Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire My father, one of the Last of the Greatest Generation,

is about 86. My siblings, my wife, and I just moved him and my mother into a local nursing home. She is cogent but cannot walk without a walker; he, while physically intact for the eigthies, is losing his short term memory. He's been a retired college professor since his sixties and a Democrat of the "old party". As a political science, history, and econ prof, I believe he'd be very sad if he could realize what has happened to "his" party and it's present condition.

There is a lot I didn't know but found some interesting stuff. He was in the Philippines at age eighteen, drafted about mid-war. He was involved in rounding up Japenese infantry and interring them in a prisoner of war camp in the Philippines. I knew about the 6.5 Carcano Japenese carbine he lugged home but somewhere during my education and moving about he sold it. But here is some stuff he never mentioned and I never knew he had: a Japenese infantry satchel along with pictures, presumably of a prisoner and his friends or family (there is, no doubt, another story); the Rising Sun flag, dog tags, numerous insignia, as well as Jap or Philippino currency.

I did know about the Silver Star and the Purple Heart. One time he told me that at the shot that took the heel of his boot off and drilled his heel, the enemy was so close he could hear him work the bolt presumably for a second try. I asked his how the guy could have missed him at that range. He mused that if that guy was half as scared as he was, he was probably only vaguely aware of where he was pointing the rifle.

There is an interesting picture of the dates he recorded of his malaria attacks.

It was sad that he related that many Japenese prisoners committed suicide after capture because of "dishonoring themselves and their families."

Dad had two brothers who also served, one in the south Pacific on the USS Marblehead that was bombed in the Battle of Makassar-- two direct hits, and a very near miss -- suffering twelve or thirteen dear and 84 wounded. With no comm, weapons, or even rudder, they navigated by alternating engine thrust to turn this way or that and bailed water with cans and buckets. It took three months in that manner to make a port where they could make major repairs. He was a man forever scarred by his experiences.

The other uncle, one of my favorites, was a very intelligent, kind man. He served in North Africa as a medic and spent two years as a prisoner in a German camp. As a high schooler, I, my dad, this uncle, and my cousins would pheasant hunt a couple times a year. I remember he was a great wing shot and very quick. He shot an older Savage 16 ga. SxS. His son still has it. I know this cause I took mental notes of things of such import; pity I didn't with others.

Thanks for letting me reminisce a bit. No offense meant to any Japenese friends here or lurking around. My father often said, "there is nothing worse than the grit of war for all thrust into it.'

thanks for the post.

it helps to reminesce a bit. my mom was a Rosie the Riverter type, building B-29 Super Fortresses.

best regards.

Wish my dad was still hear, but in a sense I'm glad he passed before all the political and social crap going on in the country. He would have been 85 and he passed 5 years ago. Served on a carrier in the tail end of the Pacific campaign. He had one brother who was killed on Iwo. His father served in the Army in WWI, was gassed by the Germans and survived. His lungs were weakened by the gas and he died when my dad was 4.

He was sharp as a tack when I visited him a few weeks before he passed away. Mom has altheimers and now terminal cancer.

They definately were a great generation, and just as admirable as their accomplishments is their humility. They had a job to do and they did it. We could use their type again. Seems most folks these days want to say why something can't be done vs. rolling up their sleaves and getting to it.

Treasure him while you still have him, and find out as much about his life as you can. My regret is not spending more time finding out about his family history while I still had him. I learned more his family in the last week I spent with him than in all the years growing up as a kid.

George thank you for this post. When you get a chance tell your Father thank you for me.

This guy was there. I knew him fairly well,....6th infantry under General Walter Krueger,...Graduated Alamo Scout training,...did some stuff with 'em.

Never said much about it,......reckon he didn't consider it all that much out of the ordinary considering the circumstances.

He kinda got that Indian thing goin' on,...said there was some in the family.

It never was much of an issue, however.

George - thanks for the bit of living history. Tell your dad hello and thanks from me. Where did he teach? Best, John

Dad brought home some *found items* as he called them, that he *picked up* in Biak, Siapan, New Guinea and Philippines. Wish he would have written more down as he also had malaria and dysentery. He wouldn't talk much about anything he went through other than his hatred for the ones he was fighting.

As Lott so very aptly put, "Treasure him while you have him." Dad (92)will be gone two years this summer and still miss his voice and calm most days.

Same here George...

My uncle was a POW of the Japanese in that war...he got to see man's inhumanity to man reach new heigths...

Thanks to all you guys sharing with us the memories of your loved ones. It is heart warming and humbling to read of the sacrifices they made and the lives they built out of the ashes of war.

I dunno if the old man had any souvenirs or not.

He went from the depression era cottonfields of southeastern Missouri to the CCC to the Ft Leonard Wood infantry to New Guinea/Phillipines,...

Hit the jungle at age 17,...got out at 21,... 4 years of combat before age 21,...the troop ship dropped him off in California with everything he owned in a duffle bag.

He said he got tired of packin' it around and dropped it on the street,...found a bar to hang out in.

I showed up about 11 years later,....

Great photos and story.
Thanks much for sharing, George.

Thanks for sharing that, George. You're fortunate to still have your parents. Sorry to hear your Dad's memory is fading, but will pray and believe any declination will cease. Blessings to your family and you, my friend.

Dad's been gone 20yrs now. He'd have been 93 last November. North Africa/Sicily/Italy. May your dad's remaining days, short or long, be peaceful.

Great story and thanks.

That is some great family history thanks for posting...

Thanks for an interesting story. I grew up around WWII vets from all branches. My dad would have been 88 this summer. He was a radioman on the USS Marblehead. But he was on it after it was brought back to the states and patched up. He was still in high school when it was nearly sunk in the S. Pacific. It was an older cruiser (launched 1924), and when it got rebuilt it got the newer, more up to date radar and lots of other upgrades. My dad did convoy duty in the N. Atlantic on it and less than a month before his 20th birthday he witnessed the vast fleet of small craft crossing the English Channel on D-Day. Then a couple months later witnessed the "invasion" of southern France which turned out to be only lightly defended. After the war Uncle Sam sold the Marblehead and lots of other older ships for scrap. The joke back then was: "they're gonna make razor blades outa this thing and every time you shave for the rest or your life you can think of this ship". Thanks again for the interesting post.

George, thank you. I appreciate knowing a bit about your dad and his war history - as well as his educational life. Echoing your sentiment, I miss my dad terrbily, but am so glad that he does not have to be here to see the mess we have come to in this country in our current condition.

The rotten politcs, the cheating and rule-breaking, the undermining of the Constitution, and on and on. Those folks that built this country and gave so much to insure our freedoms should not have to know what we have let it become - and I sure hope that we can get it back to some semblance of what they built.

My dad was stationed in the Philippines too. He is gone now, but not forgotten. Our fishing trips were always something special. He would call them fishing expeditions. A very special generation for sure.

Thanks George for sharing...

My dad is 85, still in relative good health, and he also served in WWII. He was in the Navy, served in the Pacific, and wont talk about it. I know he was somewhere out there when they dropped the atomic bombs and the war ended. He was stationed on a small island after the war. It had a landing strip and a hospital. The wounded servicemen that needed medical attention and couldnt make the trip home, were flown to this island. Dad and 3 other servicemen were responsible for keeping the generators running for the hospital. Dad is the last of them. Before Mom passed away, she told me that Dad, a doctor, and a few patients rode out a hurricane (typhoon) on the island. The patients were in too bad shape to move, the doctor wouldnt leave the patients, and Dad volunteered to stay and try to keep the power going.

The men of that generation were special!!

Excellent thread.

These breaks from our usual cyber-rasslin' provide a welcome respite.