Navy Vet new here

Hello all! Like the title says I was in the Navy between 1987-1991 stationed aboard the USS Nimitz. It is one of the few things that I am proud of.

I found your site because I was looking for information on my Grandfather who I was a WW2 vet.

My grandfather is now deceased and I have always tried to ask family members questions about his service. My aunt told me that they would question my grandfather about the war and he would get angry so I don't think they bugged him about it too much.

The only information I have been able to gather from a single photo I have of him in Uniform.

First I took the photo to the Veterans museum in my small town of Centralia, Wa. where actual WW2 veterans run the museum.

The only info they could give me is that he had a ruptured duck and what looked to be some sort of do dad around one shoulder wrapping under the arm pit (sorry don't know what it's called.) One of the vets at the museum told me it looked like something about being in France.

That's all they could tell me. His Shoulder patches where not really too clear.

Later I took a magnifying glass and could barely make out one patch on his shoulder. It look to me to be a European Theater of Operation Advanced base patch.

I think my Grandpa guarded prisoners of war. My aunt told me that the only thing he ever said about the war was that he witnessed or participated in GI's throwing grenades in a well with German prisoners in it.

He told my Aunts and Uncles this story to discourage them from questioning him about it anymore.

Whether it's true or not I'm not sure. But I do believe that he had painful memories of the war and did not want to talk about it.

If you have any information on this unit or knew my GP please let me know.

His name was Charles Herrmann. He was from St Paul, MN. and later settled in Seattle, Wa.

Thanks

 

Welcome to the forum!

Grim story, if you are able to post the picture here perhaps a few members can help you out? Have you tried to take the image to places outside of your town for investigation? I think the US government has made basic service records availble online although I am not 100% sure of this.

 

Unfortunatly war IS very grim. My Uncle tried to get his records but they were all lost.

 

The government lost the records or someone else?

 

Can anyone tell me more about the ETO advanced base's role during the war? Info on the net is very limited. From what I have gathered they were a close support group to the front lines. And I do believe my Uncle did mention something about a fire. Thanks for your replies.