Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Your family's military history..pics welcomed

My dad, Age 18 1/2 in SEA, Philippines. Medals — PH and ST. Some other captured Japanese items (the leather pouch, flag, some currency, and pictures) not shown. Took home a sniper’s 6.5 Arisaka model 38 carbine with bayonet. There is the question as to whether this is the one he was wounded with. He became a quiet, rather taciturn guy, occasionally mentioning “the sniper” and “war is awful” in later years.

Dad’s other brother was a medic in North Africa and spent 2 years in a German POW camp. He was a great calm, quiet, gentle guy.

A third was in the navy and in the battle of the Leyte Gulf. Lost men, comm’s and one screw. Limped several months to a friendly port excommunicator bailing with anything that could hold water. This brother I think may have had what we now call PTSD after getting home.

Dad later became a history and econ prof on the GI Bill and hated how the Vietnam conflict was hamstrung by the politicos. It was the lottery system by then in ‘70 I believe, and my number was 157. Called to take my physical and planning on going. Dad never said a word. They stopped the call-up in the 140’s in my county.

My dad, the youngest brother, passed in 2017 at 92 and rarely mentioned the war. The other two passed much earlier. But they all made it home.