A Day Of Infamy

QRTRHRS · Dec 7, 2016

Wagtail said:
Not to detract from the sentiment of this thread... an hour ago my Sister informed me that our Great-Uncle Rob passed away. He was a Veteran of WWII and served with his older Brother (Ted) in the 48th Highlanders of Canada. All the way though Sicily, Italy and then through France, Holland & Germany.

He was the last of that generation. A piper from the Regiment will be at the funeral to 'see him off'... the 48th always sends a piper.

Lest we forget.

Nary a dry eye at that ceremony. One of my favorite memories is of a former neighbor. If memory serves, he was at both D-day and the Battle of the Bulge. A reinactor heavily involved in the revolutionary war activities, he suffered a heart attach while reinacting Yorktown then passed at a local hospital. They gave him a military funeral true to the time.

dieselcrawler · Dec 7, 2016

My grandfather served in WW2, but passed away when I was young. I never heard war stories, and can't even remember where he was active in the war, other than Europe somewhere. I regret not knowing my grandfather better, but living 2 hours away, and losing him at age 11, our time together was limited. But I do know this, he was one of the lucky ones, as he got to come home, and I was able to know him.

It is sad that many of my generation have lost the level of patriotism that drove young men like my grandfather to enlist in the armed forces and protect the freedom we all (some what blindly and unknowingly at times) take for granted daily. My gratitude to those who have given us the opportunity to be able to have that luxury.

QRTRHRS · Dec 9, 2016

dieselcrawler said:
My grandfather served in WW2, but passed away when I was young. I never heard war stories, and can't even remember where he was active in the war, other than Europe somewhere. I regret not knowing my grandfather better, but living 2 hours away, and losing him at age 11, our time together was limited. But I do know this, he was one of the lucky ones, as he got to come home, and I was able to know him.

It is sad that many of my generation have lost the level of patriotism that drove young men like my grandfather to enlist in the armed forces and protect the freedom we all (some what blindly and unknowingly at times) take for granted daily. My gratitude to those who have given us the opportunity to be able to have that luxury.

I somewhat agree. There are many many young people who have willingly voluntered to fight in our more recent wars arguably not "as worthy a cause as WWII". Many have paid the ultimate price. The after affects are quite different as are the times.

I happen to drive a school bus for a district that has a junior ROTC curiculum. True that many of their contemporaries need to get a life, I have had the pleasure of knowing quite a few fine dedicated young men (and women). Many have gone on to regular service after graduating high school, some changed their mind and have gone on to college perhaps first. I think we still have plenty of fine people to be thankful for.

oosik · Dec 9, 2016

Unusual story - I had a fellow who worked with me whose wife was Japanese. One year - on Dec 7th - he was very upset when he came to work. His wife had, again, set up a small memorial in their house in celebration of the attack on Pearl Harbor. From what he told me - her father was on one of the ships in the convoy that attacked Pearl Harbor and her entire family considered that day, a day of great celebration. The celebration was to honor those involved and her father.

Fortunately, I had enough common sense to keep my mouth shut and not add to his displeasure.

dieselcrawler · Dec 9, 2016

QRTRHRS said:
I somewhat agree. There are many many young people who have willingly voluntered to fight in our more recent wars arguably not "as worthy a cause as WWII". Many have paid the ultimate price. The after affects are quite different as are the times.

I happen to drive a school bus for a district that has a junior ROTC curiculum. True that many of their contemporaries need to get a life, I have had the pleasure of knowing quite a few fine dedicated young men (and women). Many have gone on to regular service after graduating high school, some changed their mind and have gone on to college perhaps first. I think we still have plenty of fine people to be thankful for.[/QUOTE]

I agree... There are those with the same leval of patriotism today, and my hat is off to them... I just feel the percentage of them is lower these days. Too many take things for granted, I think we agree on that...

2ndhalf · Dec 9, 2016

I think it was Ainsley Earhardt on fox who told a story as told to her about a Japanese kamikaze pilot who as he was approaching one of the ships saw the guys on deck and steered his plane into the water as he gave the guys on deck of the ship a thumbs up.

Anyone hear else hear of this?

2LaneCruzer · Dec 10, 2016

2ndhalf said:
I think it was Ainsley Earhardt on fox who told a story as told to her about a Japanese kamikaze pilot who as he was approaching one of the ships saw the guys on deck and steered his plane into the water as he gave the guys on deck of the ship a thumbs up.

Anyone hear else hear of this?

New one on me, but if it is true, would like to know the whole story. I do recall a TV interview with a WWII sailor who was on a ship hit by a Kamikazee. It did not sink the ship, but did a lot of damage. He was telling about cleaning up the debris and fixing the damage. He said he will never forget retrieving one of the landing gear, looking down at the wheel and noticing that the tire bore the name "Firestone".

2ndhalf · Dec 10, 2016

2LaneCruzer said:
New one on me, but if it is true, would like to know the whole story. I do recall a TV interview with a WWII sailor who was on a ship hit by a Kamikazee. It did not sink the ship, but did a lot of damage. He was telling about cleaning up the debris and fixing the damage. He said he will never forget retrieving one of the landing gear, looking down at the wheel and noticing that the tire bore the name "Firestone".

One more good reason not to buy firestone!

2LaneCruzer · Dec 10, 2016

2ndhalf said:
One more good reason not to buy firestone!

Well, the explanation was that tire was part of the pre-war U.S. trade with Japan. I don't think there was anything sinister involved...a bit of irony perhaps though.