Veterans roll call

[GregP]

USN 1964 - 1968 Assault Craft Unit 2
CTANG 1976 - 1991 2-102 (11C) retied Master Sargent

Father 82nd - 504 (Devils in the Baggy Pants) WWII

 

[augustaTC]

On behalf of my Dad (just turned 103).
U.S. Navy 1941-1945, USS Douglas L Howard, DE-138, 1943-1945.

 

[Urshurak]

US Navy Submarine service - August 1988 - February 2011

USS Simon Lake AS-33
USS Augusta SSN-710
USS Connecticut SSN-22
USS Rhode Island Gold SSBN-740

 

[Styxx]

I believe my memory of bars' names in Olongapo were obliterated from embibing of excessive amounts of San Miguel..... Still like the shout out nonetheless.....

If I recall correctly (same over imbibement issues apply) in 67-68 a goodly chunk of Olongapo City was strictly "off limits". However I am sure you, like me, studiously avoided breaking any military rules whatsoever and absolutely never ventured into any of those restricted areas ;- )
I couldn't stomach the "domestic" version of San Miguel (the atabrine in it for malaria made it far too bitter), but the "export" version of San Miguel that was served at most of the "reputable" establishments wasn't bad at all.
Thank you for your service.

 

[60'sfan]

U.S. Navy - November 64 - April 68. Including one year of shore duty in Vietnam, Got to see the Tet offensive in person.

 

[connboy77]

US Navy Submarine service - August 1988 - February 2011

USS Simon Lake AS-33
USS Augusta SSN-710
USS Connecticut SSN-22
USS Rhode Island Gold SSBN-740

Always wanted to have duty on a Submarine, but never got the chance.

 

[Wink96]

US Navy 1952-1954 USS Woodson DE 359
USS Barb SS 220

 

[Buzzyboy]

US Navy 1965-1969 NAS Lemoore, Calif and then USS Coral Sea CVA43 .... Served in Connecticut National Guard from 1975-1987 ...... Served in USNR from 1987-1993

 

[Scud49]

A tip of the hat to my Dad:
Philippines 5th 1944-45 Army Air Corp
B-24 squadron
Air Combat Medals, Borneo

 

[The CDR-Ret]

USN 1964 - 1968 Assault Craft Unit 2
CTANG 1976 - 1991 2-102 (11C) retied Master Sargent

Father 82nd - 504 (Devils in the Baggy Pants) WWII

My Dad was a paratrooper, with the Screaming Eagles. We shared some "barbs" from time to time, about junping out of perfectly good airplanes, he would respond, "you don't know about those airplanes... I felt more comfortable out in the air!"
I always appreciated his attitude, as he broke his ankle on the first set of night jumps, so he just tightened up the laces and jumped three more times that night and the next three nights so he would not be held back, and have to redo the hell they had already been through. We lost him to flash pulmonary edema in July 2004.
My Brother-in-law's Dad was with the All Americans and just jumped three times on Veteran's day - he is still tough as nails! He loaned me his book documenting the beginning of the paratroopers, The Devils in Baggy Pants is how the Italians and Germans referred to our guys, as when they were wounded they would advance even faster. Whenb they would see the division numbers like the Screaming Eagles - 101st, they would gasp, "You mean they have another 100 divisions of these guys, Holy S---!!!!" or words to that effect in Italian and German....

Thanks for your and your Dad's service!

 

[Ozimoto]

In relation to your jumping out of perfectly good airplanes comment, my dad would never get in a plane after cleaning up assorted crashes after his time in the Marine Corps...

 

[The CDR-Ret]

US Navy 1952-1954 USS Woodson DE 359
USS Barb SS 220

We still had the USS BARB's WWII Battle flag on display at CSS-11 in San Diego [SUBASE Point Loma] when I was there 1999-2002... I also read the WWII patrol reports as a breaking from studying for my Nuclear Engineer's Exam while I was at the Pearl Harbor COMSUBPAC classified library.

Thanks for your service!

 

[JordyG]

My dad served in New Guinea in WW2. Two of my uncles died in Europe during the invasion. To all and everyone I say,

 

[MainefanSC]

USN 1/68 -12/71 VF-103 aboard USS Saratoga '69-70 cruise & '70-71 cruise

 

[veryolddog]

Since family members are also included, my Dad served in the US Navy Submarine Service on, I think, a Balto Class sub during WWII in the Pacific covering mostly the South China Sea trade routes to Japan. Jan 1942 to December 1945.

My Brother served in the US Navy during the Korean War on a Destroyer, 1953 to 1956.

With all of this talk of submarines, I was technically attached to the 3rd Recon Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, Okinawa. However, I was stationed in Groton, CT 1972 to 1981. because the submarines use to pick me up and provide forwarding transportation. These guys were always very nice to me, gave me a hot shower, new uniforms even though they were Navy, hot meals and clean sheets to sleep on in a small stateroom and bunk. Good guys!

 

[MainefanSC]

Since family members are also included, my Dad served in the US Navy Submarine Service on, I think, a Balto Class sub during WWII in the Pacific covering mostly the South China Sea trade routes to Japan. Jan 1942 to December 1945.

My Brother served in the US Navy during the Korean War on a Destroyer, 1953 to 1956.

With all of this talk of submarines, I was technically attached to the 3rd Recon Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, Okinawa. However, I was stationed in Groton, CT 1972 to 1981. because the submarines use to pick me up and provide forwarding transportation. These guys were always very nice to me, gave me a hot shower, new uniforms even though they were Navy, hot meals and clean sheets to sleep on in a small stateroom and bunk. Good guys!

My Navy days were spent with Marines in a number of assignments. We always had friendly banter about being squids and jarheads. But,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, we squids knew who had our backs and carried the load. Thank you VOD and all of your Marine brothers, for being there.

 

[Steelerone]

My father served in the Merchant Marines during WW2. He was twice on ships that were attacked. One went down and the other did not. He never talked about it but my mother later showed me the article from the Daily Dispatch that wrote he spent seven days adrift on a lifeboat with some other men before being rescued.

 

[Steelerone]

I should put a pitch in for my friend Ken, who was in my (first) wedding party. He dropped out of college in the sixties and enlisted in the Army. Went from E-1, 2, 3, 4, 5. During that time, he went to Special Warfare School at Fort Bragg, got his green beret, and served a combat tour in Viet Nam. Went to OCS, and went from O-1, 2, 3. Another tour in Viet Nam. The war ended, and he’s an officer without a college degree, so he gets cut. Went back to college, finishes, plus gets a master’s degree. (I think one or both degrees at Fordham.) Goes back in the Army, but his commission is gone, so he goes in with his reserve grade, which is E-6. Applies for his warrant, gets it, and goes from W-1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Retires out of the Pentagon. After he retired, he founded and ran a rehab program for military amputees.

I’ll also mention my friend Jim, who was an F-4 back-seater during Viet Nam. He was shot down over Laos, marched to Hanoi, and kept as a prisoner in the Hanoi Hilton for three years. John McCain was in the next cell, and Jim praises him for keeping the other prisoners’ morale high. After his release, Jim completed his Navy career, and retired as a commander. A very sweet and gentle man.

Jack, you know how to pick your friends. As long as we have men (and women) like these among us our country can overcome any obstacle.

 

[uconnfan68]

My father served in the Merchant Marines during WW2. He was twice on ships that were attacked. One went down and the other did not. He never talked about it but my mother later showed me the article from the Daily Dispatch that wrote he spent seven days adrift on a lifeboat with some other men before being rescued.

My father was also in Merchant Marines (sole support for parents and a younger brother)... lots of North Atlantic convoy crossings. He stayed in until 1948, and saw most of the world. Never talked about it very much.

 

[MSGRET]

My father was in Alaska then on the Aleutian Islands during WWII, he served as a radio operator for the Command Group. He talked very little about it because he was one of the ones that had to send info on the deaths of the wounded US soldiers that were killed while in their hospital beds by the Japanese forces in their Kamikaze raids on the Aleutian Islands. One of my brothers was a U.S. Army combat medic in Viet Nam, during the Tet Offensive he and the hospital staff had to take the wounded off their beds and put the soldiers mattresses on top of them to help protect them from incoming mortar fire, he got out of the Army a few months after that and has never been the same person. My oldest brother was a Navy Seal stationed in Florida during the Cuban missile crisis and passed away in 79 while still on active duty as a Master Chief Petty Officer while stationed at San Diego Naval Base. To this day he has a Silver Star with a V cluster that were awarded to him that we have never been able to find out what it was for. The certificate and orders both say awarded for exemplary mission performance in Southeast Asia. When my parents asked what the medal was for they were told by the Navy that it is classified. Even one of our Senators could not get the Navy to say what it was for. My dad always thought it was for the mining of the Honoi harbor, he never found out before he passed on 11/11/2004.

 

[FanHam]

USMC, 1970-1972, Quantico, Va., corporal, court reporter, legal clerk and golfer.

 

[Siestakeyfan]

USMC 1965-1971 Vietnam

USMC 1955-1958
Okinawa, Kuma Shima, Japan, Iwo Jima, Brooklyn Navy Yard
3rd Marine Div. Rifle/Pistol Team
UCONN grad 1962
Retired 2000 from Financial/Investment Banking
Florida since 1994

 

[Ozimoto]

A lot of family going back to the Civil War. A grandfather and his brother who were in Maryland and Pennsylvania regiments respectively. One was infantry protecting the B&O railroad and C&O canals and the other was cavalry.

Seemed to skip the Spanish American War and the Great War. Had an uncle who was a paratrooper and served occupation duty in Japan and a great uncle who was in the Battle of the Bulge. Another uncle was a Marine in Vietnam in the "69 to '70 time period (doesn't say much about it except for a couple of stories about adventures on leave). Several cousins. One a Navy medical orderly on a hospital ship during the Vietnam war, one who was career Navy who retired as a captain if I recall correctly, and another cousin who was an MP in Germany in the early to mid '70's who had some interesting encounters with East German border guards.

 

[ETSA]

US Navy 1952-1954 USS Woodson DE 359
USS Barb SS 220

dink32, What a record Barb had! The WWII commander of Barb, Medal of Honor winner Eugene Fluckey, was a neighbor when I was a young kid and my parents knew him. A few years and a couple of ownership changes later I live in that house he lived in. We still have a couple of old wooden shipping crates with his name on them. I've got an autographed copy of his book, Thunder Below!

 

[ETSA]

US Army Sept 67 - Jan 72
Army Security Agency
Defense Language Institute, Monterey, CA
Field Station Herzo Base, Herzogenaurach, Germany
Detachment K (Czech Border site)