I don't typically get involved with holiday posts and what not, but I love Vet. Day. It just might be my favorite holiday. And this just might be my favorite WWII image of all time. It's a shot of a M-4 Sherman Tank crew while training in 1942. Look at that Dirt. Glorious. In a lot of ways, modern hot rodding was born through the efforts and knowledge of WWII. I'm in love with that part of history.
Well, the mention of Sherman Tank lit a fire under me. My Dad served from Dec. 8th until the end of WWII spending years in a Sherman Tank in the Pacific Theater. The Philippines, New Britain, New Guinea, etc.... As with so many who returned home, he didn't talk about the war except on two occasions. Both times he told my sister and I about all the pranks they used to pull on eachother to break the fear and the boredom. Then after about 30 minutes or so, he would get a blank look on his face, he would stand up and leave the room without saying another word. It took me years to understand why. I'm the little snot on the lower left. I'd wear Dad's cap proudly as we would play "Army". Dad was quite a guy. Born into poverty, he had a tough time of it. He was taken by steam locomotive to an Army base the day after Pearl Harbor. He was given a rifle and some K-rations and told to defend a mile long stretch of beach up by Santa Barbara, alone. They were pretty unorganized to say the least. at the base camp somewhere in the Pacific And my Uncle Bob, who died when I was one month old, October, 1950 The was Uncle Bob's "baby"....his Corsair. He was training a new pilot when the rookie clipped Bob's plane. Both planes crashed and the other pilot bailed out and parachuted to safety. Bob, from what onlookers said, stayed with his crippled plane and steered it away from an elementary school in Riverside, California. and the first model kit in my life was the Sherman Tank issued by the Revell company. Dad built it as I watch. I was 5 and had no skills to build a model but I went everywhere Dad went, so..... Yup, I can't hear "Sherman Tank" without thinking of Dad (1922-2002). There was nothing "cool" about any of this. They did what they had to do and then then lucky ones came home. One of hundreds of bent bullets that would bounce off of Dad's tank.....all night long and some of the shell shrapnel that would be on the ground in the morning....
That's awesome Maz, Thanks for sharing. My dad was in the Seabees on Adac (Aleutian Islands) and in Subic Bay, Phillipines. They had enemy contact in both locations. He was a Shipfitter 2nd Cl***, and torpedoed his career by telling a lieutenant fresh out of Annapolis that he "didn't know what the **** he was talking about". Come to think of it, I may have inherited that particular trait.....
I had three relatives in WWII. My dad served in the Pacific theater, B-29 support, thru India and on to Tinian. Had an uncle in Shermans in the European theater. Had another uncle in the 101St Airborne, at the Battle of the Bulge and beyond. Thankfully they all survived the times! jerry
My heart felt thanks go out to all the brave men and women who have served in the United States Armed Services, and to those who serve now. I grew up in a military enviroment. My mother served in the British Royal Navy. My father was in the D-Day invasion and landed on Omaha Beach, and saw first hand the trajedies of war. My Dad fought the N.Koreans, and served in Vietnam the same year I was there. Two months ago my Dad was laid to rest at Arlington Cemeary. His headstone lists some of his medals: Bronze Star, Air Medal, Purple Heart, to name a few. He was indeed a hero.
One of my long term p***ions is WWII history. During my years of collecting militaria and owning a WWII Dodge Weapons carrier i was fortunate enough to meet and speak to many veterans from most countries at various events. By far the most moving experience though happened last year when a fellow WWII vehicle collector was kind enough to let me drive his superbly restored M4A4 Sherman. Aside from finally fullfilling a boyhood dream, the sheer noise, dust, and disorientation of driving one of those things made me realise just how terrifying tank warfare must have been. Physically demanding and incredibly loud (a Chrysler multibank 30 cylinder gasoline engine!). I drove it about 2 miles and felt exhausted afterwards. Talk about "walking a mile in their shoes"! Combat in one of those must have been the worst kind of hell. Those guys really earned their stripes, hats off to them all.
My Dad served in WWll all across the Pacific on a Destroyer, USS Charrette right up to Okinawa. Because of a paralyzed arm didn't make to the ship he was transferred to and therefore wasn't on it when it was sunk at Okinawa. Bless ALL Veterans and hopefully someday we won't have to have Veterans anymore.
Mazooma, thanks for the stories, had a Sherman tank model just like yours...my father fought WWII in Stockton and Long Beach, CA, the army wanted him to deliver babies (he was an OB-GYN), try as he might did not get overseas, but my uncle Joe served on Guadalc**** and shot at least one enemy-- the guy took a potshot at my uncle while he was on the ****per with dysentery - my uncle fired back and shot him through the heart...my other uncle served on Tarawa and kept the piece of shrapnel they dug out of him.....growing up with heroes like this made my decision to join the Navy pretty simple.....
I had a blast volunteering today helping my local grocery store Hy-Vee in Omaha at 50th and Centers Sts. We served several hundred brave Veterns a great breakfast event in their restuarant. It was a real treat to serve these folks that served us, they all had a great time swapping stories and esperiences. It was a very rewarding experience for me. I salute all the vets out there.! ~sololobo~
Mazooma, My uncle was killed in Tunisia serving under Patton. He was marching in front of the tanks. He was blown up by a land mine. Patton said he could afford to lose a man, but not a tank. Sounds cruel, but that was war.
exwestracer, My Dad also was in the Seabees and served in the Aleutians, makes you wonder if they met. My dad was in his thirties, quite old for the war, but he felt it was his duty to go.
This is my grandpa. Ralph Hime, on my mothers side. He served in WWII...was in the battle of the bulge. He went through some serious ****. He only talked about it once with my dad. He could fix anything, or build anything, worked as a tool maker after the war. He was a true, respectable, good man. This is him in front of his 1941 Buick Special convertible that he bought directly after WWII...he was a buick man until the day he died, he kept his cars SPOTLESS. That is my great uncles Shell Gas station he is parked in front of. -R.I.P.- I miss him....alot, my eyes water just typing this.
What about the guyz that went to NAM. I bet alot are here on the HAMB. Thanks to all that have served and are serving....now cut that hair Hippie!
my grandfather first enlisted in the navy in 1935, he served his four years and in 1939 went to work in the coal mines of west virginia. when the bombs hit pearl harbor he re-enlisted. he spent all of WWII as a navy pilot, not all as a fighter pilot, he also had the fortune of being a transport pilot carrying his fellow fallen soldiers. after the war he continued his career with the navy. he flew numerous flights from norfolk to tucson taking decommisioned planes to the aircraft junkyard there. when he retired he was a 3 star commander. the stories he told could have filled a book, and now i really wish he had written them all down, he is still alive but alzheimers has taken everything. he was/is the real deal and if not for him and every other veteran who has served our country we would have nothing.
We call it Rememberance Day up here and I reflected on my grandfathers today. My dad's dad enlisted in 1915 (despite having 5 children under the age of ten). He completed basic and shipped out a couple days before Christmas 1915 to England, then to France then up to Belgium. By Feb 1916 he was in the trenches at the Ypres Salient. On May 1/16 he was killed by a direct shell hit. My dad was 18 months old at the time. There was nothing left to bury, but his name is engraved in the memorial gatehouse at Ypres. My mom's dad (born in Scotland) was a 48th Highlander and also served. He survived mustard gas attacks and POW camp but his health was ruined and he p***ed in 1947. To all defenders of freedom past and present, Thank You!
well my friends and neighbors decided to send me to Nam left on Dec 25 1966 on a ship that sailed under the golden gate bridge[and the ship was owned by lady bird johnson] survived that drunkathon and returned to my place of orgin today ate at texas roadhouse and applebees, FREE what a great country it was quite a rude awakening and also a exciting time for a midwest farm boy out in the world for the first time got discounts at Fleet Farm and Home Depot today, this is finally paying off!!!
my father was a gunners mate in the us navy during ww1, i went in the navy in 1970 to 1974 reserves 1974 to 1991. viet-nam 1972 and desert storm/shield 1991. got out as a machinest mate first cl***.
[QUOTE In a lot of ways, modern hot rodding was born through the efforts and knowledge of WWII. I'm in love with that part of history.[/QUOTE] Me too !! Lest we Forget. Rat
Thanks Ryan My Wife's Grand Father... My Good friend Kent Glumm by another friends Paul's T-33 and Arlee Ermey (From Mail Call) by my Roadster... Sadly I lost the many photo's of my Uncles that served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.
Thanks to all that fought for our freedom. It is because of you guys we can drive around hot rods and customs and listen to groovy tunes!! Thanks!!
My grandfather was in the Army in WWII, started as a cook and ended as infantry. His brother joined the USMC and started his career on the USS Yorktown (CV-5) that got sank at the battle of Midway. He then asked to ***igned to be ***igned to a Raider Unit. He got ***igned to K Company 3rd Battalion 5th Marines (think of the show The Pacific). Between the two of them three Purple Hearts. My grandfather got his in Northern Italy, and Rex his brother got one on Peleliu and one on Okinawa. Both got out of the service as Sergeants. I joined the USMC based on that legacy and got out a Sergeant as well and have been working for the USMC ever since as a civilian and most likely will until I die or retire... which ever comes first. I have been fortunate enough to get copies of both of their record books from the archives. Such a wonderful history lesson that is so personal.
My grandfather was Lt. Col. James Devlin and p***ed away when I was about 10 in the 80's. I've got his cap. I really can't imagine what all he went through. From the stories I've received from my Uncles, he was one bad dude. I sure miss my Pap Pap. Thanks to all the Veterans. Unbelievable the sacrifice.
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