Veterans I admire

[ccga3359]

In another thread a poster had some differences with a Viet-Nam Veteran. If you'll allow I'd like to share some positive experiences with just two veterans in my life.

Matt Kennedy is a past commander in the Coast Guard Auxiliary unit I'm with. I first met him about 10 years ago when I was filling out my application. I was making polite conversation with this tall white-haired gentleman with a thick Scottish brogue. "Are you from northern England?" I ask, not wanting to offend him by asking if he were Scottish. "I was born in England, Sussex" I finish.
"Och! The only good thing that comes out of England is the train to Edinburgh" he responds with a glint in his eye. I knew from that point we'd have some fun.
Matt flew bombers during WWII, Wellingtons & Liberators. And how he loved his B24's. He'd rhapsodize about the speed and power, he would regale of his exploits in England and over Germany.
When I started wearing kilts this year Matt was so enthusiastic. When i'd wear them to HQ he'd take photos, if he didn't have a camera handy he'd ask me to email a picture. I asked him why he doesn't wear his kilt because the Kennedy tartan is so garrish (we're always playing the English/Scottish war) he responds that he has never worn a kilt in his 87 years but he has worn trews! Yet he so enjoys seeing me in mine, thanking me when I wear one.
Matt is a very close friend and mentor.

The other close veteran in my life is my father Sid. He enlisted in the Royal Navy at 15 and served for 15 years. He fought in battles in the Atlantic and was torpedoed in the Pacific. His stories (although reapeated more often now as if for the first time) tell us only stories of fun and funny in a time of war. Very seldom would his stories accidentally veer off to the horrors of war but when they did they would just as quickly be brought back. My brother and I thought that war must be so much fun! I guess this was his way of protecting his two sons since we were old enough to listen. He was 43 when I was born, a six year war and a first marriage delayed my arrival. his first grandchild, my son was born when he was 76. I feared that my kids may not know their grandfather so my brother and I finnaly convinced dad to write his memoirs. It took him a year to do it, none of us have read it. When the time comes that my father does pass, we will be able to remember him and to finally learn from all his experiences.
I am happy to say that both these gentlemen are still very active and healthy in spite of their advancing years. I've tried to express my gratitude for their sacrifices that they made for me twenty odd years before my birth. I am proud to know them. Because of them and others I owe my freedom.

To all veterans out there, thank you. You too are heroes, true heroes. to those who have an opportunity to sit a talk with a veteran, first buy them a drink and listen. If they talk of only fun times their is a reason. Don't push just understand.

[Tattoo Bradley]

I really enjoyed the stories here. Thanks for posting this. I am a veteran, but I in no way consider myself a hero.

Most of the men in my family served in the US Military in some form or other. One of my favorite stories is from my paternal grandfather. He tells how when he told someone he was stationed at Manheim Germany, they always exclaim "What did you do!!' Anyone who's been stationed in Germany will appreciate this. He was simply a cook on that post, not a "guest" lol. He never saw any war. His service fell right between WWII and Korea. I'm not sure why, but his service has always been the one I most admire. Some fifty years after he left Germany, I found myself there only wearing the AF blue instead of Army Green (or khaki in his case.) I thoroughly enjoy swapping Germany stories with him.

[Archangel]

I've basically been surrounded by veterans all my life in my family as military and civilian targets in WW2.
My racing buddy's dad was part of a bomber crew. He got a Carnegie medal a few years back for rescuing a child in a burning apartment. By the way, he only has one leg. He said it was no big deal, he'd ditched in the north sea twice and a burning apartment is nothing like a bomber going down in flames. He said the medal should have gone to the kid who lay by the door holding a flashlight so he could find his way out dragging the other kid.
One of my first real jobs was working at the maintenance base. After all the cutbacks, the only people left were the POWs and wounded in action. They have superseniority. I remember they would never talk about themselves but, "Oh, man, what that guy over there did..." I remember all these tough scarred killers sitting around the lunch table talking about growing strawberries.
I had a couple of regulars give me a hard time about my long hair and beard. The CO heard them and put them on detail. I thanked him. He looked at me and said, "I don't like it either, but I didn't fight two wars for nothing." I've always remembered that philosophy. Years later we met again and he was in a civilian role. He remembered me like old school and did me a life changing favour using his authority. Now I owe him twice.
I have tons of respect for them.

[slohairt]

Despite Ireland being a neutral country in WWII, BOTH of my grandfathers followed the path of many an Irishman and crossed the border to serve in the British military. My paternal grandfather was in a tank, and my maternal grandfather served in the RAF. Both saw their share of hell, and re-enlisted every year. In fact, my paternal grandfather was a veteran of three conflicts: He served in the Communist forces against Franco during the Spanish Civil War (he was something of an idealist), WWII, and the Korean War.

They were examples to live by, in all aspects of their lives. If I could amount to half the person each of them were, I would be honoured.

PS I'm also quite sure they didn't drunkenly threaten kids with boulders!

[creativeaccents]

The two posts on the topic of vets led me to explore the web yesterday, still seeking more information about the death of my best friend in Viet Nam. I was overwhelmingly surprised to find this: http://cavalier44.my100megs.com/Kevi...yearticle1.htm

Kevin was a brother, a very best friend in this world, and, probably more than anything, a young man who was trying to do what he felt was the right thing. Like many, he was raised with some rock solid, conservative American values and then we found ourselves in the midst of campus riots, tear gas, rows of police with full armor, shields and clubs. The campus exploded with the anger. So, Kevin did what he thought was right and went to serve. Like so many in Iraq, he was just a young boy really. Until now, I never had any ideas of the links to Apocalypse Now, the BBC series, or the book by his roommate in Nam.

I was raised by an ex-Marine who served in the Marshall Islands. He was a Marine until the day he died, but never talked about all that he had seen. However, the many demons were always there, true demons being the daemonae of the original Greek meaning those many thoughts and memories that never left us. He too was just a boy when he went off to war.

Last night ALL of the many, many memories all came back and I could not help but consider Iraq and how very different times are today. Though I am sure the long term consequences are the same in those individuals and families affected, Iraq is such a neat, out of the way campaign with none of the in your face images or news coverage that we saw to bring the realities of war into the living room and without the threat to those on the campuses, so they are largely complacent as the fighting and serving has not yet become anything that means all might be called. But, for the individuals coming home the stories and effects must surely be the same.

In WWII the task at hand was clearly understood. In VietNam we were still fighting in the name of the Domino theory. In Iraq there is 9-11, two days from now. Sometimes, it gives me pause to wonder.

[acstoon]

I grew up around veterans...
My Dad was a L-2 Grasshopper pilot in WWII.
Flew artillery spotting... low, slow & unarmed.
Most of his friends & my uncles were WWII veterans (many pilots)... my brothers & I were fortunate to hear their stories.
Two of my brothers were AF veterans... my oldest was Viet Nam era, later ended up in missile silos, as a "Guardian of Armegeddon".
Next older brother was radar systems tech... got sent everywhere.
Oh... and I'm named after my great-great-grandfather, a Civil War veteran (Dad still has his calvary sword)

I have highest respect & gratefullness to all who have served their country.

[demobud]

My Dad was a Huey crew chief during Vietnam and went on to be on the Selective Service Board after discharge. My uncle by marriage was a Huey pilot during Vietnam and served two tours (was shot down three times and always went back). He is now a pilot for Net Jets.

[KILT TURKEY]

A large part of my family was/is military. My grandfathers on both sides were Navy, my Uncle was Army, my brothers were Marines and I am AF, I am still serving and will continue to so for another 15 years or so. But not a day goes by that I dont thank my fellow brothers in arms and brothers in fire. THANK YOU VETERANS
matt z

[cessna152towser]

This is a very interesting thread.
My late father served in the Royal Air Force from 1940 to 1946. He never talked much about his service years but after he died I discovered lots of memorabilia, bibles, cap badges, forage cap, buttons, dog tags etc. when I cleared his house. He left three photo albums covering the period from 1941 to 1943 when he served with the commonwealth pilots training scheme in Canada, lots of pictures of life on the base and of the aircraft as well as pictures of cities in Canada and USA which he visited while on leave. A head injury from an accident with an aircraft in 1943 led to him being in the hospital bay and shipped home and he ended his service with No.57 Maintainence Unit on the Solway Coast. I have carried on his memory by putting on a display of his artefacts and photos at Solway Aciation Museum where I am also a volunteer.
I also found that I had a great-great-great grandfather, John McKenzie, who served in the Lanarkshire militia around the time of the Napoleonic wars.

[David White]

Without a doubt my Dad. 100th ID, 398th Infantry Regt, Cannon Co. Dad was a F/O and lost his leg in the forests of northern France, 12 Nov 44.
Fort Bragg NC, summer 1944.