Meet Bob, a real hero

[AndyG]

My grandpa was a radioman in the Navy on the Sarasota in ww2. If he did anything particularly heroic it's lost to history because he didn't like to talk about it, so most of what I know is what I can find on the internet. One story I know about was having to go search the wreckage for survivors and top secret radio equipment after the USS Mt Hood exploded in harbor and destroyed several nearby craft; to make sure the Japanese didn't get their hands on it. He saw some gnarly carnage that he could never unsee.

Well said. I never pry. If someone wants to talk, certainly willing to listen because that tells me they are the kind of person that needs to talk to heal-

But everybody deals with things their own way the best they can.

I heard one famous war photographer say that war was just murder.

I know from films and pics I’ve seen it is insane, with a lot more ways to die than you might think. Like you ammo belt gets hit, etc.

 

[Zorba]

When I was a wee lad, I asked my dad if his ship had ever been attacked in WW II.

"Yes" - but that was all I got out of him until he was on his deathbed. Even then he didn't say much, only that the Japs strafed the ship and that it was "so very quiet" afterwards while he sat on deck with his best bud and "watched him die".

 

[MtPockets]

Yes sir it did, but it was a war we were never going to win. The government refused to turn the dogs lose and let them win.

John, you are 100% spot on.

Almost 30 years ago, I had a coworker who was there. He said exactly the same thing.
I believe he did 3 tours.
He didn't mind talking about it. Like Andy said, Im sure it was theraputic.

 

[steelhd]

They aren't my stories to tell.

There is a push to get him to write a book. So far, no book.

 

[bucky]

My Dad was drafted just before the end of WW2. He mustered out just after. He was recalled for Korea and served in the 101st Airborne. He was injured on a jump after he got out of the hospital they made him a MP. He got shot in the arm and medically discharged. 2 Purple Hearts. He never spoke about his service to me other than to say he servers twice and one was for me. This was during Vietnam and he did not want me to go through what he did. Luckily the war ended before I was eligible to be drafted. He lived in pain his whole life from his injuries. He’s my war hero.
A true hero does not seek glory. They do what they do because it’s the right thing to do.

 

[taylormade73]

My dad was not decorated like that, but he did volunteer for Vietnam and is a green beret that stayed behind at Camp Hardy on Okinawa to help train other special forces after his tours. He has shared little other than it was live fire training.

Here I am in his beret.

 

[AndyG]

My Dad was drafted just before the end of WW2. He mustered out just after. He was recalled for Korea and served in the 101st Airborne. He was injured on a jump after he got out of the hospital they made him a MP. He got shot in the arm and medically discharged. 2 Purple Hearts. He never spoke about his service to me other than to say he servers twice and one was for me. This was during Vietnam and he did not want me to go through what he did. Luckily the war ended before I was eligible to be drafted. He lived in pain his whole life from his injuries. He’s my war hero.
A true hero does not seek glory. They do what they do because it’s the right thing to do.

Thank you for sharing that personal story and you are 100% right.

It’s also been said that having something to live for is massively powerful.

 

[AndyG]

View attachment 664097My dad was not decorated like that, but he did volunteer for Vietnam and is a green beret that stayed behind at Camp Hardy on Okinawa to help train other special forces after his tours. He has shared little.

Here I am in his beret.
View attachment 664096

If he wore that hat and he trained other soldiers, it was because he was good at his job. Never lose that pic.

 

[AndyG]

Awesome story Andy. What a HERO !

Did you know our Rangers are trained very close to you?

The Mountain Ranger training school is in Dahlonega, Georgia

 

[tr21triton]

Did you know our Rangers are trained very close to you?

The Mountain Ranger training school is in Dahlonega, Georgia

I hear them all the time. we used to follow them and pick up the brass after they had a battle. Camp Merrill we have been close to on some of our rides up here.

 

[AndyG]

I hear them all the time. we used to follow them and pick up the brass after they had a battle. Camp Merrill we have been close to on some of our rides up here.

I’m close to Redstone Arsenal. Man they make some noise. Perverts I guess.

Ain’t it amazing Alabama had a hand in the space program -


Think John Cooper-

“Houston, we gonna slow this thing down and hit this satellite with a beer bottle”

 

[bucky]

I run the desert around the 29 Palms Marine base. Man the light show they put on during live fire exercises at night is impressive. The fire their cannons put out is amazing you can see it for miles.

 

[AndyG]

I run the desert around the 29 Palms Marine base. Man the light show they put on during live fire exercises at night is impressive. The fire their cannons put out is amazing you can see it for miles.

Our military has firepower.

Redstone Arsenal shakes the ground around Huntsville, Alabama.

 

[LukesfirstJeep]

Our military has firepower.

Redstone Arsenal shakes the ground around Huntsville, Alabama.

Oh yea. Back in the 80's I worked for the DOD. One day I was sent to some base some base South of DC, near the Eastern shore. They were firing their 16" guns. The back stop was a giant sand mound, that reminded me of Kill Devils Hill, with vertical steel plates in the center.