Sea/War Stories

[tegemu]

I often read threads that make a comment about some totally outrageous story related by a present or former member of the Armed Forces. These are usually in the category of "Sea" or "War" stories. One overwhelming characteristic of these stories is that, while often containing a germ of truth, they are predominantly a crock of B*** S***!!! They are an art form perpetuated and enjoyed, since time began, by Military folks. When Cain killed Able, the retelling probably stretched the truth a tad. There is a saying in the military - The difference between a Sea/War story and a Fairy tale is, one starts with "Once upon a time" and the other with "This is no S***." So take the stories about some miraculous firearm in the Military with a grain of salt, don't bust the teller's bubble but act duly impressed while chuckling mentally.

 

[CNYCacher]

hmmm

When my grandfather (RIP) told me about what it was like being on The USS Meredith (726) when it exploded, and how he was thrown from this part of the ship and landed on that part of the ship, and how the guy who wanted his job and took his position just 4 hours before the explosion was killed. . . I gotta tell ya, calling BS never occured to me.

Amazing things happen to a lot of people, and those who have the real stories are out there.
Although they are disappearing fast.

D.R.M September 20, 1925 - July 17, 2006

 

[busterbrown]

God bless him for his service

 

[tellner]

Here's one that isn't BS...

When my father was drafted (WWII) several of his professors - without prompting - wrote to the Department of the Army saying "Harold Ellner can simultaneoulsy translate German, Spanish and French and would be a great asset to his Country in Europe." Sure enough, he was sent to Japan.

 

[ZipperZap]

BS

That's why I never share with anyone who wasn't there. If a brother wants to talk about it - we talk - otherwise I suggest a good book.

 

[chief]

"Sea Stories"

I'm a career police officer and whenever we regale the newbies with hairy- legged cop stories we call them "There I was" stories. Because cops don't usually talk to shrinks we have to talk to each other and sometimes I think that these stories are our way of dealing with something that really got to us. By making something into a tale we try to diminish it's impact by trivializing it. Another thing is that I think sometimes we try to pass on life lessons to the young and hope that they come through it too.

 

[SOG/MACV]

Zipper pretty much sums up my feelings, I only talk with those I know have been there, done that...

 

[Lancel]

One overwhelming characteristic of these stories is that, while often containing a germ of truth, they are predominantly a crock of B*** S***!!!

act duly impressed while chuckling mentally.

That attitude is one reason among several that those who have seen the most don't talk about it to inexperienced strangers.

It's sufficient to say that there's enough ordnance and adrenaline on the battlefield to keep guardian angels working overtime.

Larry

 

[Brian Williams]

I had not heard much about my fathers Time onboard a Fleet oiler in the Pacific in WWII until after I had served in the Marines, He had told us about it being hit by a Kamakazie.
The story goes that the Japanese pilot was coming down on the ship and a guy had installed a 50 cal on the upperpart of the superstructure and he was shooting at the plane along with a few of the twin 40s. The Kamakazie was shot and crashed into the bridge right where the guy was who was shooting the 50 cal and them flopped onto the afterdeck right where the AVgas was. For some reason the bombs did not explode and one 500lb 00came off the rack and was rolling around on deck and a number of the crew picked it up and tossed it overboard. There were 2 crew members killed by this crash.
I never had a problem believing my dad because he was a preacher, but just recently I found the afteraction damage reports for all US Navy ships in WWIIa dn the USS Cowenesque AO-79 had a report that showed it was hit by a Kamakazie and that one of the bomb came of the bombrack and did not explode and that the crew tossed it over the side.
Some Sea stories are true, most are exaggerations, some are downright lies. but all are good to listen to.

 

[Detritus]

That attitude is one reason among several that those who have seen the most don't talk about it to inexperienced strangers.

and is also a reason that those of us who will listen without prejudice, that occasionally run into those who are willing, or in some cases have decided that they finally NEED to talk, get Sh*# unloaded on us that then leave US in need of someone to talk to....

I swear to you myself and my wife (serperately, not as a team) must have some sort of flashing beacon on our heads that says "It's OK you can tell ME about the things you'd not share with your closest and most understanding friend"

yes the "this ain't no sh*t" adage is true for most sea/war tales, but some of the wildest are also the ones that the person then says "oh yeah i still have the _____ wanna see?"

 

[JesseL]

Like CNYCacher, it never occured to me to doubt my grandfather's war stories.

One of my favorites were the story of when the hydraulics on his B-17 (he was the pilot) failed, so he passed his parachute back to the tail gunner to be secured and released out the tail hatch on his order - it stopped them just off the end of the runway.

My other favorite was about a problem with one of the bomb racks. A bomb got stuck in the rack hanging out the open bomb bay doors just enough to get the arming propellor spinning. He had to climb back and pry the live bomb out with a screwdriver so they could get the doors shut and safely back to Lavenham.

 

[Snap]

Y'know, I've discovered that many of those old timers don't stretch the truth- they really can't top what actually happened.

 

[Cromlech]

When my father was drafted (WWII) several of his professors - without prompting - wrote to the Department of the Army saying "Harold Ellner can simultaneoulsy translate German, Spanish and French and would be a great asset to his Country in Europe." Sure enough, he was sent to Japan.

Yeah, that sounds about right. The military operates in strange and mysterious ways. Of course, depending on what parts/when you went to either Europe or Japan as an American in WW2, you may have got an ok postition, or a hellish battle. I imagine Japan was one hell of a place to be sent to fight, they were dedicated soldiers.

 

[FRIENDLY]

TALL STORIES

There is the story of the RAAF member whose plane was hit by flak caught fire and he was faced with the choice burn or jump without a parachute.he jumped it was midwinter over northern germany, young trees DEEP snow and he survived.Not tall story confirmed by the Germans and RAAF.

 

[CSA 357]

i was in a gun shop just the other day, there was this guy in there telling about all the people he had killed and with what, i enjoyed hearing his storys, but the whole time i could smell bull s&^%

 

[SigfanUSAF]

I'll go with the have to "have been there, done that" theory. I tried telling some co-workers some of my hairy C-130 stories, they didn't believe me. Civies

 

[Geronimo45]

I usually raise the eyebrows anytime somebody says that they helped capture Saddam. May have a very lax view of 'helped', I suppose - guy in point was an AF officer.

 

[Sisco]

One story my Dad told again and again was how he and a thousand or so other GI's were on a troop transport heading towards the Philippines. The day they crossed the International Date Line word came that the war had ended.
One happy shipload of soldiers! Until, that is they got to the PI and were told yes the war is over but there are a whole bunch of Japanese up in the hills that haven't got the word yet. Go find 'em and tell 'em.

About 30 years after that I found myself in the Philippines while in the Navy. Told a Manila bar girl my dad was there during WWII. She simply stated "Wow, I could be your sister!"

 

[qlajlu]

About 30 years after that I found myself in the Philippines while in the Navy. Told a Manila bar girl my dad was there during WWII. She simply stated "Wow, I could be your sister!"

Whoa! Now that could make the beer come spewing out the nostrils.

 

[IV Troop]

""chief
Member



Join Date: 05-17-03
Location: Central Oklahoma
Posts: 31 "Sea Stories"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm a career police officer and whenever we regale the newbies with hairy- legged cop stories we call them "There I was" stories. Because cops don't usually talk to shrinks we have to talk to each other and sometimes I think that these stories are our way of dealing with something that really got to us. By making something into a tale we try to diminish it's impact by trivializing it. Another thing is that I think sometimes we try to pass on life lessons to the young and hope that they come through it too. ""


Very well put Chief. Thats the truth.

 

[MarkDido]

The difference between a "Sea Story", and a "Fairy Tale"?

The Fairy Tale begins, "Once Upon a Time"

A Sea Story begins: "Now this ain't no ****

 

[Essex County]

It is all what or how you're listening to......

Yes i hear a lot of Old Timers stories that are BS. Howerver I knoe stories that I take as gospel. These are from ex-GI's that tend to be modest and not make themselves out as heros. I'm a USAF, Vietnam era Vet that went to S,W. Asia instead of SEA. No Combat tales hear I served with many who did and it didn't take too long to seperate the wheat from the chaff. Uou can generaly figgure it out in short order...........Essex

 

[Aggie's Revenge]

My Dad only had a few stories he would tell about Vietnam. One of them I never understood until I was getting short in the Marines. Aparently he had about 2 weeks left in Nam when they started taking pot shots from a sniper. The Plt. Sgt assigned my Dad to take his squad out and find the sniper. I believe the response was "f*&%ing court martial me. I am too short to do something that godd$@n stupid." Something only a short timer would understand.

As for me, most of my sea stories usually begin with "A buddy and I were out drinking one night when..." I tend to embelish a bit, but my stories are in good fun. I never saw combat, thankfully, and I won't disrespect those who have by making up stories about my "heroics"

 

[Satch]

SeaWar Stories

A guy I worked with in th 70's told one about himself when he was on the USS Colorado In WWII.The fleet was ordered to sail through a bad storm to intercept the Japanese fleet. Since he couldn't swim and even the Navy couldn't teach him,they issued him 2 Mae West life jackets just in case. Well after going through the storm in which some ships were lost and the front gun on the Colorado was torn loose,he decieded to try out the vests to see how they worked.He pulled the cord on the first and it inflated and just as quickly deflated.He pulled the cord on the second one and the same thing happened.Two life jackets and both defective. He said in no time eveyone from the cooks to the Captain knew who he was.

 

[ugaarguy]

Tegemu, why do you find it necessary to make a generalized bash on anyone who's ever told a sea/war/cop story? It's really not appropriate to make sweeping generalizations like that. I'm currently on my second TDY in the Middle East, and reading a post like yours, especially here on THR, is really disheartening. There are those who have been there and done it, and really know what it's like. Even the USAF's little 4 to 6 month TDYs make you see how good things are back home. The AFN (Armed Forces Network) public service messages used to fill in where commercials would normally go are so corny they make you miss real American Commercials. Very limited time for morale calls makes you glad to have a normal phone to call friends and family when you get home. Food variety is picking which chow hall or chow line you want to go to that meal, not having several restarants in town to choose from like you do back home. For the guys out in the field it's which MRE do you want today. Toothpaste, shampoo, soap, shaving cream, etc. is whatever the BX/PX has in stock, usually one or two varities of each, three if you're lucky; not fifty options like back home. Movies? Stand in line for an hour to get a seat to the one movie the base theater is playing that night. You wear a desert uniform and official PT gear everyday, no civvie clothes even off duty. There are no weekends here; even if you get a day off everynow and then you just sleep a little late and then get dressed and go to the shop to hang out with your friends. The movie "Groundhog Day" is a good comparison - it feels like you're living the same day over and over. See, I'm full of BS, that my everyday life over here is a 'war story.'