Rememberance Day 11/11/11

[MachinistMark]

Thank you to all the vets past and present who have given their live and to those who've come home.

My Great grandfather served in the first war at Vimy ridge, ypres, the second sommes and pashcendaele. All before he turned 19.

[Junkman]

Mine fell at the Pasubio. His brother and his cousin, too.

[MachinistMark]

Uncle harry fell at vimy as well, my great grandfather made it through w/out a scratch.

[MachinistMark]

Neither would my great grandfather, he would get quite angry if asked as well. He was 16 and 5 foot 6 when he left, by the time he got home he was 20, and 5 foot 9!

were lucky, we still have his pay book and medical records from the 3 times he was in the hospital during (pneumonia, scabies, and trenchfoot)

I believe he was in the 87th Which if i recall correctly, they were the battalion that led the charge at vimy.

[MachinistMark]

Where was your grandfather from steve? My uncle and grandfather were from the economy/five islands area.

[MachinistMark]

what battallion number was the black watch?

[Agent G]

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers, for who ever serves with me shall be my brother.

May God bless them all, past, present, and future.

Dad was Army, and an old man (30) at the start of WWII. He served in the China, Burma, India theatre, and the occupation of Japan in '46.

Brother was a Marine, survived the seige at Khe Sahn, only to be wounded outside the Army base at Dak To.

I had quite a few different, ahem, "all inclusive vacations" courtesy of the Marines since enlisting in '74, and remaining a reservist until '89.

G

[MachinistMark]

Well Mark, the Black Watch was a regiment, not a battalion.

This from wikipedia ,,,

The regiment contributed many men to several battalions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, most notably the 13th Battalion (which fought in the 1st Canadian Divison), the 42nd Battalion (of the 2nd Devision) and the 73rd Battalion.

yes, thats right, its been ages since i read my book on vimy. I forget what Reg he was in, but im fairly certain (id have to double check with my grandfather) my great grandfather and uncle were in the 87th which in my book says that was the Grenadier gurads montreal.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

[RodneyBad]

[Bridgebuster]

Changed my avatar to my dad's squadron insignia. I want to honor my dad, his squadron and all vets. Well done dad. Thank you vets for your service. Sadly, Ive watched his squadron dwindling down every year with the loss of some of the finest men I've ever met.

Remembering the 490th Bombardment Squadron . . . The Burma Bridge Busters. (hence my handle)

Silent Sleep

by Lloyd Klar

341st Bombardment Group

(11th, 22nd, 490th, 491st)

Her great roaring engines are long silent,

Her guns are pitted with rust.

Olive drab paint is flaking and faded,

Turrets are covered with dust.

She sits and waits for her crewmen,

Those young men from another day.

Fifty long years have passed and gone,

Since they all went away.

Where have all those young men gone,

Those boys she knew so well?

They took her there and brought her back,

What stories they can tell.

Some are buried in foreign lands,

War records tell the place.

”Killed In Action” the official words,

Or just “KIA” to save space.

Others went down in a fiery crash,

Just where, no one can tell;

Over Burma jungles or China cliffs—

No markers where they fell.

Others came home, the war was over,

We disipated like the dew.

Then separately we all went our ways,

Back to lives we knew.

But in every airman’s inner thoughts,

Quiet moments as day ends,

We hear again those engines roar

And voices of our friends.

Now we’re aging and almost grey;

Again friends are starting to fall.

They’re going now into that long last sleep

That comes one day to us all.

So here’s to our fellow comrades,

Those still here, or passed away,

We’ll remember you as you once were

In a distant place and day.

As we stand here now in silence,

We’ll think of you and smile.

Get ready for that final briefing;

We’ll join you in a while.

Edited November 12, 2011 by Bridgebuster

[Tom Setzer]

I'm part of a Military Family, going back several centuries. My Great,Great, Great, Great Grand Father was a Cavalry Brigade Comander in The Austrian/Holy Roman Empire Army. His son Commanded a Husaur Regiment in The Prussian Army in The Wars against The French Republic/Empire Lead By Napoleon, His son was a Cavalry Colonel in The Union Army,and his son my Grandfather who Raised me Served for 47 Years in the U.S. Army. He Fought in the Philopines against Islamic Tribesmen, then served at Fort Hood Fighting Mexican Bandits, where he met my Grandmother. My Grand Father had lost his first wife to fever, and My GrandMother had lost her first Husband and two Children to the same Fever outbreak. At that time My Grandfather had just made Captain. He was a Lt. Colonel when he went to Europe With the American Expedistionary Force in 1917. During the War he was promoted to Sargeant Major General, but when the war ended he was reduced in Rank to Brigadier, He was again promoted to Lt. General during WWII, but again at the end of the War He was reduced in Rank To Brigadier. He retired in 1947, after serving in both World Wars and taking part in over twenty Campaigns, He had been decorated for Valour by six Countries winning every award except the Medal Of Honour. I had 5 Uncles who served in WWII, and two lost their lives,and a third was badly wounded in Korea, and lost his right arm.

I served 3 Tours in Veitnam, and I was wounded 4 times, and now I have to use an electric wheel chair to get around, plus I lost most of the use of my right hand,and the hearing in my right ear.

If I was back in the sixties again I would do the same thing and serve my country. The worst thing isn't the physical injuries, it is the memory of the young kids I lost over there.

I only ask that my country will finally honour the service of those young men and all of the others who served and are now serving!

Let No one be Left Behind!

Tom

Edited November 12, 2011 by Tom Setzer

[Customman]

Wayne, what year was your brother in DakTo ? What was his MOS with the Marines ? I was in the Army, A. Company 299th Combat Engineers In DakTo 1969 I was Company Security / Grunt.

George

[crazyjim]

We ha a GREAT trip to Washington, DC for Veterans Day. We took a tour of the Museum Resource Center (MRC). That's place where all the stuff left at The Wall is taken, categorized, and stored. We took the American Gold Star Mothers (only 7) who were in town to dinner. In case you're not aware, the Gold Star Mothers are the Moms of Heroes killed in war. Thursday night we celebrated the Marine Corps birthday at the Froggy Bottom Pub with Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq, and Afghanistan Veterans. Friday we attended the Veterans Day ceremonies at George Washington University and presented them with a banner inscribed with 2,914 names of Americans killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. They are now the caretakers of that banner. We ran out of GWU to get to The Wall for Veterans Day ceremonies. Met Joe Galloway (We were Soldiers Once). Nice guy and gave a terrific speech. Saturday we headed home and thought the Veterans Day ceremonies were over, but we ran into 2 Freedom Flights at the airport. The first was WWII Veterans from Wisconsin, and the second was Korea Veterans from Tennessee. We were told it was the first Freedom Flight for Korean Veterans. It was really great shaking those guys hands and thanking them for their service. Marcia is working on getting the pics together. I could post the link here if anyone is interested.

[Agent G]

George,

Neal was a Motor Transport Corporal. Drove deuces and 5 tons, in fact that's how he came to be in Khe Sahn. He was short and "volunteered" for one last trip. They went to Dak To immediately after being relieved, so say mid '68. I remember he got back to the world in the winter of '68. I was 12 at the time, and so it wasn't until later that we spoke of the experience.

G

[crazyjim]

Marcia got the pics done and are here for your viewing pleasure.

http://cybrarygoddess.com/vetsweek2011