My dad was a Merchant Marine. He landed at Normandy the next day to clean up the beach. He could never speak about it other than to say he was there. Deepest gratitude to all who served.
He knew enough most of the time, not to "TALK" about it. Knowing it would only open that darn box of unresolved conflicts that were in a vault locked away. My step father spent 25 yrs in the Marine corps mostly in the Pacific theater (the military calls these actions theater)
And rightly named as such. Sigh....
Ed never liked talking about it at home. But he attended all those Veterans reunions with a lot of pride. It was a way for them to renew that hero Americans, first and forever mindset.
They take that with them to their graves as " I gave my life for this" ! What did you do?
I always thought my dad had missed the action in Korea. He was a Navy pilot. Just recently, my brother told me that our dad was actually one of the pilots who bombed Korea. The pilots flew so low that the blowback from the bombs would strike their planes. Many pilots didn’t make it home.
He never told me this, only my brother
My dad was also one of the pilots who, had the president ordered it, would’ve dropped the bomb on Russia.
None of us would be here if he hadn’t made it home. It’s been 20 years. I still miss him.
That's pretty amazing. He would have signed a DOD wavier as he was sworn to secrecy at a very high level. He was ordered to responsibly perform his duty unconditionally.
Then by his own accord he would have been responsible to live with it unconditionally.
For the great many this was often way too much to ask. How long must I keep this secret?
They flew so low for target precision. A wasted bomb on a target miss was revalued later
from recon aircraft flights on camera high over head. Targets well hidden on ground.
The plane often flew low as it was overloaded and possibly underpowered from minor maintenance issues. The pilot had little recourse to return to hangar field once airborn.
Think of all the risks taken, and all the near miss tragic accounts told off the cuff.
Hero's come in all sizes and paygrades. Not playing by civilian rules when in "Theater".
My dad used to tell me some stories of his time as a Navy pilot. One of them was of a night the admiral ordered them to practice take offs and landing. He told the admiral that it was too dangerous, and he refused to do it. The admiral called off the training drill. Dad was a really good pilot to the point that after his required time in the military, they wanted him to stay on as an instructor. We’d always laugh about that. He’d say, “Can you imagine me staying in to take more orders?” 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣
So many more stories. He wasn’t always an easy man, but he loved his family and would do anything for us.
My mother's cousin (USN) was anchored at sea that day, frying doughnuts all day long for the boys going ashore. Husband's father, a battalion surgeon, landed at Normandy in late July, assigned to Patton's 3rd army. Mine had been training new recruits in Louisiana and Mississippi, then was deployed to Philippines. No Normandy for him. And no deaths for either of these 3. Until a long life had been lived.
My dad landed at Normandy.
Thanks for the link.
My dad was a Merchant Marine. He landed at Normandy the next day to clean up the beach. He could never speak about it other than to say he was there. Deepest gratitude to all who served.
Merchant Marine had huge loss of life in the Atlantic.
Mine, too.
Two of my great Uncles landed at Normandy, as well
Lot of those guys were essentially kids...very young.
Yes, my Dad shipped out to the Pacific at 17.
The Pacific battles were especially tough.
And made it back home in bravery,
to tell the tale of the horrors of the task at hand.
Sends Shivers in me.
I suspect what was even worse for him was when he participated in the liberation of the forced labor camp in Nordhausen, Germany.
Only time I heard him get angry at what he saw...the death...and the living who looked like walking corpses.
He knew enough most of the time, not to "TALK" about it. Knowing it would only open that darn box of unresolved conflicts that were in a vault locked away. My step father spent 25 yrs in the Marine corps mostly in the Pacific theater (the military calls these actions theater)
And rightly named as such. Sigh....
Ed never liked talking about it at home. But he attended all those Veterans reunions with a lot of pride. It was a way for them to renew that hero Americans, first and forever mindset.
They take that with them to their graves as " I gave my life for this" ! What did you do?
My dad rarely, if ever, talked about it.
And he also did go to those Army reunions.
Civilians will never understand what those guys went through.
Faithfully, my Dad went to all the Ticonderoga navy reunions till the day he died. RIP
👍🏻💕
I always thought my dad had missed the action in Korea. He was a Navy pilot. Just recently, my brother told me that our dad was actually one of the pilots who bombed Korea. The pilots flew so low that the blowback from the bombs would strike their planes. Many pilots didn’t make it home.
He never told me this, only my brother
My dad was also one of the pilots who, had the president ordered it, would’ve dropped the bomb on Russia.
None of us would be here if he hadn’t made it home. It’s been 20 years. I still miss him.
That's pretty amazing. He would have signed a DOD wavier as he was sworn to secrecy at a very high level. He was ordered to responsibly perform his duty unconditionally.
Then by his own accord he would have been responsible to live with it unconditionally.
For the great many this was often way too much to ask. How long must I keep this secret?
They flew so low for target precision. A wasted bomb on a target miss was revalued later
from recon aircraft flights on camera high over head. Targets well hidden on ground.
The plane often flew low as it was overloaded and possibly underpowered from minor maintenance issues. The pilot had little recourse to return to hangar field once airborn.
Think of all the risks taken, and all the near miss tragic accounts told off the cuff.
Hero's come in all sizes and paygrades. Not playing by civilian rules when in "Theater".
My dad used to tell me some stories of his time as a Navy pilot. One of them was of a night the admiral ordered them to practice take offs and landing. He told the admiral that it was too dangerous, and he refused to do it. The admiral called off the training drill. Dad was a really good pilot to the point that after his required time in the military, they wanted him to stay on as an instructor. We’d always laugh about that. He’d say, “Can you imagine me staying in to take more orders?” 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣
So many more stories. He wasn’t always an easy man, but he loved his family and would do anything for us.
Yeah...he took a lot of risk as a pilot in a hostile war theater. Tell him I said shiny side up and thanks for his service overhead 👍🎯🎥
I would if I could. Dad passed some 20 years ago. I miss him. 💗
10-4
Copy that 👍🎯
So sad KJ
Those combat veterans carried a huge burden.
Often in silence.
Yes , my Dad never said a word only 2 weeks before he passed and cried terribly.
He carried a huge burden for years.
😢
It's a heavy burden to carry. 😞💕🙏
My mother's cousin (USN) was anchored at sea that day, frying doughnuts all day long for the boys going ashore. Husband's father, a battalion surgeon, landed at Normandy in late July, assigned to Patton's 3rd army. Mine had been training new recruits in Louisiana and Mississippi, then was deployed to Philippines. No Normandy for him. And no deaths for either of these 3. Until a long life had been lived.
Just about every family were involved in some way.