History is the best teacher but yet is ignored on constant basis.
Never Forget Pearl Harbor
- Thread starter Muddyboots
- Start date
les
Hammer Time Executive member
I befriended a survivor of Pearl Harbor many years ago. He was in supply. More interesting than his story was his wife's story. She shared in detail how she and some of the other servicemen wives were having a brunch outside of military housing. For close to an hour they thought they were seeing a military exercise and didn't realize they were being attacked. Thank you all for your service those on the list that have protected our freedoms.
My dad was gunner/mechanic on SBD dive bomber in Pacific Theater. Never talked about it except that his pilot was a John Wayne wannabe? All I know from his papers is he was in both Midway and Marshall Island Combat Theaters. Many years ago I took him to the Air Museum in KZoo and as we rolled (wheelchair) into the WWII section, his eyes lit up. There was a SBD and a F4U that he worked on. He was describing all the tech stuff on the SBD when the Museum Director was walking by with group of people. He saw my dad gesturing on the SBD and excused himself from his group. He came over and asked my dad if he flew in it and got quite the answer!
The Director asked if he could walk and yes? Dropped the velvet ropes, led him over to the left wing and dropped the maintenance door. Which then my dad explained why it was there. Brought a laugh! Director pulled out a Sharpie and asked my dad to sign the hatch which he did with squadron Ace of Spades. Director thanked my dad which put him on cloud 9! The director had to get back to his group so we continued looking at aircraft which seemed to open my dad up even more about WWII.
As we left, we hit gift shop and got him a framed drawing of the SBD in dive on a carrier. But I wanted to get a Franklin Mint scale model but out of stock. So his birthday is coming up and ordered it for direct to him. He calls up all excited when it arrived. Perfect in every way. And Thank You for putting the Ace of Spaded squadron decal on it. WHAT? I did nothing. I looked up on line again. No options for squadron! I was curious so I called Franklin Mint and they had no idea what the heck I was talking about. No options too difficult for all the variables on all military equipment. That's when the Twilight Zone jingle kept playing in my mind.
A kind gesture by the Museum Director made such a difference to my dad's remaining days.
The Director asked if he could walk and yes? Dropped the velvet ropes, led him over to the left wing and dropped the maintenance door. Which then my dad explained why it was there. Brought a laugh! Director pulled out a Sharpie and asked my dad to sign the hatch which he did with squadron Ace of Spades. Director thanked my dad which put him on cloud 9! The director had to get back to his group so we continued looking at aircraft which seemed to open my dad up even more about WWII.As we left, we hit gift shop and got him a framed drawing of the SBD in dive on a carrier. But I wanted to get a Franklin Mint scale model but out of stock. So his birthday is coming up and ordered it for direct to him. He calls up all excited when it arrived. Perfect in every way. And Thank You for putting the Ace of Spaded squadron decal on it. WHAT? I did nothing. I looked up on line again. No options for squadron! I was curious so I called Franklin Mint and they had no idea what the heck I was talking about. No options too difficult for all the variables on all military equipment. That's when the Twilight Zone jingle kept playing in my mind.
A kind gesture by the Museum Director made such a difference to my dad's remaining days.
Mountainman
Hammer Time Executive member
That's a great story my friend!!
So here is pic of the plane with Ace of Spades.
There is prob a thought today we placed our ships under their bombs.
I was in Normandy on business during the 50 year anniversary of D-Day in June 1995. I stood on beaches still seeing military equipment in water, caissons, pill boxes on cliffs. Stood in pill boxes overlooking beaches. Heart wrenching realizing how many soldiers died in front of this position. Numbing. I toured the cemetery of rows of white crosses. Sat on same bench in Saving Private Ryan movie. Cried my eyes out along with fellow Americans there. The experience, the immensity of the horror our soldiers went through was felt to the core of your soul. Almost 30 years later, I can still recall the horrible feelings standing in the pill boxes.
IMO, EVERY American should experience standing in the "shoes" of what our greatest generation went through. Feel the horror and overwhelming sadness of realizing the loss of life that occurred here to defend our freedom.
I feel sad that I believe our country can never be what it once was.
IMO, EVERY American should experience standing in the "shoes" of what our greatest generation went through. Feel the horror and overwhelming sadness of realizing the loss of life that occurred here to defend our freedom.
I feel sad that I believe our country can never be what it once was.
dchamp
Well-known member
I too have been to Normandy. My youngest son wanted to go there so we took him when he was 12. We stayed in a little camping park with cabins right off the beach about about a 1/2 mile down from the cemetery. I was suprised about the emotional affect that the cemetery had on me. None of the other sights had that affect of that invasion but walking through the cemetery looking at the names of all those young men will bring tears to you with a heavy heart.
If ever in Belgium, Bastonge is worth seeing. It is not as emotional as Normandy but still qiute a place. All of my children have been there. My wife is from a town about 45 minute drive from Bastonge. Behind her house is a forested area on a hill side over looking a river. In the forested area there are still trenches and craters. I used to work with a man who fought where my wife fought there but I don’t remember what unit he was with.
