June 6, 1944

[A.duc.H.duc.]

My grandfather was 82nd Airborne, dropped on D-day, and fought in the battle at La Fiere Bridge. He stayed in Europe till the war ended, fighting through the Battle of the Bulge all the way into Berlin. Even took a piece of shrapnel in the side in Belgium. He said it was so cold that night he didn't even know he got hit till he pulled his hand out of his pocket and it was soaked in blood. The stay in the Army hospital ended up leaving him with a collapsed lung after he contracted TB there, and the doctors solution to keep TB from spreading even more there was to collapse the infected lungs. He didn't talk much about the war either, except for the funny stories, like knowing the guy who's chute got stuck on the steeple of the church in St. Mere Eglise., or the time he and another soldier stole a German motorcycle and crashed it into a tree. He died in 2006 essentially from complications from the dormant TB in his one collapsed lung. I can't express the respect I have for him and men like him. They really were the Greatest Generation.

[fastwin]

Incredible story! They don't make 'em like that anymore. Tough SOBs who didn't have the word quit in their vocabulary. I guess the Depression did have a good side. It forged that generation into steel.

[the_Journeyman]

My dad's brother-in-law was at Iwo Jima at the same time and within a stones throw of the historic flag photo.  He also lived to be about 90 and never talked about it.

My Grandfather was a Marine that was one of the first on the shore at Iwo Jima.  Their expected survival time was around 30 seconds.  Navy was bombarding the shoreline, and they were prime targets because of the type of gun they were carrying.

JM

[fastwin]

Isn't it strange they never want to talk about it. I probably wouldn't either. My father in law would talk a little to me but not his kids... my wife and brother in law. We got into a nice talk once abount Garands and 1903A3s and their knock down power. He pregnant doged several times about the Air Force staffing his outfit like they were the Germans and wanting to shoot at the planes. Can't blame him there.

[Speedbag]

Isn't it strange they never want to talk about it. I probably wouldn't either.

+1

My Dad never spoke of his two years in Vietnam. Not even to Mom. Whatever secrets he held died with him.

[badgalbetty]

for some,speaking about what they have done or seen is simply too much and if they have it buried it is best to remain buried. My grandfather ( mothers father) was a foreman for the gas board in the UK during the war.He lived near North Weald Airodrome. During an air raid the womens air raid shelter recieved a direct hit. My grandad pulled out the remains of 53 women air force personel from what was left of that shelter. My grandma said he came home that day he was covered in blood and his own vomit was shaking and was changed forever.War is never hollywood or pretty.

[herm]

my grandfather went ashore at Normandy, although in the artillery rather than a ground pounder.......so not the first wave. he was also at Bastogne.

growing up, he always said that he spent the war stateside, but after he passed away, my grandmother gave me his Ike jacket, and told me a little bit (what she knew.) I also researched his service ribbons, which was pretty interesting/difficult.

[fastwin]

I suppose like many combat veterans you spend the rest of your life trying to forget some of the things you saw or did. Therefore chatting folks up about it years or even decades later probably makes you rehash or think about all the things you tried so hard to forget. Just a guess.

[Speedbag]

As kids, my brother and I learned early on not to touch Dad to wake him if he was napping. Talking to him was OK (could take a few tries) but if you touched him he'd wake up as if in terror, swinging wildly until he was with it enough to know it was you. I wonder to this day if this wasn't related to his service days.

I shudder to think. 

[77south]

   My grandfather Miller was an only child and a farmer, so he spent the war on his farm in West Bend WI.  Since most of the able bodied farm help was half a world away,  he worked with  the German P.O.W.s who were doled out to the farms in the area as farm hands.
   My Grandpa Smith worked double shifts at a munitons factory for the war.