Veterans "oral" histories

Frank and others thanks for sharing some pics and thoughts..

I was on the ground during the Gulf and I can say we greatly appreciated the air support, both combatant and non-combatant. It really makes our jobs easier...No matter whether you are an operator, a grunt, an aviator, a supply guy or a cook, it goes without saying you have to have teamwork. You can't be an operator without the "3 B's,"....


I ended up at a local gunshow today and was surprised to get a chance to talk to a couple of WWII vets, a guy from the 29th (Blue and Grey) who took part in the landings at Normandy, and an old guy from the 2nd "SS" Das Reich. It was interesting to hear their stories and of course understand that they were on opposing sides, yet the core of their stories was very similar..young kids wishing they were home, fighting a war neither wanted, and of course trying to make do. I don't think the political ideology really comes into play as much, the first time a round impacts near you...I must say in speaking to both vets they both thought "Saving Private Ryan," did a great job of portraying war as realistically as possible. I know from my own experiences it was as close as I've seen minus the smells..

I'm giving some serious thought to doing some traveling this summer and if anyone is interested I'd consider a group effort. I actully live in the heart of the Civil War battlefields, having land that was actually an encampment and field hospital during the 1862 camapaign to take Richmond. If anyone has an interest in the Civil War I'll be happy to act as a local guide when visiting. Hope to continue this discussion.

Semper Fi,

Gregory

Just as a side bar..I usually go to Wash DC at least once every 2-3 months (it is only 90 miles north of me). I will be going back this moth or the first of April...If anyone wants anything from the Vietnam's Veterans' Memorial (commonly known as "The Wall.") let me know and I'll pick it up for you...There are many stands around there that sell t-shirts, lapel pins, and of course MIA bracelets..I encourage everyone to wear a MIA bracelet (I haven't taken mine off in over 14 years), and show your support of the POW/MIA's..I will also make traces of any names on the wall if you can supply me with the name..Just PM me...

Semper Fi,

Gregory

[427TJ]

In 1995 I talked to a man named Richard Fiske who is a docent at the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor and a WWII veteran. You may have seen him on History Channel specials as well. He was a crewman (marines) on the battleship U.S.S. Pennsylvania on December 7th, 1941 and he and I talked for over an hour about that day as well as his other WWII combat experiences. In 1945 he went ashore during the invasion of Iwo Jima and took a spent shell fragment in the leg. He then reached into his pocket and showed me a buffalo nickel that was shaped like a funnel. The spent shell fragment hit his leg right where his coin purse was and the impact bent the nickel into a funnel shape! Yes, it knocked him out for a moment and his whole side was bruised but he kept advancing that bloody day. I just stood there in awe and listened to his stories and I kept getting him to tell more. At one point I told him that I had been a KC-135 pilot and his face lit up. He had been a KC-135 crew chief in the 1960s after he had transferred out of the marines ("too dangerous" as he said) and into the air force. He retired from the air force in 1969. One of the sad moments as he talked was the fact that he still, to that day in 1995 when we talked, heard what he described as knocking at his front door in the middle of the night. He said he'd wake up and answer the door and no one was ever there. He soon realized that he had been having dreams in which he was hearing the men trapped in the capsized battleship Oklahoma (at Pearl Harbor) using hammers to beat on the overturned hull in desperate pleas for rescue. I just stood there in shock and his eyes welled up. Can you imagine? Almost 60 years later and he still hears those guys trapped in the Oklahoma pounding on the hull with hammers--men he knew and men who slowly died trapped in that ship. Some of the Okalhoma's men were rescued but many slowly died in the weeks after the attack. Mr. Fiske said that by Christmas (1941) the sounds coming from the Oklahoma had finally ceased. My wife and I both thanked him and gave him a hug, a firm handshake, and a pat on the back. I then went into the gift shop, bought a book on the battleship Arizona (I have a huge library) and Dick Fiske gladly put an inscription on the frontspiece. My wife took a photo of Dick and I together and it's in the front of that book. One last note. Dick Fiske told me that he had been having dreams about the war for many years and it finally got to the point where he decided to move back to Hawaii "to be close to those guys," and he pointed toward battleship row.

Tom Brokaw called those men and women the "Greatest Generation" and he's right.

[BBIGG BLOCK 396]

Those are some great stories,I watched the program and I think I remember Mr Fiske,it was a very interesting program.But also you guys in the Gulf are just as important to people like me!You may not have the stories to share of your own like Mr. Fiske and the stories you guys have may not be as Historical as Pearl Harbor but just as important to this Country in my book.Not to take anything away from the people that served in any of the other wars such as WWI,WWII,Korea,Vietnam and others, this is just my opinion.I have the deepest respect in my heart for all Veterans of all wars,and to all people serving this Great Country now as I post this message.Where would we all be now if it were not for all you Veterans!My Greatest thanks to all of you guys and gals that are Veterans.I love the classic car discussions but this has to be one of the best discussions I have had in a long time.

Bobby Dodson

[Turbo_Jet]

I've always been interested in military history as well, especially WWII and Vietnam. I found a neat site the other day that has a few stories about MACV/SOG teams in Vietnam/Laos/Cambodia. Here's the link for ya'll--> http://www.macvsog.org/ The stories that are on that site are unreal, these men were simply amazing.

I had a chance over the weekend to speak to John Setlin, who was a Sgt. in the Ia Drang Valley, in 1965. He currently builds match grade rifles, and is mentioned prominently in Hal Moore's book, "We Were soliders Once..And Young." It is really interesting to read a book or see a movie, and then actually speak to someone there...puts everything into context. I know I used to really cherish my conversations with Gunny Hathcock and his buddies Norm Chandler the rest of the Iron Brigade gang. Hopefully this thread will inspire others to take an active role in keeping veterans histories alive...

[mahoy78spyder]

Having just been through a war about this time last year, my respect for veterans is even greater than it already was. I read the accounts of the other veterans listed before my post here and my eyes welled up because it brings back the feelings I felt through my own experiences. All I can say is, "War is not pretty" and shake my head at the memory of it. One thing I've learned since coming back from Iraq last year is that I now understand why so many veterans get together for events like they do. No one else who's never seen war first hand understands the experiences that we've been through. When I first got back the nightmares were almost nightly - the daylight hours were ok as long as I wasn't by myself too much where I had time to think about "it". I trucked North to Baghdad just behind 3rd I.D. and we were in the thick of it. I don't claim to have PTSD or anything of the sorts... it just took a few months to get reacclimated to things once coming home... But when I feel the need to "talk" every now and then, I talk to one of my war buddies. There is a silent understanding between us that heals. We don't even have to talk about the war itself... but if we do, it's just even better. It gets better every day. Each of us have our own experiences and our own ways of coping once home, but rest assured we're all doing fine. My helmet goes off to all the other veterans out there who have helped keep our country the greatest nation in the world and fought to keep it "free" from oppressive regimes. We really do live in a great country - and I certainly don't take that for granted anymore!

Ken
MSgt, USAF

[jus4funn68]

Greg my Dad flew in a Curtis Helldiver in WWII. Served 2 cruises- one on the Bunker Hill and the other on the Yorktown, which is a museum on Charleston. I visit it there a couple times a year. I have all his flight records, pics, and of course the memories of hearing his combat experiences many times before he died. I hope to have him enrolled in the "Enlisted Flyers Honor Roll" later this year on the Yorktown. Im with you, I will listen to any vets from any theater anytime...we owe them and always will. Anytime you want to chat about the things I have heard drop me an email. Kevin

[mahoy78spyder]

I have to add (even though it is a very recent war and perhaps not of the historical magnitude of WWI or II) that anyone reading this thread that wants a "grunts-eye view" of the War in Iraq last year should take a peek at Oliver North's "War Stories - Operation Iraqi Freedom" book. It's basically his journal while over there, written in Sitrep (Situational Report) style, but I have been glued to the book, often comparing it to my own journal and the record of certain events that happened on a particular day. As you read it, remind yourself that what you're reading about is real events and the actual people that were involved in them. I'm only a third of the way through the book and already it's as if I'm back there, reliving the emotions, the frustrations, and yes, even the boredom at times. But suffice to say, there is a human side to war, and Col. North represents that side of the war the "best" in this book in my humble opinion. Take a look-see sometime....

Ken

[jus4funn68]

Ken how long has the book been out? Also, thanks for your contribution to the effort!