December 7th 1941...

[MBreinin]

Re: December 7th 1941...

My uncle is a West Pointer and commanded an artillery batallion. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge. He is 86 and probably in better shape than I am. They don't make people like that anymore..we just aren't cut from the same cloth.

The greatest generation, indeed.

Mike

[semagic]

Re: December 7th 1941...

[ QUOTE ]
To those who served and serve today [img]/images/graemlins/toast.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/notworthy.gif[/img]

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+1 [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[rjohnstone]

Re: December 7th 1941...

Both my grandfathers served... one of them is still with us and my other grandfather passed away two years ago this week.
I have so much respect for what they did and went through.
I hate to see it fade from peoples memory.
I have pictures of both of them before the war and both when they returned home. You can see it in their eyes... all the pain they went through and the horrors they witnessed.
It changed their lives forever. Neither one will ever go into detail about what they saw or had to do to preserve our freedom. My grandfather who is still alive only looks up at the trees and cries if asked about it. He was part of the Normandy invasion and from what my grandmother tells me, he went through hell just to stay alive while all his friends were dying around him. He is the sole survivor of his unit.
I don't ask him as I know how much pain it causes him to relive it. Seeing that pain gave me a glimpse into something I hope no one should ever have to go through again.

[RacerX]

Re: December 7th 1941...

I usually remember

especially when I think of the Conspiritorial View of history, ie, that FDR knew of the attack in advance and did nothing so we could declare war on Japan. Another theory is that US actions forced Japanese military to attack, again with full foreknowledge.

[Badseed]

Re: December 7th 1941...

[ QUOTE ]
Both my grandfathers served... one of them is still with us and my other grandfather passed away two years ago this week.
I have so much respect for what they did and went through.
I hate to see it fade from peoples memory.
I have pictures of both of them before the war and both when they returned home. You can see it in their eyes... all the pain they went through and the horrors they witnessed.
It changed their lives forever. Neither one will ever go into detail about what they saw or had to do to preserve our freedom. My grandfather who is still alive only looks up at the trees and cries if asked about it. He was part of the Normandy invasion and from what my grandmother tells me, he went through hell just to stay alive while all his friends were dying around him. He is the sole survivor of his unit.
I don't ask him as I know how much pain it causes him to relive it. Seeing that pain gave me a glimpse into something I hope no one should ever have to go through again.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ihave been watching Saving Private Ryan alot lately.I read somewhere that the opening in Normandy caused some vets to have flashbacks , becasue they said it was so close to what they saw.I dont understand the strategy now, not using air support at the same time as invasion, but Im not a general either.

My grandpa enlisted days after Pearl Harbor, he told my grandma theat he was drafted.It wasnt until the 90's that he let that cat out of the bag.Hats off to those who fight in the name of Freedom ! [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[lerxstcat]

Re: December 7th 1941...

My father served in the Eighth Army Air Corps during WWII.
They flew many bombing missions into Nazi Germany to cripple the German war effort. My brother-in-law served in the Pacific Theater as a bomber pilot. He's still here at 83 though he suffers from dementia. They truly helped to save the world. Today's military are engaged in a similar effort, but fighting a more furtive enemy.

God bless our military, past, present and future. They are the reason we can hang on an Internet forum and express ourselves freely.

[Cleveland Metal]

Re: December 7th 1941...

it was 64 years ago, and I doubt anyone will ever know the truth.

And, it doesn't matter much to the men who gave their lives, they're gone nonetheless. They gave their lives for what they believed in, and did a job that couldnt be done in this day by this generation.

All my deepest respect to them in all ways I could possibly imagine. As well as for the soldiers that suffered in every war and military action we have had.

When asked, they gave their lives for our country.

[Reverend Timmy]

Re: December 7th 1941...

I'm glad someone brought up 9/11.There are several survivors on this forum.Lives were changed forever and our wonderful liberal media has quietly swept it under the rug.It pisses me off.I am watching the news on TV and nothing about Dec.7.I asked my son if they talked about it in history class at school today.No.It's a shame.Pebber,you made a great point and I did'nt leave you guys out on purpose,thousands of Europeans gave their lives for the cause and they shall never be forgotten.In my book,no one will!!.....

[mudkicker]

Re: December 7th 1941...

Here is a nice shot of the Arizona memorial.


This is all that is left of the Arizona today.

[VitaminG]

Re: December 7th 1941...

[ QUOTE ]
Today is slowly being forgotten about and it saddens me.

[/ QUOTE ]
Really? That is a shame. Especially considering the number of WWII vets still alive.

We obviously don't acknowledge Pearl Harbour here because we were already involved in WWII before then. But our ANZAC Day remembrance activities have enjoyed a resurgence in the last couple of years. Our last WWI vet died this year, but the youth of the country has embraced the remembrance of those that fell in Gallipoli. Every year thousands make the pilgrimage to Turkey for the dawn service. The amount of kids & grandkids of service men and women marching in our ANZAC Day parades, with gramps' medals pinned to their chests, all over the country brings a lump to my throat every time.

It is a crying shame that your country is forgetting so soon. It might be 64 years ago, but that's not that long.

[finnman]

Re: December 7th 1941...

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They gave their lives for what they believed in, and did a job that couldnt be done in this day by this generation.

[/ QUOTE ]
Can you please clarify : "and did a job that couldnt be done in this day by this generation."

[hippietim]

Re: December 7th 1941...

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

They gave their lives for what they believed in, and did a job that couldnt be done in this day by this generation.

[/ QUOTE ]
Can you please clarify : "and did a job that couldnt be done in this day by this generation."

[/ QUOTE ]

I think this is a sentiment shared by many Americans. We live in the age of entitlement. Everyone thinks that someone owes them something because they are given so much and take so much for granted. Or they feel they must have things they haven't earned or that they should be able to get whatever they want no matter the cost to someone else.

I'm not speaking for anyone else - just my .02

Just looking at the MSN home page today made me very sad - way down the page "Is 50 the new 30?" was bold and on top of Pearl Harbor coverage. Lame.

[buzzsaww]

Re: December 7th 1941...

giants among men walked the earth then. truly a unique time for humanity.

[jjw]

Re: December 7th 1941...

[ QUOTE ]
I usually remember

especially when I think of the Conspiritorial View of history, ie, that FDR knew of the attack in advance and did nothing so we could declare war on Japan. Another theory is that US actions forced Japanese military to attack, again with full foreknowledge.

[/ QUOTE ]

Us brits gave you intel that we heard from Japan plans for a major attack on you before this wnet down.For whatever reasons you ignored us-who knows who fucked up there but i expect some fucking cowardly money grabbing pos had a brit hating chip on each shoulder and didnt believe us
Both of my granfathers fought the 2nd world war from day one of the campaign-my garndfather who is still alive was in charge fo the men who caught Himmler and my other grandfather went through Africa and Italy.Respect to all our old boys who gave everything for our future [img]/images/graemlins/toast.gif[/img]

[Cleveland Metal]

Re: December 7th 1941...

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

They gave their lives for what they believed in, and did a job that couldnt be done in this day by this generation.

[/ QUOTE ]
Can you please clarify : "and did a job that couldnt be done in this day by this generation."

[/ QUOTE ]

The way the media is and the young of our society is, this country couldn't bear the death toll that was happening during the battles of WWII. We tragically lost more more men in taking a couple miles of a pacific island than we have in the Iraq war. You think that would fly now? Unlikely.

The physical sacrifices men made then would not be acceptable to todays society. They were a different breed.