SO WHAT DID YOUR PARENTS DO IN THE BIG WAR

"SHIVER ME TIMBERS" wrote in message
...
Well after watching the Ken Burns series THE WAR ad naseum ad naseum,
I thought I'd come into the group today with one of my curious questions.

What did your parents, family, etc. do in the big WWII.

Mine worked at the Canada Car foundry in what was then called
Fort William, Ontario.

They were inspectors helping to make Hawker Hurricanes and later other
types of figthers including the Curtis Helldiver.

How about your folks.....

My dad was CO of the 82nd Combat Engineers Battalion.
During the invasion his unit built many of the pontoons and other support
structures
needed for the march to Berlin.

My mom was a secretary in Washington DC at one of the government offices.

Jim Morris

How about your folks.....

My father was forced by the fascist regime to fight in Africa and Balcans to
conquire the "empire" and , in the progess, he met also with a bullet in
the
chest. After 8-11-1943 he letf, and joined the resistance against the nazi
which had occupied Italy. He knew English language so he was given the radio
comunications with the Britts and Americans (whom we will never end to thank
for what they did) until the end of the war in april 45.He died in 1972.

Guy wrote:

How about your folks.....


My father was forced by the fascist regime to fight in Africa and Balcans to
conquire the "empire" and , in the progess, he met also with a bullet in
the
chest. After 8-11-1943 he letf, and joined the resistance against the nazi
which had occupied Italy. He knew English language so he was given the radio
comunications with the Britts and Americans (whom we will never end to thank
for what they did) until the end of the war in april 45.He died in 1972.




A lot of thanks is due to those who worked the underground in Europe
during the war. Your post was truly inspiring.

JT

"Guy" wrote in message
...

How about your folks.....

My father was forced by the fascist regime to fight in Africa and Balcans
to
conquire the "empire" and , in the progess, he met also with a bullet in
the
chest. After 8-11-1943 he letf, and joined the resistance against the nazi
which had occupied Italy. He knew English language so he was given the
radio
comunications with the Britts and Americans (whom we will never end to
thank
for what they did) until the end of the war in april 45.He died in 1972.


My grandfather was sent by his family in Sicily to the US as skies were
darkening in Europe just prior to WW1. He was about 17 and entered through
Ellis Island. He rolled cigars in Tampa and farmed in Central Florida for a
living. After Pearl Harbor, when Dad tried to convince my grandfather to
allow him to enlist in the USAAC, my grandfather resisted angrily. He was
concerned that Dad may end up bombing Italy. Dad had seen newsreels at the
movies that convinced him that being drafted into the infantry was not for
him. My grandfather finally relented and Dad enlisted in the Air Corps.
Fortunately he was sent to England rather than Italy.

Also, Dad's cousin, who served aboard the USS New York BB-34, jokingly
refers to his job as "tailgunner". I have an uncle who served in the
Pacific aboard the Escort Carrier USS Tulagi CVE-72. Another uncle served in
the 3rd Army directly under Patton and participated in the Battle of the
Bulge. I'm trying to find out more about his service history. Dad's uncle
(Uncle Sam!) was an armorer at a P-38 base in England and he and Dad were
able to occasionally visit while in England.

Tony P.

"SHIVER ME TIMBERS" wrote in message
...
Well after watching the Ken Burns series THE WAR ad naseum ad naseum,
I thought I'd come into the group today with one of my curious questions.

What did your parents, family, etc. do in the big WWII.

Mine worked at the Canada Car foundry in what was then called
Fort William, Ontario.

They were inspectors helping to make Hawker Hurricanes and later other
types of figthers including the Curtis Helldiver.

How about your folks.....

My father was a Kiwi soldier/driver in the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary
Force and saw action against Rommel in North Africa - Battle of El Alamein
and Tobruk then through the Middle East and finally Italy. Witnessed the
bombing at Monte Casino. He told me he saw Charles Upham being presented
with his VC - one of 2 he received - and said he was the most humble of
soldiers and embarrassed by all the pomp and ceremony.

My uncle was captured by the Germans in Crete and sent to work on farms in
Poland. A talented musician, he received a piano accordion that was sent to
their prison camp by the Pope to boost morale. It was lost during their
release at the end of WW2, but returned to him about ten years ago. He
recently returned to the village where he had been a farm labourer during
the war. An elderly woman ran up to him and cried out "Cliff ! ... Cliff !"
Incredible that she still recognised him after 50 years absence.

My mother, aged in her late teens, lived in Melbourne, Australia. In her
spare time she was a Concert Party dancer entertaining troops who were on
leave. She met my father on his way back to NZ after the war.
Her father was a radio operator who assisted Charles Kingsford Smith with
communications when he flew around Australia. I very much regret not
tracking down my grandfather before he died.

Cheers,
John

SHIVER ME TIMBERS wrote:
Well after watching the Ken Burns series THE WAR ad naseum ad naseum,
I thought I'd come into the group today with one of my curious questions.

What did your parents, family, etc. do in the big WWII.

Mine worked at the Canada Car foundry in what was then called
Fort William, Ontario.

They were inspectors helping to make Hawker Hurricanes and later other
types of figthers including the Curtis Helldiver.

How about your folks.....

I must have some young parents. Both my parents were still in school. Dad
graduated high school in 1948, and joined the USAF about 1950. Dad was in the
pipeline to go to Korea as an F84 pilot when the Armistice happened.

David Hartung added these comments in the current discussion du
jour ...

How about your folks.....

I must have some young parents. Both my parents were still in
school. Dad graduated high school in 1948, and joined the USAF
about 1950. Dad was in the pipeline to go to Korea as an F84
pilot when the Armistice happened.

My father was over 30 when he was drafted into the Marines in mid-
1943, I was born in 1947. Many of my friends' fathers were much
younger, so it was their grandfather that fought in WWII. All of my
uncles on both sides of my family were WWII vets. One was wounded
in the Battle of the Bulge, all the others were in the Navy. My
Uncle Joe was the 20mm gunner on the bow of the USS Massachusetts.

As to Korea, my father's best friend from the Marines decided to
stay in the active reserve and tried unsuccessfully to convince my
father to join with him. Turns out that Dad was "smarter", as his
friend was called up in the early days of Korea.

--
HP, aka Jerry

HEMI-Powered wrote:
David Hartung added these comments in the current discussion du
jour ...

How about your folks.....
I must have some young parents. Both my parents were still in
school. Dad graduated high school in 1948, and joined the USAF
about 1950. Dad was in the pipeline to go to Korea as an F84
pilot when the Armistice happened.

My father was over 30 when he was drafted into the Marines in mid-
1943, I was born in 1947. Many of my friends' fathers were much
younger, so it was their grandfather that fought in WWII. All of my
uncles on both sides of my family were WWII vets. One was wounded
in the Battle of the Bulge, all the others were in the Navy. My
Uncle Joe was the 20mm gunner on the bow of the USS Massachusetts.

As to Korea, my father's best friend from the Marines decided to
stay in the active reserve and tried unsuccessfully to convince my
father to join with him. Turns out that Dad was "smarter", as his
friend was called up in the early days of Korea.

My Dad's dad served in the Marines during WWI. To my knowledge, he never saw
combat. My Mom's dad was a Lutheran school principle, and my guess is that he
was on the high side of 40 in 1941. He also had, at that time, 5 kids. I'm not
certain if that had any bearing on his service status or not.

David Hartung added these comments in the current discussion du
jour ...

HEMI-Powered wrote:
My father was over 30 when he was drafted into the Marines in
mid- 1943, I was born in 1947. Many of my friends' fathers
were much younger, so it was their grandfather that fought in
WWII. All of my uncles on both sides of my family were WWII
vets. One was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge, all the
others were in the Navy. My Uncle Joe was the 20mm gunner on
the bow of the USS Massachusetts.

My Dad's dad served in the Marines during WWI.

WWI?! Wow, he must've been even older than my father, who was
born in 1913 and passed away in 1998.

To my knowledge, he never saw combat. My Mom's dad was
a Lutheran
school principle, and my guess is that he was on the high side
of 40 in 1941. He also had, at that time, 5 kids. I'm not
certain if that had any bearing on his service status or not.

If you really meant WWII, yes, I believe that the draft extended
to about 42, although I didn't think the Marines took men that
old. 30-ish is VERY old to withstand the rigors of WWII-style
Boot Camp, which was 11 weeks long, and in those days, DIs could
actually hit a boot. Not to injure them, of course, but they
might cold cock an errant trainee. And, in them days, they
definitely marched boots in either the desert areas of San Diego,
where my father went, or the swamps of Parris Island with the
proverbial bucket over their head. Sometime in the late
1950s/early 1960s the corporal punishment was banned as was a
bucket on the head after several boots fell in a hole in the
Parris Island swamp and drowned.

I also remember my father telling stories even as I was a young
child in the early 1950s to wit "we have only 11 weeks to train
you to fight an enemy that's been training for 20 or 30 years.
And, in those days, just about everyone also went to Infantry
training at Camp Pendleton. As you probably know, ALL Marines,
regardless of actual training specialty - my father was a "6x6" 2
1/2 ton truck driver - were riflemen. The reason he wound up in
Shrier's patrol that assaulted Mt. Suribachi is that there was
little for a truck driver to do prior to it's being taken. AFAIK,
he then was assigned to assist the Navy Sea Bees to build runways
and a transportation system. I have documented proof that he was
also still on Iwo on 21May45, two months after the island was
secured. He first supported Marines on occupation duty and later
Army personnel. I also remember his stories that into at least
April, maybe May, he would occasionally get sniped at driving on
cat eyes at night.

--
HP, aka Jerry

"HEMI-Powered" wrote in message
...
David Hartung added these comments in the current discussion du
jour ...

HEMI-Powered wrote:
My father was over 30 when he was drafted into the Marines in
mid- 1943, I was born in 1947. Many of my friends' fathers
were much younger, so it was their grandfather that fought in
WWII. All of my uncles on both sides of my family were WWII
vets. One was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge, all the
others were in the Navy. My Uncle Joe was the 20mm gunner on
the bow of the USS Massachusetts.

My Dad's dad served in the Marines during WWI.

WWI?! Wow, he must've been even older than my father, who was
born in 1913 and passed away in 1998.

To my knowledge, he never saw combat. My Mom's dad was
a Lutheran
school principle, and my guess is that he was on the high side
of 40 in 1941. He also had, at that time, 5 kids. I'm not
certain if that had any bearing on his service status or not.

If you really meant WWII, yes, I believe that the draft extended
to about 42, although I didn't think the Marines took men that
old. 30-ish is VERY old to withstand the rigors of WWII-style
Boot Camp, which was 11 weeks long, and in those days, DIs could
actually hit a boot. Not to injure them, of course, but they
might cold cock an errant trainee. And, in them days, they
definitely marched boots in either the desert areas of San Diego,
where my father went, or the swamps of Parris Island with the
proverbial bucket over their head. Sometime in the late
1950s/early 1960s the corporal punishment was banned as was a
bucket on the head after several boots fell in a hole in the
Parris Island swamp and drowned.

I also remember my father telling stories even as I was a young
child in the early 1950s to wit "we have only 11 weeks to train
you to fight an enemy that's been training for 20 or 30 years.
And, in those days, just about everyone also went to Infantry
training at Camp Pendleton. As you probably know, ALL Marines,
regardless of actual training specialty - my father was a "6x6" 2
1/2 ton truck driver - were riflemen. The reason he wound up in
Shrier's patrol that assaulted Mt. Suribachi is that there was
little for a truck driver to do prior to it's being taken. AFAIK,
he then was assigned to assist the Navy Sea Bees to build runways
and a transportation system. I have documented proof that he was
also still on Iwo on 21May45, two months after the island was
secured. He first supported Marines on occupation duty and later
Army personnel. I also remember his stories that into at least
April, maybe May, he would occasionally get sniped at driving on
cat eyes at night.

--
HP, aka Jerry

Ooops, forgot about my 90 year old uncle in southern Michigan.

He was in the Army from 1935'ish to 1938'ish, stationed in Hawaii, Honorably
Discharged, and was drafted back into the Army in 1942 to 1945. He trained
in Southern California and served in several locations in the South Pacific.

He still has his Campaign hat from his first tour in the Army, saw it 3
weeks ago.