I have heard many people mention that their parents or grandparents were in WWII. In this thread, we should share what they've shared with us.
The grandfather on my mother's side was in the navy, but before the start of the war he joined a nuclear power plant, and he somehow avoided draft. He has no war memories to share, only stories of his lifestyle. He now lives in New York with his wife and one of his 4 daughters.

The grandfather on my father's side was a boot camp advisor during the war, so he stayed at home and trained the boys who were going. After the war, however, he was stationed in Germany to help with the post-war cleanup. There, my father (born in South Carolina), learned German and how to play foosball (still wickedly good at it). My grandfather now lives at a retirement home in Georgetown, TX.

Not much, but it's a start for the thread. anybody want to share?

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You are about to embark on the great crusade towards which we have striven these many months - Eisenhower

Grandfather - mother's side - was a Major in the British Army, served from 1912-1918 as Staff officer, aide, in communications and as translator, MC.

Grandfather - father's side and still alive -, lieutenant colonel and sniper in the German Army 1938-1945.

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"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun

That's quite a diverse backround How did your parents meet? Anybody else?

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You are about to embark on the great crusade towards which we have striven these many months - Eisenhower

How did my parents meet? Weird, complicated and sad story.

My mother was studying senior highschool at Strasbourg in 1983 - she was 17 (my grandfather had her when he was 71) - when she met this man, twenty four years her senior who worked for some chemical enterprise and two months later, he had married her, made her pregnant and made her move to Cologne - even if she didn't speak German... [img]graemlins/no.gif[/img]

[ 06. November 2003, 11:35 AM: Message edited by: General der Infanterie Friedrich H ]

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"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun

My Grandfather on my dad's side fought in World War Two aboard the destroyer USS Norman Scott. He was the ships typist and also manned one of the five 5inch guns. While he was at sea, his ship was shelled by the Japanese, destroying their bridge and killing the captain and the crew members at one of the guns. He also set the record at boot camp for pull-ups (39). [img]graemlins/rk.gif[/img]

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Squirrel Reporting, Sir/Ma'am!

Wow...that is pretty complicated, but that explains the diversity. How are they now? [img]graemlins/no.gif[/img]

Squirrel, what about your mother's side?

Anybody else?

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You are about to embark on the great crusade towards which we have striven these many months - Eisenhower