Hi poppy. Don't worry, they are far from "Going" and both gentlemen are prolific with WWII literature. What happened then should not be forgotten. It's an excellent opportunity to learn and to read stories that are better than the novels I would read otherwise anyway.

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OK, can squeeze out another little mini-story.

Early May '45, Camp Gruber, OK. We were all getting feeling pretty cheery because we knew the ETO was folding. Looking forward to being in town the nite when the official end would come -- knew the gals would be all over us.

May 8, 1945 -- VE-DAY -- the Post Commandant gave almost everybody an evening pass to hit it to Muskogee for a big blowout. BUT I NEVER GOT OUT OF CAMP ... GOT STUCK WITH "CORPORAL OF THE GUARD."

So there I was, sitting at a desk, in HQ Battery, listening to the radio: over the din and roar of the crowds in OK City and Tulsa --- the announcers were describing how the girls couldn't get enough of anybody in uniform. I think I was close to having a psychotic break from reality. Worst night in my life.

:machin egun::he adbonk::explo sion3:


Now that I think of it I'm so mad I won't even sign my name !!!!!

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True knowledge leads some from cocksure ignorance to thoughtful uncertainty.

Oh that must be terrible. Missing V.E. Day while your buddies are dancing with the ladies. That is torture!!!!

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SKIP

Worse was knowing what else they were doing with the ladies besides dancing !

Bill

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True knowledge leads some from cocksure ignorance to thoughtful uncertainty.

You were probably the unhappiest allied soldier on earth that day. I hope the officer who forced you to stay was court martialed an sent somewhere to the Aleoutians

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Who had you gotten mad at you?

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Best Regards,
JW

SLIP:

Well, in my post above I was just reliving the frustration of not making it into Muskogee on 5/8/45 ..... and I got mad at this lady called ..... FATE!


Bill

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True knowledge leads some from cocksure ignorance to thoughtful uncertainty.

that lady and her fickle finger.

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Best Regards,
JW

SLIP

Just re-reading the thread, Jeff, and I think I need to comment further on that "civilian" thing. My point was really that the Peaceniks complain because civilians were the target of the attacks.

That implies that it was OK for Hirohito to attack us GI's, 'cause after all we're not civilians. My point is that the only reason (most of us) had cast off our civilian clothes and donned our military uniforms was because Tojo/Hirohito attacked us.

Sure, all of us could have refused to obey our draft boards (or maybe stowawayed on freighters to Timbuctoo ) That's almost the kind of advice several 'youngsters' (in their '50s) have proffered me in recent years.

And that attitude has been spreading steadily over the decades, till our "politically correct" Groves of Academe, media opinionmakers, professionals in all walks of life, and politicians leaning (falling over? ) to the Left .. make me feel lately that I'm better off being 82 than 22 -- 'cause I'll have less years to suffer the consequences of where America has gone and is going.

Now back to building model airplanes -- so I can forget contemplating what I just wrote.

Bill

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True knowledge leads some from cocksure ignorance to thoughtful uncertainty.

I understood what you said, Mr Bill, I was stating that, for the most part, soldiers were civilians at heart and were only called upon in time of national crisis, which was the result of that unprovoked and dastardly attack.

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Best Regards,
JW

Hey, Jack, and greetings to you "old man." Have read your thread -- appreciate you donating your first-hand experience of WW2. Although it won't stem the tide of -- not enough of an antidote for -- the 'virtual reality' that we're reading about in recent years (e.g., we should never have gone to war against Hitler/Tojo/Mussolini, or bombed civilians in Germany, or dropped the A-bombs; that "war is no answer to anything;" that "the Holocaust never happened", etc., etc.) ... it's still heartening to hear the truth.

God bless,

Bill

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True knowledge leads some from cocksure ignorance to thoughtful uncertainty.

POPPY:


Greetings to Canada, Poppy (I spent one of the best years in my life living in BC from '92 to '93). Interesting what you say about the sad C&W tune ... 'cause I was singing a couple times a week in a cafe from 2000 to 2004. My wife was the 1st one to note that I had a penchant for the sad & lonesome type song -- lots of Merle Haggard, George Jones, George Strait stuff, and some oldtime cowboy songs. True.

Anyway appreciate y'alls interest in the stories we tell -- you know I've always given more credence to anecdotal evidence (basically stories) than statistical compilations. The stories passed down in families over the centuries makes better reading than most scholarly tomes.

God bless,

Bill

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True knowledge leads some from cocksure ignorance to thoughtful uncertainty.

"the 'virtual reality' that we're reading about in recent years (e.g., we should never have gone to war against Hitler/Tojo/Mussolini"

Hello Bill,

As I remember it, it was Hitler/Hirohito/Mussolini, that of course was before the cleansing of history as well.

Take care,
Jack

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All the Best
Jack

Finally gotten around to reading this entire thread and I am impressed with the width and depth of your tales. Thank you for sharing it with us in this forum, sir.

Tnx for the good words, Falcon. You know when I first seriously contemplated starting this thread I had a weird thing happen to me -- I couldn't get to sleep that entire night .... there was some kind of excitement going on inside of me -- welled up as a surprise -- by dawn the next day I finally figured it out -- this was a story that needed telling -- the Truth seems to have a life of its own. To say nothing of the fact that the media and the Groves of Academe, in other words, the intelligentsia, ARE BUSY RE-WRITING THE HISTORY OF WW2 to their own liking. SEMPER VERITAS!

Bill
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True knowledge leads some from cocksure ignorance to thoughtful uncertainty.

Jack:

Yeah, I'm a bit fuzzy on Hirohito/Tojo. Re "the cleansing of history" read my post above, a few minutes ago .

Regards,

Bill

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True knowledge leads some from cocksure ignorance to thoughtful uncertainty.

Thanks for sharing your personal history, Bill.

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David

"It is history that teaches us to hope"
Robert E. Lee