OT: Thinking about D-Day

[uconnfan68]

Interesting article in the Courant.

My father was at Normandy on D-Day 75 years ago today. Until he was close to dying, he never talked about it.

Powerful.

 

[MSGRET]

I know it has been mentioned, but I have to ask. Do you know of any of the Greatest Generation that will talk about WW2? I know my Dad didn't.

My Uncle opened up about his time in the war mainly because he was awed to find out that he had spent time in the home town of my wife while going thru Germany with Patton. He mentioned that he was surprised by the number of Germans that were actually relieved that the German forces were retreating. Many of them were tired of the war and their loss of their loved ones. Most of the people in the area were farmers and they lost their crops and livestock to the German forces. Her Uncle was only 14 years old and was basically drafted (taken) to help bolster the German forces.

 

[Ozimoto]

In my experience, veterans will talk about their war experience with other veterans, but not so much with family and non veteran friends. To some extent it is the same with police officers and firefighters. Some of it is "if you didn't experience it you can't understand it." Some of it is a desire to protect people they care about from horrible things.

But honestly I think a big part of it is that people who want to talk to veterans about their experiences who haven't "been there" ask questions out of curiosity, and with no ill intent, that seek information that is just too painful to talk about. People who have had similar experiences intuitively have a better understanding of what subjects to stay away from.

After some time when these guys can finally come to grips and peace with what they went through (and it can take a lifetime) they might open up in their later years to share with their families. Often in the spirit of a cautionary tale in hopes that we don't have to go through the same things as a result of repeating history.

 

[pspr11]

My father in law was one of the guys driving a landing craft up to the beach. All he would ever tell me was “ the water was red, lots of bodies in the water and every once in a while they would throw me a peanut butter sandwich.”

 

[JordyG]

"cause in this day of social media incorrect facts soon become truths.

To steal a phrase most applicable in an age of social media, a lie goes around the world twice before truth puts on its boots

 

[veryolddog]

My father served in the US Navy Submarine Service in the Pacific during WWII. The only time he spoke about his duty assignment was after I came home from Viet Nam. All that he mentioned was "depth charging".

 

[uconnfan68]

My father served in the US Navy Submarine Service in the Pacific during WWII. The only time he spoke about his duty assignment was after I came home from Viet Nam. All that he mentioned was "depth charging".

My father was in Merchant Marines, as sole support of his parents (grandfather had a stroke), and younger brother. Did a bunch of North Atlantic convoy crossings during the war, unarmed. He stayed in that service after the war, and he went all over and saw much of the world for a few years. I regret I never asked him more about it.

 

[oldude]

My father was in Merchant Marines, as sole support of his parents (grandfather had a stroke), and younger brother. Did a bunch of North Atlantic convoy crossings during the war, unarmed. He stayed in that service after the war, and he went all over and saw much of the world for a few years. I regret I never asked him more about it.

I don’t know if you’re aware that during WWII, the Merchant Marine suffered the highest casualty rate of any service branch. Until the allies finally figured out how to stage and escort convoys across the Atlantic, it was incredibly dangerous duty.

 

[Cedar]

My profound gratitude and respect to the American soldiers who fought so bravely on the beaches of Normandy. Thanks as well to the valiant U.S. soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines who fought at Anzio, Okinawa, Iwo Jima, Guadalcanal, and many other locations during WW2. Never forget!

 

[uconnfan68]

I don’t know if you’re aware that during WWII, the Merchant Marine suffered the highest casualty rate of any service branch. Until the allies finally figured out how to stage and escort convoys across the Atlantic, it was incredibly dangerous duty.

I do. That was the irony of his being someplace out of harms way to provide for his family.

 

[vtcwbuff]

My father served in the US Navy Submarine Service in the Pacific during WWII. The only time he spoke about his duty assignment was after I came home from Viet Nam. All that he mentioned was "depth charging".

Do you know what submarine?

 

[meyers7]

"cause in this day of social media incorrect facts soon become truths.

Not sure what that has to do with the Indy 500????

 

[veryolddog]

Do you know what submarine?

I really don't know off the top of my head. But it was "fish" something or other. I will look through some of the old papers that I saved. He enlisted officially on Dec. 17, 1941 although he was at the Navy recruiter's office on Dec. 8. So many people there they gave them index cards with a date to come back. He left on Jan. 1, 1942. He went to Groton, and then according to my Mom left sometime during August 1942 for the Pacific. Could have been Kingfish but I will try to find out. No body is around anymore that I could ask. I know this: he was 33 years old at the time he enlisted, and he came home an E6. I know that he never spoke to my Mom about the war as I tried to find out from her when I was young boy. What I remember is this: once in the while, all the men and their families in the neighborhood would come by the house, drink beer and have a meal. They would speak about where they served during the war. Like one fellow said he served with Patton's 3rd; another was in the Bulge and he said, that it was cold. As a little boy, I was in awe of these conversations.

 

[Rixxx]

Swordfish ??

 

[RockyMTblue2]

My father had rhuematic fever as a kid and could not serve in WWII. However, he and another minister in Nova Scotia ferried allied wounded off Newfoundland to the mainland at night in a small boat, 'cuz the Nazi's subs were around and about. How the troops got from Europe to Newfoundland he never said. The only reason I know this is another minister who helped on land visited and took me aside and told me and said, with his seemingly huge finger planted on my chest: "Don't ever think your father is anything but a brave, brave man." or similar.

 

[Bezzz]

Somewhat OT. One of my fraternity brothers wrote:

"As the battle for Normandy progressed slowly in the first weeks, my father (shown on the right in the photo, next to my godfather, Lt. General Ted Brooks, and Generals Eisenhower and Bradley) was given the assignment to find the weakness of the new Panzer tanks that had been encountered which were almost impervious to US weapons including the Sherman. Using a captured Panzer, he had a Sherman tank fire at the Panzer from different sides. Ultimately, it was found that the only weak point was in the rear of the Panzer. Upon reporting the findings to Eisenhower, Ike's response was: "Well this is a helluva time to find that out".

Judging by Ike's expression, he had just gotten the word."

So I'm two steps removed from Ike Eisenhower.

 

[vtcwbuff]

I really don't know off the top of my head. But it was "fish" something or other. I will look through some of the old papers that I saved. He enlisted officially on Dec. 17, 1941 although he was at the Navy recruiter's office on Dec. 8. So many people there they gave them index cards with a date to come back. He left on Jan. 1, 1942. He went to Groton, and then according to my Mom left sometime during August 1942 for the Pacific. Could have been Kingfish but I will try to find out. No body is around anymore that I could ask. I know this: he was 33 years old at the time he enlisted, and he came home an E6. I know that he never spoke to my Mom about the war as I tried to find out from her when I was young boy. What I remember is this: once in the while, all the men and their families in the neighborhood would come by the house, drink beer and have a meal. They would speak about where they served during the war. Like one fellow said he served with Patton's 3rd; another was in the Bulge and he said, that it was cold. As a little boy, I was in awe of these conversations.

Almost all WW2 Gato/Balao class subs were named after fish. There were about 200 built.
So a lot of them had "fish" in their name. The reason I asked is because I have a few books on WW2 submarine history and I might be able to add something about his service.

Incidentally, Kingfish was one of the top subs, by number of ships sunk, in the Pacific. I think she is credited with 14 sinkings.

 

[Styxx]

Today is a good day for all of us who wore a uniform of our great country to pause and remember all those who never got a chance to take off their uniform and live in peace.
Rest easy my brothers and sisters.

 

[Txhoopsalot]

What a beautiful thread. I am sorry I did not open this thread until late last night having checked up on all the transfer threads throughout the day.

My father served with the army during the retaking of the Pacific at the end of WWII and stateside during the Korean War. This thread brings up so much for me relating to my memories of my father, all of which are consistent with the themes in this thread: duty, faithfulness, humility. Faithfulness was the theme of my father's eulogy delivered by my theologian nephew having spent some time talking with my father about what he wanted in the month before his death. This was what concerned my father all his life and in his last months. He strived to be a faithful in all he undertook, most particularly in relation to his family: as a son, brother, husband, and father. He hoped he had succeeded -- that he had been good enough. (Yes.)

As with other men, my father spoke rarely of the war for over 60 years. There was the shocking outburst once at the dinner table when my father announced that if General so and so had been in charge such and such would not have happened. (In a family with four daughters and no sons, my father did not speak much at the dinner table at all.) My mother said that when he came home from Korea, he removed all signs of the war (old uniforms, pictures and such) and entered fully into civilian life as though he had never served. Towards the end of his life, Dad opened up a bit and the importance of that short period of his life became apparent. Both of my father's army units are on his headstone but WWII was the one important to my Dad.