Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire What did your Grandpa do while in the military?

Both of mine (both have passed) served in World War II.

One was a navigator on B-24's, 9th, then 15th AF's. Was a guest of the Germans for over a year. Learned of his daughter's (my mom's) birth whilst a POW.

The other was dog-face infantry - 91st Division. Staged in North Africa, landed on Sicily, moved to mainland Italy, and then walked to the French border.

They may have crossed paths, albeit unknowingly. During an offensive on the Italian mainland, the one grandpa's B-24 group "softened" some German defenses prior to my other grandpa's division assaulting those positions.

I didn't answer in my previous posts. WWl France,Infantry.

Mine fought in the Spanish American war launching slow 45-70 bullets from a Trapdoor Springfield at Cubans...

WWI infantry - fought in the trenches in France.

My mother told me that she knew a lot of refugees who perished in the Dresden firebombings. Dresden had been declared a free city - that is, no military installations or munition plants, so no defenses. I understand that it was a very beautiful city. Many refugees from Eastern Europe fleeing the commies wound up in Germany, many in Dresden and got killed for their effort. Not one of America's shining moments but understandable.

SeaBee, radio operator on Guam.

the one im named after enlisted in 1934, out in 1966. colonel, us army, retired. lost him in november. 2 weeks before his 99th bday. he did a bit of everything.

Lots of cool stories you guys shared. I had lots of family in the wars but I've always liked this picture of my great-papaw.

Grand Dad was a mechanic in the Navy.

My grandfather volunteered for the Army Airforce in WWII. He went through pilot training for about 2/3rds of the training. According to him, the AA decided it had enough pilots to win the war and cut the bottom 90%. Off to gunner school he went. He served 35 missions over Europe in late 44, early 45 as a tail gunner in a B-17. 487th BG, 837th squadron. They were shot-up over Hamburg on their 17th mission and limped back to England smoking. The plane was totaled and they spent the remainder of their tour as a back-up crew borrowing planes.

After his tour the AA asked him to retrain for B-29s to be sent to the Pacific. He told them no. He was assigned to train new crews in Pensacola. He was the only trainer who wouldn't take off his parachute. The base commander finally asked him what his problem was and he told him he hated flying. As he put it, those planes aren't as safe as you think. The base commander made him the base PT instructor. He'd lead the base in PT in the morning and then drive his Jeep to the officer's club to drink the rest of the day (He was a SSGT but they overlooked him due to his combat experience.)

After the war, the AA asked him to finish his pilot training. As you might guess, he told them to [bleep] off.

He's the good looking guy in the backrow, far right.

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