Dec. 7: 'Couldn't get my hands on a gun fast enough' - Officlal Pearl Harbor thread

[Dave Workman]

My dad, who served in WWII, never talked about the war. People who have been in a war...I mean, REALLY been in a war...rarely talk about it.

But he once mentioned Dec. 7, that day 70 years ago that will "live in infamy."

He heard about the attack, IIRC, while he was getting his shoes shined. His reaction: "I couldn't get my hands on a gun fast enough."

 

[ATBackPackin]

I had two grandfathers whom served in WWII. Neither ever uttered a single word about it. I did ask one of them why he enlisted. That was the only time we ever talked about it and his short answer is something that I try my best to live my life by.


"It was my duty."

Miss ya Pop.

I do have his bring back.

 

[mortablunt]

I had a grandfather who served in WW2. He never told me anything, as he died while I was 2. He never told his children much either. My Grandmother was an 8 year old in Britain when it started. She freaks out at the thought of flying and trembles when aircraft are heard overhead. My Uncle Larry was in the Army for Vietnam so he could become a dentist. I have never asked him. My Uncle Mark was a Marine supply officer for quite a long time, retiring as a Colonel some time during the early years of the War on Terror. Is it just me, or does at least one person per family generation join the military?

 

[lowerunit411]

my grand father, father and i all graduated from th US Naval Academy......Duty, Honor, Country.....when they were alive we shared many stories..we all agreed...It is a PRIVILEDGE to serve.

 

[walt501]

My Father was in Infantry Captain in WWII. I asked him several times as a kid what he did in the war. His response was always the same - "I had to make sure the men brushed their teeth and got in bed on time." Years later at his Army reunions I'd have men from his company come up to me and quietly say "I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for your Father".


My father passed away in 2007. Miss you and think about you every day Dad.

 

[tnxdshooter]

I had a grandfather who served in WW2. He never told me anything, as he died while I was 2. He never told his children much either. My Grandmother was an 8 year old in Britain when it started. She freaks out at the thought of flying and trembles when aircraft are heard overhead. My Uncle Larry was in the Army for Vietnam so he could become a dentist. I have never asked him. My Uncle Mark was a Marine supply officer for quite a long time, retiring as a Colonel some time during the early years of the War on Terror. Is it just me, or does at least one person per family generation join the military?

Apparently it is just you. My moms father was in the army as a mechanic in WWII and my father was in the Air National Guard during vietnam although he never had to go. No one since in our family has enlisted.


Sent from Droid Incredible on Verizon Wireless

 

[USAF_Vet]

I have one grandfather who served in WWII. I didn't meet him til i was 28 and he is in his 90's now and suffering from Alzheimers.

My other grandfather served in Korea, he was too young for WWII. He rarely talks about his experiences over in Korea, but has opened up a bit more. I think my service in Iraq had a lot to do with that.

Flying the Flag at half staff today.

 

[armoredman]

Grandfather, 333rd Engineers, AEF, 1918, father, US Air Force 57-60, step father Tech Sgt, US Army Air Corps, 1943-1945, participated in the Normandy invasion, multiple cousins in Naval service, all officers,(I was the only Navy enlisted in the family, black sheep time) and I had one uncle who was a medic INSIDE Bastogne. He never spoke of it.

 

[Dave Workman]

The men of whom we speak today became "The Greatest Generation." They literally saved the world.

We owe them something: To find a way to never let it happen again.

We may disagree on how to accomplish that, but only a raving lunatic ever really wants to start a war, of that much I am certain. It takes the sane among us to bring them to an end.

 

[TexasRifleman]

Stickied for today. Please put all Pearl Harbor stories in this one thread so folks can keep track of them.

 

[Baldman]

Both my Grandfathers' were in WWI & WWII. Neither talked about there service. The only thing my Father told me about his Dad's service was that when he got home from school on that day his Father had his bag packed and went back into the Navy. The only keepsake he brought home was part of a Zero that Kamikazed the ship he was on.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

My Grandfather served in the Mexican Campaign and WWI, received 2 Silver Stars, several purple hearts and other medals (my sister has them). My Uncle served in the Marine Corps in WWII in the Pacific. My Dad served stateside in the Army at Ft. Riley. They were a horse and saddle outfit and used to pack out mules with equipment to test it in the field. He had a heart murmor so he wasn't fit for combat. He moved to Fl when I was about 4 and went to work for the FEC RR and took traffic management courses. Worked in the steamship agency and Customs Brokerage business for over 40 years. He retired and bought a house with some acerage where my sister now lives.

I have Grandpa's lighter, brass matchbox cover and a pocket knife with pictures of all the Generals on our side. He was discharged and went back and turned in his 1911. I have my Uncle's canteen and I can still read his name (barely).

Neither spoke a word about their service. My Grandfather went on to become a mail carrier and a Sunday school teacher. My Uncle went to work in the mill in Pa.

 

[wannabeagunsmith]

I have a great grandpa who died when I was 7 and he served in WWII in the pacific guarding a base, never (thankfully) saw any serious action. I am good friends with a B-17 pilot from WWII and he would go on sub-hunts on the coast and never saw any serious action either. I am going to go visit him sometime soon and look forward to talking with him. I am thankful that all these men and women fought to keep our freedoms alive, and I pledge to do the same one day as well.

 

[JellyJar]

Written by my late Uncle. Captured in WWII during the Battle of the Bulge:

http://www.schistory.net/campcroft/people/mccord.html

 

[Trent]

My uncle Elwood Lawson, who passed away recently (rest his soul), on the battle for Okinawa:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=gx30oZkumkc

 

[Dave Workman]

Stickied for today. Please put all Pearl Harbor stories in this one thread so folks can keep track of them.

Hey, Texas:

That's awfully kind of you. I'm humbled and my dad would be pleased.

 

[FROGO207]

One of my buddies, Frank was a Pearl Harbor survivor (was from HI) and retired from the Coast Guard for some years. He had a lot of opinions and some stories. His take was that they all did what had to be done and made the best of it. He died this last month at 99. I will miss his no nonsense attitude on life. We must preserve at all costs what those brave men/women won the hard way.

 

[camar]

Maybe this does not belong. If so please delete it with my appologies.

I was stationed in Hawaii at Kaneohe Bay at the time of this short story. I was a young receintly promoted Sgt. (E-5) and was sent cross island to Pearl Harbor to pick up travel authorization for some Marines who have completed their tour and were reassigned back to America or being assigned to Southeast Asia (Vietnam).

I picked up the paperwork and walked out of the building and low and behold here came 2 Japanese Zeros strafing the harbor just below me. I looked down towards the water and I saw the Battleship Arizona. From my elevation it looked real.

I ran back inside and asked the civilian manning the desk what the hell was going on? She said that the movie Tora Tora was being made there!

End of story. Please delete if needed.

 

[gilgsn]

I heard a few stories from my Grandfather.. He would only talk if I pressed him hard. I was a kid then, and had nothing else to do. He still had shrapnel in his wrist from being bombarded by Italian aircraft. A piece of metal cut the top of his helmet. He was left there for dead and woke up in a truck among dead bodies.. Once he was shooting a heavy machine gun when a German shell landed ten feet from it. Him and his buddy got a good dirt shower, but the shell didn't go off. He was made prisoner and sent to forced labor on a German farm. He escaped by bicycle and made his way back to France with a friend. They had stolen the bikes and civilian clothes.. Once there, at the end of the war, and after joining the resistance, he would spy on the Germans building V1 rocket ramps to bomb England. When the ramp was about finished, they would call the Brits who then sent a plane to take it out.. He told me once of the end of the war, when the Americans arrived and the Germans were fleeing. He got drunk one night with the Americans.. They gave him a 1911. He stumbled back home shooting it wildly in the air, and came about two Germans on the run.. He said they quickly headed the other way, and didn't bother shooting at him.. Hard to imagine times like that..