Apache 6 | 11 Nov 2016 1:07 p.m. PST |
To my brothers who have served to defend Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States, thank you for your service. I know this is a unique to the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and mean no offense to other veterans on this forum. |
PVT641 | 11 Nov 2016 1:19 p.m. PST |
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cavcrazy | 11 Nov 2016 1:22 p.m. PST |
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Mister Tibbles | 11 Nov 2016 1:33 p.m. PST |
!!!! |
Formerly 298TYR | 11 Nov 2016 1:44 p.m. PST |
Well Said, and Thank You. Remembering today comrades who are no longer with us, as well as relations who fought and died in both World Wars and elsewhere. |
Legion 4 | 11 Nov 2016 2:08 p.m. PST |
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ochoin | 11 Nov 2016 2:14 p.m. PST |
Both grandfathers fought in The Great War.
My Grandad is the one sitting, with his two brothers, one of whom died in action on the Western Front. The other Grandad was RN & fought at Jutland. |
gamershs | 11 Nov 2016 2:35 p.m. PST |
All of the veterans of WWI are gone and there are very few left from WWII. I can remember them from when I was growing up they didn't seem to want to talk about what they had lived through. My friends who were veterans, were from the Vietnam era and although they didn't talk about it they did game it. The Vets that came back from Vietnam never did get the Thank You they deserved so I now and for the rest of my life say "Thank You". I am a veteran but was lucky enough to have for the six years I was in (was in 1975 thru 1981) no wars. I will never be able to join the VFW but will always remember that time. |
Marc33594 | 11 Nov 2016 2:41 p.m. PST |
Both my wife and I are veterans. 25 years active duty for me and 28 active and reserve for her. We both feel the same way, it was an honor to be allowed to serve. |
ITALWARS | 11 Nov 2016 3:07 p.m. PST |
in my very first venture in the web..it was at the beginning ..i had the chance to talk with US Army, USMC and Police Vietnam WAR Veterans obviously previously unknown to me..i still remenber those conversations as a gift and an honour offered to me..and i have stored printed versions of those mails |
GarrisonMiniatures | 11 Nov 2016 3:17 p.m. PST |
Grandfather gassed in WW1, met my Grandmother in Belgium (she was a nurse). Greatgrandfather died 1919 in flu epidemic in India – don't know if he ever saw action, but but I have one of the memorial 'pennies' they gave to families of those deemed to have died during the war – technically it didn't end until 1922, 1918 was just an Armistice. Most of the family missed WW2 due to age – Grandfather was an Air Raid Warden, one of my Grandmothers ran a gang of women running a power station. Had 2 relations went down with the Hood – though they were civilian workers. The 2 wars affected every family in the UK and we need to remember. |
Toronto48 | 11 Nov 2016 3:21 p.m. PST |
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them. Robert Laurence Binyon, |
wrgmr1 | 11 Nov 2016 3:50 p.m. PST |
My mothers first husband, Canadian, joined the RAF in 1939 killed 1942 flying Wellingtons. His son, my brother was born 6 months after he was killed. My wife's grandfather was a Gefreiter with a security division on the eastern front, killed at the battle of Newal in Oct of 1942, just outside of Veliki Luki. Remembrance for all who served. |
Fatman | 11 Nov 2016 8:46 p.m. PST |
In the autumn of 1982, as the UK basked in the Falklands victory, I received a letter from Argentina. Now as I worked for the MOD and was quartered on an MOD establishment this caused some raised eyebrows. The letter was from the parents of an Argentine Air Force officer I had met when our paths/duties crossed three years before. We began talking because we were both reading one of the Flashman books. A delay in my schedule meant that we got the chance to enjoy an "interesting" evening drinking with our Armée de l'air hosts. The next day we exchanged details and kept in touch with some postcards and at Xmas. The letter explained that Hector had been lost during the conflict and that while clearing up his effects they had found my name some photos and correspondence. They said that they wanted to let me know what had happened because they didn't want me to think that he had stopped contacting me because of the war. A few weeks later I was at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Day and on that day and ever since I have remembered that it isn't always "Us & Them". I am taking my four year old granddaughter to our local ceremony on Sunday and as always the Cross I place will be for my Father, a professional soldier who survived but never escaped the war, and the many friends I made and lost during my time in the MOD including Hector. Sorry that was a longer post than I intended but at this time of year the ghosts gather and you just have to address them. Fatman |
Early morning writer | 12 Nov 2016 1:00 a.m. PST |
I, too, give thanks to all those alive who serve. And meaning no disrespect to anyone, but today is for the living veterans here in the states – we have Memorial Day in May for the fallen. So, to all my fellow veterans – but especially to those who served in harms way (which I did not, thankfully) – my thanks. |
aynsley683 | 12 Nov 2016 5:43 a.m. PST |
We British wear the poppy in the week or two leading up to 11th November every year as do commonwealth countries. This year the Royal British Legion came up with this idea which I would like to share here. link They do a poppy drive every year to raise money for their work with veterans and there families. I just thought it was a good way to remember those that fought from anywhere in any war. |
donlowry | 12 Nov 2016 10:06 a.m. PST |
My father was not quite old enough for WWI, but his 4 older brothers were. The oldest was a medic, the second a rifleman and was partially disabled by gas; don't know about the other 2. I had an older cousin in WW2. He served in Italy and was wounded (the left side of his face was paralyzed). He became hooked on morphine and years later committed suicide. My wife and I are both Vietnam-era veterans -- USAF officers. I served a 1-year isolated tour in Thailand ('66-67). When we bought a car last month we got a discount for being veterans. Yesterday we had our usual Friday morning breakfast out, and the restaurant gave us each (and all veterans that day) a free piece of pie (we brought ours home and I had mine for breakfast this morning). Last night another restaurant gave all veterans (including us) a free dinner. I don't know why the great appreciation for veterans lately, but it certainly is nice compared to what went before. It's hard to say who deserves the appreciation more -- those who were drafted or joined in lieu of being drafted; or those who volunteer without the threat of a draft. But since I fit in the former category and my wife in the latter, we have it covered either way. Both of us had desk jobs (personnel officers), so not in much danger. During my time in Thailand there were some Communist guerillas lurking around, and they actually came close enough for the Air Police to hand out weapons. (Nominally we weren't supposed to have any, as the Royal Thai AF was in charge of security; it was their base.) They gave me an M16 and one magazine (20 rounds), which tells me they didn't expect me to last very long if I got into a fire fight. |
Legion 4 | 12 Nov 2016 10:51 a.m. PST |
I think part of this new appreciation for Vets is since the USA was attacked on 9/11. Along with that how poorly Vets were treated during and after Vietnam. And I got a Vet discount when I got my new car too. And many places in my town were giving Vets free meals, etc., … I rarely get to eat streak for lunch. And my Father was an Inf SGT in France during WWII. Was WIA'd by a German mortar fire. Was deaf in one ear the rest of his life. My Mom, not a Vet per say. But she was a "Rosy The Riveter" during WWII. Made parts for P-39s … |
gamershs | 12 Nov 2016 6:49 p.m. PST |
One last Vet story. While I was in Germany the Motor-pools had some break-ins so they had to be guarded at night. When I was on guard I grabbed a 2 by 4 from a wrecked building which made me "feel" armed. When the Baader-Meinhof Gang bombed an EM club they issued M-16s with 5 rounds of ammo on the first night. After that they issued the M-16 but no ammunition (Ammo was stored in a safe in the guardroom). I didn't feel armed with the M-16 as if I swung it like a club at anyone I would probably break it. |
Formerly 298TYR | 13 Nov 2016 8:00 a.m. PST |
When the IRA starting targeting soldiers based in Germany I recall being sent out on patrols around married quarters in a Landrover armed with….absolutely nothing ! Not even a pick helve of the type we used to carry on guard duty in training ! Later still we started being armed while on guard duty often without ammunition. On a higher state of alert at a defence establishment in the UK our squadron commander was disgusted to learn we were patrolling with weapons but no ammo !! |
Dn Jackson | 13 Nov 2016 9:58 a.m. PST |
I fought in the first Gulf War, lost a friend to a land mine and had another wounded by shell fire. My father was a career Marine who did three tours in Vietnam. He rarely speaks about it. My grandfather was wounded in the Med. He was US Navy on a minesweeper that hit a mine. One great great grandfather was in the Army during WWI, don't know anything about his service. Another GGgrandfather was in the local militia in North Carolina and fought the Yanks several times during the ACW. A ggggrandfather was in the continental army during the AWI. I guess its in the blood for our family. Although these ancestors are from both sides of the family. |