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WWII Iwo Jima
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<blockquote data-quote="rejectedmom" data-source="post: 251813" data-attributes="member: 2315"><p>My Dad was US army airborne but in the infantry division. He did the European tour of duty and fought in France, Germany and Austria. He was at the battle of the Buldge and unfortunately had nightmares pretty much his whole life thereafter. He had a Purple Heart and a Silver Star. Made it to first leutenant all on in-field commissions. He was a hero that almost never talked about the war. He did tell me one story that I believe is the reason for his lifelong nightmares. He was in charge of establishing communication between HQ and the front lines. His unit was pinned down under sniper attack and as commanding officer and under orders he had to repeatedly sent out "runners" in the hopes that one of them would get through. He watched as several of his young men were "picked off". He told me they were just kids and so very scared yet so willing to give for their country. </p><p> </p><p>My dad was one of the rare few of the WW2 vets that I knew that never glorified war. He was proud of America and proud of his service but hated war. He cried openly when my brother and my sister and our friends went off to war during the Viet Nam era and again when they all returned home relatively intact. It was the only two times I ever saw my father cry. He was a member of the American legion and spent every memorial day in service to the fallen marching in parades and placing flags and wreaths on graves. </p><p> </p><p>My dad came home at the end of the war and made a family and had a hugely sucessful career of 40 years as an engineer with MA Bell. He took an early retirement after being "retired upstairs" to the VP staff . He hated his "working retirement" and decided it was time to have fun. He then took my mother to Europe to see all the places he had written to her from and about during the war. He said it felt so good to see it all restored and with flowers blooming. He died two years later of colon cancer. He was buried in the millitary cemetary with full honors. I will never forget how proud and how sad I was when I heard them blow taps for him and give the 21 gun salute. -RM</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="rejectedmom, post: 251813, member: 2315"] My Dad was US army airborne but in the infantry division. He did the European tour of duty and fought in France, Germany and Austria. He was at the battle of the Buldge and unfortunately had nightmares pretty much his whole life thereafter. He had a Purple Heart and a Silver Star. Made it to first leutenant all on in-field commissions. He was a hero that almost never talked about the war. He did tell me one story that I believe is the reason for his lifelong nightmares. He was in charge of establishing communication between HQ and the front lines. His unit was pinned down under sniper attack and as commanding officer and under orders he had to repeatedly sent out "runners" in the hopes that one of them would get through. He watched as several of his young men were "picked off". He told me they were just kids and so very scared yet so willing to give for their country. My dad was one of the rare few of the WW2 vets that I knew that never glorified war. He was proud of America and proud of his service but hated war. He cried openly when my brother and my sister and our friends went off to war during the Viet Nam era and again when they all returned home relatively intact. It was the only two times I ever saw my father cry. He was a member of the American legion and spent every memorial day in service to the fallen marching in parades and placing flags and wreaths on graves. My dad came home at the end of the war and made a family and had a hugely sucessful career of 40 years as an engineer with MA Bell. He took an early retirement after being "retired upstairs" to the VP staff . He hated his "working retirement" and decided it was time to have fun. He then took my mother to Europe to see all the places he had written to her from and about during the war. He said it felt so good to see it all restored and with flowers blooming. He died two years later of colon cancer. He was buried in the millitary cemetary with full honors. I will never forget how proud and how sad I was when I heard them blow taps for him and give the 21 gun salute. -RM [/QUOTE]
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