Some tremendous WW-2 pictures to remind you of what happened.

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Sigh most of these places I know personally. I started out in the Guadalcanal campaign in Aug, 1942 and ended up at Mactan. Cebu, then to Kwajalein where I was on my way home when the war terminated. What is seldom mentioned is the terrible boredom that sets in in between battles. I have seen men praying for a Japanese air raid to relieve it.


http://blogs.denverpost.com/captured...#comment-21777


Don Jose deLa Mancha

[Salvor6]

Don Jose you are a member of what we call the "greatest generation" of Americans alive today. They don't make 'em like you anymore. You actually saved the WORLD from tyranny. Thank you for saving our freedom. You are lucky to be alive today. I will pay honor to your fallen comrades Monday.

[comfortably numb]

Don Jose, Thankyou for posting this, It reminds all of us that the freedoms we enjoy today came with a terrible price tag. My hat is off to you sir and all the other veterans.
Jeff

[aquanut]

Thanks Joe,
Those pictures mean a lot to me. One of my oldest friends is a Marine that fought on Saipan, Tinian and finally got hit by nine slugs from a machine gun on Iwo. It was a miracle he survived! He's still around today. He never wanted to talk much about the war until recently. I recently spent four hours audiotaping his rememerances of those battles.
and...My namesake is on the bottom of the Pacific in the carrier "Wasp". My Dad survived that one and wound up on the "Yorktown". He survived that too. Like you, he spent the entire war in the Pacific. Got out in '45 and two years later made me!
Aquanut

[Mackaydon]

Don Jose:
Thanks; those photos are a constant reminder that freedom is not free; and that a constant vigil must be kept to preserve and protect it.
Unfortunately, too many take freedom for granted.
Don........

[shaun7]

Great pics!

So many graves

[old man]

Don Jose,
I can't thank you enough for posting those pictures and the great sacrifice that you made to keep this Country Free.
I hope that we never forget all those Great Veterans that have fought for or served in the Military of this Country.

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Good Afternoon Salvore, and my friends: You posted -->you are a member of what we call the "greatest generation" of Americans alive today. They don't make 'em like you anymore.
*****************
I am afraid that I must take issue with you , I personally believe that you, and the members of this site, the marine salvors, are fully capable of stepping up to the plate if necessary also.

Personally, I hope that will never be necessary.

Don Jose de La Mancha

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Aquanut: you posted --> Got out in '45 and two years later made me!
*****************
Don't blame the poor guy Aquanut, we all make mistakes.

Apol to the room for the levity in what is a serious post about War.

Incidentally look carefully at the car with the dead civilians, those holes were made by pieces of the casing of the bomb, shrapnel. Those are what kill, not particularly the explosion, unless nearby. This is contrary to the TV series and movies where our hero nonchalantly continues after an explosion a few feet from him..

I personally hope that neither you nor yours ever have to experience a war

Don Jose de La Mancha

[comfortably numb]

[quote=Real de Tayopa ]
Aquanut: you posted --> Got out in '45 and two years later made me!
*****************
Don't blame the poor guy Aquanut, we all make mistakes.

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Aquanut, I just can't imagine being hit with 9 machine gun rnds and surviving? However I do have to ask was he physically impaired after? Give him my congrats in surviving and tell him to watch it from now on.

All that I ended up with was a few pieces of a .20 mm in the right knee and head. Ok, now you know why I am nuts as you have always suspected. Sniff

Don Jose de La Mancha

[aquanut]

Yeah Joe, The old Marines' name is Earl Robertson. He was damn near cut in half. They let him lay for hours before getting to him because they figured he was going to die any minute. He's still carrying four of those bullets in him. At 85 years he uses a cane, but thats all.
Myself, I got to spend the Vietnam War in a submarine from 1965 through 1968.
Aquanut

[diggummup]

I figured i'd add a few more photos that show Pearl Harbor during the attack.

[White Feather]

Don Jose', Thanks for the reminder of what this special day is all about and Thank You for your Service. My Dad and Step-Dad both served in WWII. Dad was an Army cook and My Step-Dad was in the Navy aboard a supply ship. Dad is still with us at 87 but my Step-Dad died in 1987.

I don't have any WWII photos as I was in service at another time. Viet-Nam was my war. You guys from WWII have my admiration and respect and I Salute you all.

Every year at this time I post a picture of my friend who was killed in Viet-Nam on July 27, 1967. I'd like to post it here this year. This is a special site and I have made a lot of friends here this year.

Thanks Again,
White Feather

[FISHEYE]

My grandfather Merlin Greiner was a B-17 mechanic on guam and my uncle was a hellcat fighter ace on the lexington.Lieutenant Joseph J. Paskoski (6)


http://satans-kittens.webs.com/history/ww2.html

[Mackaydon]

White Feather:
With respect, all KIAs deserve a name.
I believe your friend was SP4 Larry Dietz, 162 AHC "Vultures'.
As one onliner has said before me, 'he continues to fly his eternal mission'.
Don........
USAF Medic (Operating Room)
MarchAFB
1963-1969

[mad4wrecks]

My dad, who is still doing pretty good at 88 years of age, was in the army in WWII and fought in North Africa and at the battle for Anzio (before marching on to Rome.) A piece of shrapnel to the leg sent him home after 2 years in Europe.

Below is a picture of dad (the large picture-not the inset) from a promotional poster that came out a few years ago.

Tom

[mariner]

Tom,

You must be proud of your father. Was he featured in the actual program as well as being on the poster?

Are you a webfoot, yourself ? (For information of others, this is an affectionate name used by Oregonians for Oregonians)

Mariner


Don Jose,

Thanks for starting this thread. We owe a great debt of gratitude to you and to those of all nations who fought to keep the World free, or put themselves in harm's way for us. My father was an engineer on British merchant ships doing the Atlantic run for the duration of WWII, and it is only recently that I have come to understand how risky this was, and just how many of those merchant ships were sunk by U-boats, with no means of defending themselves.

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Gentlemen, my compliments to all of you, both for your posts and for the contributions that you and your families have made. However we mustn't forget another war, Korea. Unfortunately the list only grows longer every year, none of which are very nice.

Don Jose de La Mancha

[sphillips]

Here is a link to a color video of aircraft carriers during WWII.



Also, just read a couple of great true story books, "Escape from the Deep", the story off the USS Tang, a WWII submarine on its last mission in the Sea of Japan. After firing its last torpedo, the torpedo malfunctioned and did a 180 and came back and sank the sub in 180' of water. Great story of survival.

And, "In Harms Way", the story of the sinking of the USS Indianapolis, the Cruiser that carried components of the bombs dropped on Japan to end the war. Its a story of those who survived the sinking, only to be forgotten by the Navy while clinging to life in shark infested water for five days. 300 men went down with the ship, 800 men escaped into the water, and only 316 of those survived.

If you like Vietnam era books, a couple great ones are, " Rescue of Streecar 304", and, Flying thru Midnight"

All of these stories are true. Have a great Memorial Day and remember why we celebrate this day, to thank those who have served and who do serve, as I will thank my son, who is a Naval aviatior, for all he does.

Steve