6, 2008.

  1. Sgtleo

    Sgtleo WWII Veteran

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    While I have brief respite from my primary duty!!!

    A request to all for November 11- with all the earnestness I can muster!!!

    [​IMG]
    I hope you never will.

    [​IMG]
    What we looked like many days.

    [​IMG]
    My favorite Army - General Patton's 3rd.

    [​IMG]
    A good representation of the real thing.

    [​IMG]
    Praying that my buddies are resting in peace.

    Sgtleo re - Veterans Day.
     
  2. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Good Ol' Boy Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Good to see you, SgtLeo. You keep that little lady safe.
     
  3. GPRegt

    GPRegt Member

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    Sarge,

    Good to hear from you. You know that we'll never forget what you all did in the cause of Freedom.

    Steve W.
     
  4. 36thID

    36thID Member

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    Hey Sarge,

    Good to see ya over here, a little more active than the Military web site.

    For everyone at this web site you should be honored to have such a great old soldier discussing his battles and WW 2 history. I've had the pleasure of conversing with Sarge for many years.

    Last Tuesday my battle cry was "get out and vote ! I have an uncle burried in France so we can have the chance to vote" ! A burried soldier is a voice for our freedom and we should never forget.

    In fact, my Godson is in Fallusha Iraq for the second time right now.

    Everyone thank a Vet on the 11th, it's their day and they deserve it !

    Best Regards,

    Steve
     
  5. w8liftr

    w8liftr Member

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    I could not put the respect I have for Veterans into words, the most simple way is to say Thank You & I'll never forget the sacrifices made for my freedom!
     
  6. Herakles

    Herakles Member

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    Fine sentiments indeed.

    And please don't forget the countless Asians who suffered so terribly at the hands of the Japs. Especially the brave Thais.
     
  7. bigfun

    bigfun Ace

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    I will never forget.................because it is your service that freed my Father, and allowed him to come to this country and marry and have children! So, i am here because of you!

    Thank you for your service.
     
  8. Erich

    Erich Alte Hase

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    it's more than a day gentlemen to honour Our Brave soldiers of all era's. I remember my own, I remember those that I never had the chance to meet and met their personal end overseas.

    I'll be sending out over 100 emails to fomer US air vets very soon, a great big thanks ! and those also that served here that frequent this fine boards, thanks Sarge, Ron, Jack, Brian, Alex, Sam and many others ~

    v/r

    Erich
     
    macrusk and texson66 like this.
  9. Sgtleo

    Sgtleo WWII Veteran

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    :mad: :mad: :mad:


    Two other parts to that request not written are:-

    1. The real heros who gave their all are buried in ETO/PTO cemetaries and many of the names are forgotten except to us old dinosaurs who cannot forget and they will always be young buddies to us!!!(We were just lucky)

    2. Believe it or not(and I hope I get this right):-

    a.When this first 100 men came home it was "The Conquerors are Home"
    b.When the first 1,000 men came home it was "Thank God" the boys are coming".
    c.When the first 10,000 men came home it was "A good lot of Our Boys have made it home safely".
    d.When the first 100,000 men came home it was "Those Damn Vets are Everywhere you look"

    You'll never know how many times we heard this said

    Sgtleo [​IMG]
     
  10. skunk works

    skunk works Ace

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    I'll never forget.


    and for your service sir:

    :salute:
     

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  11. ArmyBoy79

    ArmyBoy79 Member

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    I will never forget the men and women who served this country. I'm a Vet myself, but I don't take any credit. All the credit goes to everyone else who served.
     
  12. PzJgr

    PzJgr Drill Instructor

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  13. Sgtleo

    Sgtleo WWII Veteran

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    :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

    Forgive an Old man but oh how I am bothered by all the references today about tomorrow and it's significance!! Yet the schools in many cases either downplay or abbreviate WW II.

    I don't need a whole lot of reminding, in fact there are a few times when a whole Senior Day rather than a Senior Moment would be very much to my liking. My wife, as sick as she is, looked at me this morning with tears in her eyes and asked "Are they back again?" - - you've been restless and mumbling all night. We grew up in the same neighborhood and have been married so long she can read me like one of her favorite pocketbooks about the "old days".

    The Platoon LT. from Arizona, the Platoon Sgt. from Maryland head up the parade of faces I see so clearly. My Squad, My Platoon, My Company are back with me. Billy the Blonde from Oklahoma, the two Italian "kids" both from New England same as me, the quiet loner lumberjack from the Midwest, another from Brooklyn and one from New York City, the wheeler and dealers from Chicago and Detroit the rest of the squad have blurred faces but I know they came from the Midwest somewhere I just can't put them into a clear focus right now. We were a diverse group that learned to act and react to each other and many,many times no words were said such as "Do this or Do that" -- we just did it.

    I know I've forgotten someone but, as the day goes on, I am sure I'll remember.

    Just did!! The handsome kid from Philly that had his vehicle hit by a mortar and then had to undergo so many surgeries to rebuild his face and shoulder. Lost contact but I'll never forget how he looked when the Medic's Jeep took him away.

    Steve Wright wrote about Operation Varsity and those gutsy men that boarded the gliders to cross the river and engage the Krauts. I met a couple of those 17th AB Troopers at the dedication of the WW II Memorial in DC and oh how they downplayed what they had done. Just recently got news from the son of one of them and how his Dad had passed but he thanked me for what he heard his Dad and I talking about which he had never heard about before.

    You know I can talk to another BTDT very easily but with my son (with 14 years in before a Medical) I feel awkward because I don't want and I'm afraid it will come out as bragging.

    Thank you for reading this old man's ramblings!!

    Sgtleo [​IMG]
     
  14. Erich

    Erich Alte Hase

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    interesting sgt. your response right after mine posted, the numbered sentances as this is what happened after we came home from Nam except for one thing many of us were taunted, jeered, cussed at spit and beer thrown on and called baby killers, etc........ and this is after 30 plus years. you know things will stick with you like it happened yesterday, but for some of us working for the man for years and years stuff will never go away, it is just re-treated and re-treaded in a different way, Nam, mid-east in it's many variances, it does not matter.
    Personally I am going to remmber my father on the morrow and my father-in -law who served on a Tin Can in the Paicific in the midst of Japanese sucidal A/C, my own grandfather working for the secret service, monitoring German troop movements in Latvia, an uncle serving from the shores of Nomrnadie through central Germany till wars end in a US artillery battalion, a fine brother in law who served in Nam was nearly blown to bits, has gotten over his stress disorder and leaves bits of steel in his bed every morning when he rises out of bed from the explosives that nearly took his life in the late 60's and on it goes with many freinds serving, and passing on. Is one considered a hero that has died in action ? possibly, possibly not, seems to me we need more living heroes to take note of in an ever changing and evil world. Can we really look up to the worlds leaders of any nation...........no but to those that served and were free to give life and limb for their country

    let Freedom Reign !
     
  15. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Good Ol' Boy Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    SgtLeo,

    Talk like you feel you need to talk. Tell us about the mundane things concerning your war, we want to hear about that too. As you talk with us about those things, it'll get more comfortable to talk about other things.

    I personally want to hear about your platoon sergeants, the boat trip over and the first time you fired the Garand on the firing range. That is all part of the story too.

    If you don't feel you deserve being remembered (however wrong that may be) then your buddies certainly do. And if you don't talk about them, who will?
     
  16. Sgtleo

    Sgtleo WWII Veteran

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    Erich Alte Hase

    I know exactly what you mean as my son is a Nam Vet. Helo Gunship.
    At the WW II Memorial dedication in DC as I said above, I was talking with several 17AB Troopers in the aisle and while we were talking a Nam Vet walked up with his hand out to greet us but we beat him to the punch and each of us said "Welcome Home Soldier" and the poor guy started to cry and then told us that this was one of the few times he had ever been welcomed home.

    When I heard that they spit on the face of General Powell in the airport I almost went ballistic. Apparently his "rack" with the Purple Hearts meant nothing.

    To you I'd like to say it also "WELCOME HOME SOLDIER!!".

    Sgtleo [​IMG]
     
  17. Erich

    Erich Alte Hase

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    the feeling is mutual Sarge.......... so we remember the ones we lost

    and sad enough in reality there will be more to come ~ wars and rumors of wars all over the world
     
  18. Sgtleo

    Sgtleo WWII Veteran

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    :D :D

    Slipdigit Good Ol' Boy

    A little pressed for time as my daughter will be bringing my wife home after taking her for a ride to change her surroundings here with me.

    Two funny range stories.
    First when I entered we were issued and qualified with the Springfield .03s and were those bolts ever slow when the order "Rapid Fire" was given. Then we got the M1s and were qualifying when a Cadre Man who was a real soldier in every sense of the word kicked my foot as I was in the Prone Position. "Want to go to Snipers School?" he asked. "What I asked" and he pointed out an Officer with a clipboard who was recording scores for candidates and mine was pretty high. Next few rounds were off the bull or a "Maggies Drawers" to take care of that.

    Second is that when we were at the Arles Staging Area in Southern France scheduled to go to the PTO some Commissioned Genius decided that we could use some range time to sharp our shooting skills. This was after VE Day. NOT A GOOD IDEA AT ALL. Men would turn around at the range personal with their loaded weapons pointed at them and ask a question - a definite NO-NO on a range. The weapon was to be always pointed down range. One of our guys started taking the clip apart so that he had several rounds in his hands and then asks a Range Officer "How do I put these bullets(not a common word to vets) in the weapon. They are all in a metal thing that make it very hard to load my gun(another bad term) because I have to take them out of that metal thing.

    Finally after a couple of rounds went into the ground the exercise was called off.

    I later heard our BN CO was watching from a grove of trees and almost split a gut at our actions and sent an NCO to pass the word that we made sure nobody really got shot. There were guys there that could have been certifiable!!(LOL)

    Sgtleo [​IMG]
     
  19. macrusk

    macrusk Proud Daughter of a Canadian WWII Veteran

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    Yesterday, I was at a Tea for Canadian World War II War Brides at the opening of an art exhibit which included 84 portraits as well as other tributes to them and their husbands who had served. Some of the husbands were still with them. Sadly, most who attended were now widows. While my Mum's portrait has not yet been painted, the artist includes her in a photo exhibit and stories.

    The historian who read from her book, had a DVD playing as we waited for her to take the stage. As I sat down the first image I say on the screen was the letter my Mum wrote Dad on D-Day, followed by their photos. I always miss them, but in the days leading to and on Rembrance Day I am particularly sentimental about them and their generation.

    I will either be at the local service in Saskatoon - it averages 7,000 attendees every year - or watching the service from Ottawa. Last year over 30,000 attended in Ottawa at the National Memorial with significant coverage on television at the 11th hour of the 11 th Day when we remember those who gave their lives and gave their youth & innocence in Wars past and present.

    I will always be one of those who will never forget the sacrifices and will always encourage others to do so as well.
     
  20. skunk works

    skunk works Ace

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    I don't believe it can be said enough,

    Happy Veterans Days ! Thanks to all.

    (the first is a joke):D

    Thank You for --Eternity-- :salute:
     

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