My Great Uncle Conrad had three ships shot out from under him during WWII; my Grandfather's best friend was in the Battle Of The Bulge and lost his toes to frost bite. My Grandfather was a stevedore on the docks and kept being deferred until the military really needed him. He was just about to ship out when the war finally ended. I have a picture of him with my Grandmother, my Mom (who was barely a year old) and my Uncle (who was about three) that he had taken a few days before he was to leave, as he thought he probably wouldn't come back. They really were (and will always be) The Greatest Generation.
I cant even imagine how a thread honoring our Veterans could be considered 'political". but dont tell me, I dont want this one deleted too.
75 years ago today my parents were in a movie theater in Los Angeles. Suddenly, the lights came on and the theater manager stood on the stage and announced "All military personnel return to your bases immediately. Hawaii has been attacked by the Japanese." That is how they learned about Pearl Harbor. During the war the company my father worked for switched to war production building rocket launchers and my mother worked for Lockheed, building P-38 fighters. May God bless the generation that stopped their lives to save the world.
Pearl Harbor Day. For a Great Uncle whom I never had the chance to know due to his ship going down in the Pacific because of the Japanese War Machine. Never recovered but entombed at the bottom of the seas. Was stationed out of Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked. His ship was at sea already. According to my Mom, he had a hot rod jalopy. One of my Uncles always talked about the 1928 Ford PU that Uncle Buddy drove. He said it was hopped up but couldn't go into detail about it because he had no idea what was in it. His picture hung in our house with pride and I had walked past his picture several times each day of my life as I was growing up. My Mom would answer any question that I had about "Uncle Buddy", her Uncle. Today, "Uncle Buddy's" picture hangs in one of my other Uncle's house, as my Uncle's, Uncle Buddy, with pride. "Uncle Buddy" was the reason that I was going to enter the U.S. Navy but chose the U.S. Army, instead. I was going to follow in his foot steps. "CHEERS TO UNCLE BUDDY". I hope that you are Resting In Peace. Never recovered but entombed forever at the bottom of the seas.
Our nephew is currently stationed at Pearl. He's a Navy Corpsman serving at a medical facility on base. Very proud of him and he takes a lot of pride being stationed there. (During our last visit) Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I'm glad that you brought this up. At my V.A. Center, Jerry L. Pettis Loma Linda, V.A., we still have a few WW2 Vets and Korean War Vets. I like to talk with them when I see them. It's great to shake their hands and walk with them. When they allow it, I'll push them in their chairs. Sometimes they don't want you to push due to being too independent. Each year, The Loma Linda V.A. does their Veteran's Car Show. When these WW2 and Korean Vets come out, their eyes light up and they would be very excited as they talked about the cars that they have owned or their friends have had and about the dates that they had in them. They would say how their wives would get mad at them for loving their cars too much. Sometimes more than them. They all tell the same story. It was romantic..... They also like to talk about the war machine vehicles. The "deuces", The Jeeps, The Harley Davidson and Indian Motor Cycles that they rode and worked on. They like to tell what they would have done to hop them up. The WW2 Veterans are in their 90's now and nearing 100 years old. Their car stories will soon fade away. Great conversations. Nothing about cars has changed.
Both of my Grandmothers used to take the old street car up to the Federal Center to work during the war. They both worked making armaments. Never knew what size, but my Grandma (my Mom's Mom) told me they were longer than her arm from her elbow to her fingertips. We can all learn something about Patriotism and the love of our country from all the people that were here at that time, and all they sacrificed to win the war! They truly are the greatest generation! E
First, a big Thank You to you Ryan for taking the time for this remarkable post honoring those individuals who gave their lives that day and to all who fought so that we can enjoy our existence today. My dad wasn't at pearl but was in the Army and served in the European theater. He met our Mom, a German girl and brought her here after the War. I also knew a veteran who saw the flag raising at Iwo Jima. he stopped to rest and just by chance looked up and saw it. All of those who were at Pearl Harbor and other who served in the War we all remember and Thank, and God Bless!.......They are truly the Greatest Generation!............Thank You again Ryan.....well done and a class act....
Ryan, A big thanks for posting this. So many of our young people don't know much about Dec. 7th and all the great people that lost their lives that day and after. War is hell anyway you look at it. Please thank all vets for their service next time you talk to one. USN forever
Lost some of my uncles and my dad in the last couple of years . They fought in france /germany and midway , one army ,one navy ,oneCBs ,my dad in korea . Wish i would have listened to more of their stories ,when they were willing to talk about their time in the service. some times they just could not speak . some memories were to strong even after years. Miss those men, those BROTHERS.
Us cruisers fire on the Japanese fleet at Surigao Straight in 1944. The world will never see big gun surface fleet actions again. Oregon native American women arrive in Portland to train for work in the Kaiser shipyards. Armed guards were posted on portland Bridges during the war!
I knew a Pearl Harbor survivor. His most prominent memory of the day was the smell of burnt flesh. War looks cool, but sucks.
A Japanese midget submarine is salvaged and later buried in a landfill after being sunk by USS Monaghan during the Pearl Harbor attack. The sub’s hull shows the effects of depth charges and ramming. A hole visible in the after part of the conning tower.
My Dad served in the Navy in WWII, and then also in Korea. I have been to the Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor. All I can say is that if it does not bring a tear to your eye, well I'll just leave it at that! God Bless all the Men and Women who fought for our FREEDOM, and Lord please watch over those who are serving today. KK
I was stationed at Barbers Point in the 80's and we had buildings that still had bullet holes. Very sobering. Thank you veterans for all you did! Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Wonderful tribute to the men of Pearl Harbor. There was an article in the Sunday paper about a 98 year old Arizona survivor that was taking his entire family to Pearl for today's services. Just finished watching Tora Tora Tora, great Pearl Harbor movie.
All of my grandparents were in there early twenties when the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred and both my mother and father were born in 1941. My grandfather (my dad's dad) was a colonel in the Army and fought in the Pacific theatre. The generation that fought World War II has been called the greatest generation and I absolutely and wholeheartedly agree with that characterization. Never again will an entire nation come together so completely for a common and noble cause.
My dad worked at Oak Ridge during the war as a chemical operator. Never really knew what he did, and they still didn't talk about their jobs long after the war was over. Had an uncle who was in the thick of European battles, including Normandy. He went in as a good ole country boy, came back as the sweetest guy to me, but he couldn't shake his demons and alcohol, and ended his life in '64. I think of these guys who were just kids, and what they saw and experienced during the war. When I think of what a fuckup I was at that age, it makes me admire and appreciate them even more.
Servicemen piled on a Willys....and a couple of pics I found with traditional ball busting comments on the back... God Bless the greatest generation....
USS Shaw's forward magazine explodes while in dry dock. Her bow was blown off but a temporary bow was fitted and she returned to the mainland for repairs. She finished the war with 11 battle stars. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I didn't hear any stories from my grandfather about WWII, but I did find his photo log book after both my grandfather and grandmother passed.
The Jalopy Journal
