My grandfather served in WW2. Like many he refused to talk about it with any of his children. He passed when I was 10 back in 92. After losing my grandmother this summer my dad was able to find his dog tags recently while going through stuff. I'm a history buff so it drives me crazy wondering what part he may have played in it and wondering just what he saw. Is there any way to use the numbers on the dog tags to trace maybe what theater he may have been in? I've gotten no leads from ancestry.com and googling his name-number from the tags brought up nothing but William Jennings Bryan stuff. (His name was William Bryan) Thanks for any info or input y'all may have.
OT: A little help from you WW2 experts
- Thread starter PineGroveBully
- Start date
Request his service records from here: http://www.archives.gov/veterans/
I requested my dad's Vietnam records last year. It took several months, but the paperwork showed all the places and units where he was stationed and the campaigns that he was involved in. About 2-months after I received the paperwork, they sent me a large package with all of his medals. That was unexpected, but appreciated.
I requested my dad's Vietnam records last year. It took several months, but the paperwork showed all the places and units where he was stationed and the campaigns that he was involved in. About 2-months after I received the paperwork, they sent me a large package with all of his medals. That was unexpected, but appreciated.
That is unfortunate that you never had a chance to talk to him. My grandfather told me all kinds of stuff and showed me pictures. He even gave me a nazi sniper scope.
But yes Woozman is leading you in the right direction. I have looked into doing more research into his history going this same route. He was going to tell me everything he knew and he died unexpectedly a few years ago.
Now my interest has been peaked again.
But yes Woozman is leading you in the right direction. I have looked into doing more research into his history going this same route. He was going to tell me everything he knew and he died unexpectedly a few years ago.
Now my interest has been peaked again.
My Granddad never talked about it to any of his children or grandchildren until I had a school project about it. Basically he landed on and took the Anzio beachhead with little resistance. The original plan was to take it by surprise and quickly move inland. Whoever was in charge decided to wait for armored vehicles to land which gave the Italians and Germans time to surround them. He lasted 2 months of the 4 it took to finally take it before he got littered with shrapnel. He told me that when he went down, 3 out of every 4 guys he knew had already died. He was given a year to live when he got back due to all the shrapnel in his body. He lived to 76.
Thanks fellas
Will check it out. He was the type that would talk all day about anything to just about anyone, so if he was mum on the subject then I suspect he saw some ugly things. While going through some stuff my dad found a Japanese rifle that he never knew he had. I think he said it shot a .762 or .765. Yea if he would have opened up it would have been really cool to sit there with the curiosity that I have now and just sit back and listen to him paint a picture of his memory and perspective of the most world changing conflict in human history. At the rate that we are losing this greatest generation there is no telling how many sad, unbelievable, and heroic stories that they are carrying to the grave never to have been shared, appreciated, and learned from.
Will check it out. He was the type that would talk all day about anything to just about anyone, so if he was mum on the subject then I suspect he saw some ugly things. While going through some stuff my dad found a Japanese rifle that he never knew he had. I think he said it shot a .762 or .765. Yea if he would have opened up it would have been really cool to sit there with the curiosity that I have now and just sit back and listen to him paint a picture of his memory and perspective of the most world changing conflict in human history. At the rate that we are losing this greatest generation there is no telling how many sad, unbelievable, and heroic stories that they are carrying to the grave never to have been shared, appreciated, and learned from.
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I was lucky enough to be the person my grandfather told his stories to and did an interview with him when I was in high school. Unbelievable stuff. He was in the failed practice exercise off the coast of England, 3rd wave Omaha Beach, got captured after St. Lo and escaped from a prison trail, aided back to the lines in France by a WWI American deserter, liberated a winery and swam in the wine vats with his guys - but there was a lot of "we lost Smitty that day" which was painful to watch. My Dad talked about the only time he saw him cry was when we landed in Korea - said it came on the news and they listened to the report and granddaddy just lost it.
He always felt that he they fought the worst war and Korea and Nam were stupid. When the Gulf Was broke out, I was 17. He said "if they start drafting, I'm paying your way to Canada, this is not worth it." He passed in 1997 - greatest man I've ever known.
Definitely request the medals if you don't have them. I have the flag from his funeral in a shadow box with his medals with a picture of him from VE Day.
He always felt that he they fought the worst war and Korea and Nam were stupid. When the Gulf Was broke out, I was 17. He said "if they start drafting, I'm paying your way to Canada, this is not worth it." He passed in 1997 - greatest man I've ever known.
Definitely request the medals if you don't have them. I have the flag from his funeral in a shadow box with his medals with a picture of him from VE Day.
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My Dad was captured on Corregidor after MacArthur left on a Submarine. He was a Jap POW for 31/2 years. He retired from the Military and loved The USA and the Armed Forces. He won the Silver Star and 3 Bronze Stars. As he got Older he would talk more about the War. he loved the Philoppinos. He had to eat rice with every meal.
I'm sorry to hear that. I can't imagine what he must have went through, considering that Japan hadn't ratified the Geneva Convention. My granddad was stationed in Pearl Harbor when it was bombed, but he was out to sea at the time. He spent the majority of the war in a submarine.
I have several mementos of my father's service in Burma/Indochina during WWII. I have his dog tags, a silk scarf sent to him decorated by my mother, all his field personnel records, a baseball signed by his team when he was the baseball coach at Tachikawa, AFB, Japan. He retired in 1968 as the Wing Sergeant Major at Pope AFB, NC. He never wanted to talk about WWII, and, I think for good reason. As the war progressed the Army Air Forces had to both fight and build air strips in jungles and mountains as they moved from Assam, India, through Burma to Thailand and "Indochina." Although he was an aircraft mechanic, he and all other young enlisted men had to pull perimeter defense duty against snipers and sappers. He retired 16 days after I came on active duty as a "butter bar." One of the most memorable events of my life was to be at his retirement party and ceremony dressed in my dress blues with my National Defense Medal and my second lieutenant bars.
.
One of my uncles - who passed away several years go - was also on Corregidor when they were forced to surrender. H was State - Misssippi A & M College in those days - grad and head of the Corps of Cadets at State and went on to earn a commission in the Army at West Point. I'd be willing to bet that your dad and my uncle knew each other.
The Archives request is definitely the first step.
Be warned though that one of their WW2 storage buildings burned not that long ago and they lost a lot of records. It's a shame, but it happens sometimes.
EDIT: My bad, the fire a few years ago wasn't service records. The one that affected service records happened in '73 and really messed things up. A lot of veterans literally no longer had official proof of veteran status. Imagine the healthcare nightmare of that.
Be warned though that one of their WW2 storage buildings burned not that long ago and they lost a lot of records. It's a shame, but it happens sometimes.
EDIT: My bad, the fire a few years ago wasn't service records. The one that affected service records happened in '73 and really messed things up. A lot of veterans literally no longer had official proof of veteran status. Imagine the healthcare nightmare of that.
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they eventually took My Dad to Mugden Manchuria--where Russian para-troopers freed them before the Japs could kill them.
Just found out today my Great uncle who passed away in the 50's was a veteran of north africa and also the battle of Anzio. He was wounded and permanently disabled.
What a great thread. I lost my 95 year old Grandfather 2 years ago in Jackson and miss him every day. He retired as a full Colonel and served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. It wasn't until the last 5 years of his life that I really learned his war stories. He was in Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge and was the last surviving member of his unit in the Battle of the Bulge for many years.
The most interesting story he told me was about the unit he led at Normandy. He was originally from NW Iowa and did not have prejudiced bone in his body. He shared that the Army was still fairly segregated, but that Roosevelt had taken an interest in integrating it. They chose my Grandpa to lead a unit of black soldiers in the Normandy Invasion and one of the main reasons was his willingness to accept and lead his team w/o prejudice. He firmly believes his selection saved his life b/c Roosevelt didn't allow his group to be sent in until Day 3. He drove a jeep with a snorkel on it off the Higgins boat onto the shore. He said it didn't take long to find the fighting, but at least the beaches were clear. The other interesting part of the story is that b/c Roosevelt was personally interested in his unit, Patton had to report on it to the President. Shortly before D-Day, they had a surprise inspection from Patton and had less than 15 minutes to prepare for it. He said Patton is misrepresented in the movies b/c he had a rich soprano voice, not the booming baritone you would expect.
He also spent time in Taiwan in the late 1950's where he got to know Chiang Kai-shek. I have a ceremonial baton hanging in my home office that was given to him as a gift by Chiang Kai-shek.
The most interesting story he told me was about the unit he led at Normandy. He was originally from NW Iowa and did not have prejudiced bone in his body. He shared that the Army was still fairly segregated, but that Roosevelt had taken an interest in integrating it. They chose my Grandpa to lead a unit of black soldiers in the Normandy Invasion and one of the main reasons was his willingness to accept and lead his team w/o prejudice. He firmly believes his selection saved his life b/c Roosevelt didn't allow his group to be sent in until Day 3. He drove a jeep with a snorkel on it off the Higgins boat onto the shore. He said it didn't take long to find the fighting, but at least the beaches were clear. The other interesting part of the story is that b/c Roosevelt was personally interested in his unit, Patton had to report on it to the President. Shortly before D-Day, they had a surprise inspection from Patton and had less than 15 minutes to prepare for it. He said Patton is misrepresented in the movies b/c he had a rich soprano voice, not the booming baritone you would expect.
He also spent time in Taiwan in the late 1950's where he got to know Chiang Kai-shek. I have a ceremonial baton hanging in my home office that was given to him as a gift by Chiang Kai-shek.
Agreed, I love reading these stories. These were some of the greatest men this world ever produced.
I second this. I have no military legacy in my family (except for my grandfather that I never knew but whom didn't have anything to do with his own family). However, I have really be interested in reading these threads. These are true American heroes from the greatest generation. God bless you all and your families.
You touched a nerve
My Dad can whip your Dad and fifty of his friends thread...
I am 50 years old, my Dad is 91 and counting and I still wouldn't try his ***.
He once crossed an open field of 200 yards under fire to hold a bridge until reinforcements could arrive. Consider running and dodging machine gun fire with three of your best friends under fire carrying lbs of ammo for 200 yards. He has no idea how many men he killed that day.
I remember him telling me how formidable an opponent the German could be. He said, and I quote, "Those Italians, there was nothing to 'em but those Germans... You got your hands on one of those and you had your hands full. They were smart, strong, fast and deadly." I was standing there thinking, " You are here and they are dead."
He was caught behind enemy lines once when trying to pin point enemy strong holds. He had stated that you could not hear or see those Germans. I asked him how he got out if you couldn't see or hear them. He said and i quote, "You could smell them." I asked, "How close did you have to be before you could smell them." He said, " Ten feet." He was standing in front of me so I knew the outcome.
But one of the most memorable things was when I watched the movie Platoon with him. Tom Beringer had just went nuts and killed about half a village and turned on his fellow soldiers. My dad said, "That wouldn't have happened like that." I asked, "Do they not go nuts?" He said, "Oh sure, but they would have just killed him and moved on." End of story... But the movie would have had to ended there.
Oh, My dad help liberate Dachau concentration camp and a nearby prison camp with over 100,000 allied soldiers. He once told me not to ever let anyone tell me that the Holocaust didn't happen. He said, "They looked like stick people." He was speaking of the Jewish prisoners as they walked out of the camp.
I have tons of stories that I am privileged to hear. in bits and pieces over the years. Patton? Those pearl handled pistols? My dad says he saw him kill three Germans from 500 yards with 'em. He claims that it was the most impressive shooting that he had ever seen. Possible? I doubt it but I never doubt my dad. He could hit a cigarette butt from a 100 yards himself and never missed what he shot. He says Patton was the biggest prick on earth but he was their prick.
The most memorable day with my Dad was when I took him to New Orleans to a museum of WWII. You have no idea just how much he knew about every gun, car, plane or uniform there. Which gun would jam, which one was reliable to who was in which car and saying, " We were told Hitler was in a plane that I shot at like that one. I have no idea if he was in it or not, but we shot at it like he was in it." The most amazing day. My dad could kick your Dad's ***. period
My Dad can whip your Dad and fifty of his friends thread...
I am 50 years old, my Dad is 91 and counting and I still wouldn't try his ***.
He once crossed an open field of 200 yards under fire to hold a bridge until reinforcements could arrive. Consider running and dodging machine gun fire with three of your best friends under fire carrying lbs of ammo for 200 yards. He has no idea how many men he killed that day.
I remember him telling me how formidable an opponent the German could be. He said, and I quote, "Those Italians, there was nothing to 'em but those Germans... You got your hands on one of those and you had your hands full. They were smart, strong, fast and deadly." I was standing there thinking, " You are here and they are dead."
He was caught behind enemy lines once when trying to pin point enemy strong holds. He had stated that you could not hear or see those Germans. I asked him how he got out if you couldn't see or hear them. He said and i quote, "You could smell them." I asked, "How close did you have to be before you could smell them." He said, " Ten feet." He was standing in front of me so I knew the outcome.
But one of the most memorable things was when I watched the movie Platoon with him. Tom Beringer had just went nuts and killed about half a village and turned on his fellow soldiers. My dad said, "That wouldn't have happened like that." I asked, "Do they not go nuts?" He said, "Oh sure, but they would have just killed him and moved on." End of story... But the movie would have had to ended there.
Oh, My dad help liberate Dachau concentration camp and a nearby prison camp with over 100,000 allied soldiers. He once told me not to ever let anyone tell me that the Holocaust didn't happen. He said, "They looked like stick people." He was speaking of the Jewish prisoners as they walked out of the camp.
I have tons of stories that I am privileged to hear. in bits and pieces over the years. Patton? Those pearl handled pistols? My dad says he saw him kill three Germans from 500 yards with 'em. He claims that it was the most impressive shooting that he had ever seen. Possible? I doubt it but I never doubt my dad. He could hit a cigarette butt from a 100 yards himself and never missed what he shot. He says Patton was the biggest prick on earth but he was their prick.
The most memorable day with my Dad was when I took him to New Orleans to a museum of WWII. You have no idea just how much he knew about every gun, car, plane or uniform there. Which gun would jam, which one was reliable to who was in which car and saying, " We were told Hitler was in a plane that I shot at like that one. I have no idea if he was in it or not, but we shot at it like he was in it." The most amazing day. My dad could kick your Dad's ***. period
Looking for help finding a book, "We Followed Patton - 652nd Engineer Battalion"
Actually the full title is "We Followed Patton - 652nd Engineer Topographic Battalion"
That was my Dad's outfit. No copies seem to be available. I saw a couple of PDF links but they look sketchy and require an email address. I'm afraid they're some kind of virus or something.
Suggestions appreciated.
Ran across this online "Atlantic Magazine" article with some great pics
http://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2011/10/world-war-ii-the-allied-invasion-of-europe/100160/
Actually the full title is "We Followed Patton - 652nd Engineer Topographic Battalion"
That was my Dad's outfit. No copies seem to be available. I saw a couple of PDF links but they look sketchy and require an email address. I'm afraid they're some kind of virus or something.
Suggestions appreciated.
Ran across this online "Atlantic Magazine" article with some great pics
http://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2011/10/world-war-ii-the-allied-invasion-of-europe/100160/
My grandpa was a World War II draft-dodger. Got into farming to get out of it
However, my dad served two tours in Vietnam. The first one was in from Nov., 1963 to Dec., 1964. He had gotten drunk the night before they flew to Vietnam, and he missed the flight (missing a troop movement is a pretty bad offense). So, he flew to the Phillipines to get with his unit. Unbeknownst, the South Vietnamese military had a coup and murdered President Diem, and HMM-364's flight was diverted to the Phillipines...dad was meeting them at the airport. His CO was a crusty old WW II vet Col. John LaVoy. Col. LaVoy was NOT pleased with daddy. However, he turned out to be a pretty good pilot, won a DFC and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. He didn't mind this tour- stationed in DaNang, lived in billets, Got Sunday's off, a real Gentleman's war.
His 2nd tour was from March, 1968-April 1969...this one sucked. He was in VMO-6 out of Quang Tri, and they had to live in tents for most of the year..got used to the dirt, sand, and sandfleas. By that time, the Vietnam war post-Tet was VERY dirty. However, some of his best stories come out of this tour:
-Once, he was coming back from a unit beer run from DaNang, when word went out some Marines were pinned down by NVA fire and if anyone could help get these guys out. Since dad was in the vicinity, he went down to help (mind you, even for beer runs the Hueys were armed to the teeth). Dad fires some missiles into the treeline, his door gunner sprays it and keeps the NVAs' heads down, and gets the platoon out. While flying them back to their fire base, he says over the intercom, "Guys, how'd you like a cold beer?" A platoon of dirty, sweaty, hurting Marines had the best beer of their lives.
-One night, he and Mr. Zellich (his best friend over there) were drunk off their *** when a VC rocket attack starts. They jump into the CP, where they see all these pins and needles showing enemy locations. Dad and Mr. Zellich promptly start re-arranging the pins because they thought it was all ********. The Colonel kicked them both out..during the rocket attack.
-Once, there were some NVA's holed up in a Buddhist pagoda, and the ARVN troops wouldn't fire on it. Someone asked dad if he didn't mind blowing it up and he said, "no problem". After pickling some rockets into the Pagoda, his chopper starting sputtering and going out on him...he was convinced that Buddha was pissed at him.
Dad retired in 1978 as a Lt. Col.
However, my dad served two tours in Vietnam. The first one was in from Nov., 1963 to Dec., 1964. He had gotten drunk the night before they flew to Vietnam, and he missed the flight (missing a troop movement is a pretty bad offense). So, he flew to the Phillipines to get with his unit. Unbeknownst, the South Vietnamese military had a coup and murdered President Diem, and HMM-364's flight was diverted to the Phillipines...dad was meeting them at the airport. His CO was a crusty old WW II vet Col. John LaVoy. Col. LaVoy was NOT pleased with daddy. However, he turned out to be a pretty good pilot, won a DFC and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. He didn't mind this tour- stationed in DaNang, lived in billets, Got Sunday's off, a real Gentleman's war.
His 2nd tour was from March, 1968-April 1969...this one sucked. He was in VMO-6 out of Quang Tri, and they had to live in tents for most of the year..got used to the dirt, sand, and sandfleas. By that time, the Vietnam war post-Tet was VERY dirty. However, some of his best stories come out of this tour:
-Once, he was coming back from a unit beer run from DaNang, when word went out some Marines were pinned down by NVA fire and if anyone could help get these guys out. Since dad was in the vicinity, he went down to help (mind you, even for beer runs the Hueys were armed to the teeth). Dad fires some missiles into the treeline, his door gunner sprays it and keeps the NVAs' heads down, and gets the platoon out. While flying them back to their fire base, he says over the intercom, "Guys, how'd you like a cold beer?" A platoon of dirty, sweaty, hurting Marines had the best beer of their lives.
-One night, he and Mr. Zellich (his best friend over there) were drunk off their *** when a VC rocket attack starts. They jump into the CP, where they see all these pins and needles showing enemy locations. Dad and Mr. Zellich promptly start re-arranging the pins because they thought it was all ********. The Colonel kicked them both out..during the rocket attack.
-Once, there were some NVA's holed up in a Buddhist pagoda, and the ARVN troops wouldn't fire on it. Someone asked dad if he didn't mind blowing it up and he said, "no problem". After pickling some rockets into the Pagoda, his chopper starting sputtering and going out on him...he was convinced that Buddha was pissed at him.
Dad retired in 1978 as a Lt. Col.
The Japanese didn't always treat POW's horribly
During the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-5, they treated the Russian prisoners correctly. In World War I (they were on our side), many of the German POW's they caught stayed in Japan after the war.
Where the Japanese started their cruelty was in the late 1920's- early 1930's, when they began to be influenced by German military doctrine (before that, they tended to follow Great Britain). One of the tenets was perceived Racial Superiority (for the Germans, this didn't start nor end with Adolf Hitler), and a contempt for what they perceived as "lesser" people. The cultural differences and the "Code of Bushido" are just ******** excuses the Japs used to justify being total ********.
During the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-5, they treated the Russian prisoners correctly. In World War I (they were on our side), many of the German POW's they caught stayed in Japan after the war.
Where the Japanese started their cruelty was in the late 1920's- early 1930's, when they began to be influenced by German military doctrine (before that, they tended to follow Great Britain). One of the tenets was perceived Racial Superiority (for the Germans, this didn't start nor end with Adolf Hitler), and a contempt for what they perceived as "lesser" people. The cultural differences and the "Code of Bushido" are just ******** excuses the Japs used to justify being total ********.
Almost identical, same strap, yours looks a little different around the bolt but it may just be the way I' looking at it.
ww2, the Great War. My dad lost a brother
On Saipan. Ferocious battle right before Iwo Jima. He survived the battle and was celebrating with his comrades when a Jap sniper killed him sitting in the back of a jeep. Dad had another brother that survived the battle of the bulge. He suffered major frost bite and it stayed with him till he died at 88.
On Saipan. Ferocious battle right before Iwo Jima. He survived the battle and was celebrating with his comrades when a Jap sniper killed him sitting in the back of a jeep. Dad had another brother that survived the battle of the bulge. He suffered major frost bite and it stayed with him till he died at 88.
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