D Day Veteran..

[WILMASBOYL78]

We have a neighbor who is a veteran of the Normandy landing. I see him and his wife quite often at the local supermarket. We met Friday afternoon and took some time to chat...thought you folks might like to see a photo.

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2015/12/full-1121-36097-img_0020.jpg

His name is Ralph Avery...he was a Navy gunner aboard a landing barge bringing ashore Sherman Tanks on Omaha Beach! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/flag.gif He enlisted at 17 years of age...his wife carries around a photo of him in his Navy sailor suit...they have been married 71 years <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/worship.gif I have asked him to join us next month for our annual Wounded Warrior Project ski weekend...I'm sure the modern era vets will really get a charge out of meeting this guy! He was recently awarded with his service medals...lost for over 70 years in the 'red tape' of Washington <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif Our Congressman Chris Gibson worked for about 6 months to make it happen...it was covered by the local news outlets.

http://ksn.com/2015/10/15/world-war-ii-vet-finally-gets-his-medals/


http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2015/12/full-1121-36098-19045884.jpg

[earntaz]

Not very many of those WWII/Korean Warriors left -- honor those that are still with us ... TAZ <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/flag.gif

[njsteve]

Great story!

BTW, while I was out working in the garage today I heard the unmistakable sound of several Rolls Royce Merlins up in the sky. I look up and there in formation were three P51 Mustangs, an F6F Hellcat and an A6 Trainer flying north over my house in central Jersey. I couldn't get the $#@#*n camera on the cellphone working fast enough.
<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/flag.gif

[ds1]

Thanks for telling his story. My grandfather was captured in the Battle of the Bulge. One of the regiments that was not slaughtered by the Germans. He spent time in England from Trench Foot. Never got his purple heart. It was lost in transit. He gave up his pension when the doctor called him &quot;fat boy&quot;. He got up and walked out. He was a man hardened from his experience. But cared for and loved his family. He was not much of a talker. I was scared of him growing up. After my grandmother died he had to depend on his family to help take care of him and we ALL pitched in. I sat down one day to talk about the war. I got out a tape recorder and he looked at me and said NO. I explained I wanted an account in his words of what he went threw. He would not talk until I put the recorder away. His was a generation that did what they had to do. They did it well, but it was hard to be DUMPED OFF back home and try to forget what they experienced. I love him and miss him so much. He wanted no recognition for what he had done, just made the best life he could for his family.

[Pat_Dilling]

What great stories, my Dad and Uncle fought in WWII, both in the Pacific. They also seldom talked about it. The only time my Dad said anything was when he was teaching me to shoot a rifle at the range and he talked about carrying and shooting an M1.

[PeteLeathersac]

Great posts and good timing w/ Christmas around the corner as it's these guys we have to thank for it also so much more!
It's little but please pass a heartfelt thank you also best wishes of the season on to these brave lads still left with us, they're still THE greatest generation!
<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/worship.gif
~ Pete

[TimG]

Thank you for posting, what a great story.