Memorial Day

[breaker44]

I felt it would be appropriate to name any relatives who have died and who have worn a military uniform (in any nation) at some time in their life or another.
I would like to memorialize:
T/Sgt. James H. Black, Waist Gunner, B-17 WWII
Thanks, Grandpa, for putting your life on the line and making this world a better place for all mankind. I love you and you are sorely missed. May you rest in peace, and we shall meet again someday.
-Breaker Out
My many thanks to all others, may your grief be tempered by the honor that these people have.

[raedor]

this thread is closed in less than 24 hours.

my grandpa was (for a certain time) flak gunner in the Wehrmacht. i doubt that he wanted to do any bad things to the mankind. luckily he did not die during the WW2, even if he was close to stalingrad... if he died i wouldn't be sitting here. he died this april
my other grandpa was medic in the Wehrmacht, he also survived the war and died in the early 80's...

[Bordoy]

Great-Grandfather on mothers side. (don't know his name, though maybe i should find out). Got caught by the Japanese and was forced to work on the infamouse 'Bridge on the River Kwai'. He managed to escape with another soldier. My great-grandfather collapsed and the other soldier carried him through the jungle and managed to get to friendly area. My great-grandfather called the other soldier a hero and will never forget him. My mum said he came back very skinny and shows they were starved and over-worked. He had died after the war but along time ago. My mum said that he never recovered from the malnutition etc. I will never forget that story.


Also, my grandmothes (on mother side) brother was a spy during WW2, but he got caught towards the end of the war and was shot.

[raedor]

right, the brother of my grandma (on mother side) was reported as missing in WW2, some of his friends send the whole story via mail to my grandma's parents: he was injured and died somewhere southwest of kiew, they had to leave him there as they were fleeing from the red army and the underground was swampy. they left him with his handgun...
they also sent a map with the (more or less) exact position where they had left him and where he also probably has died.

[Akira]

Grandfather Mother side:
Navigator B-17. Onboard the second to last plane shot down over Europe. He wrote a great memoir about it, which I finally read after he died. I'm sorry I didn't know him better.

Grandfather Dad's side:
Pilot, B-17. Still alive and kicking like he was still 30 (he's 90+).

[shinRaiden]

Already been kinda covered in several prior threads, will keep it short here...

Dad's dad :
Civilian researcher at MIT Rad Lab's radar dept, lead integration support engineer for 8th and 15th Army Air Forces, rank equiv. full bird Colonel. Turned 91 this past march and in excellent health.

Mom's dad :
Sub commander stationed at Pearl, close friend's with the captain of the USS Nevada, almost was on board when Pearl was attacked. Passed away in the late 80's.

Mom's mom :
Enlisted as an officer to avoid a threatened low-rank draft of nurses, served in Pearl and Manila, suffered life-long health problems from complications from a monkey-bite in Manila. Passed away in the early 90's.

Dad's oldest brother :
Deployed post-Korean war in occupation role in South Korea. Currently administrative head of a language facilitation dept. at a major private US university.

Incorrigible neighbor and 'adopted grandfather' :
Army, served in Europe, rants about how everyone is out to get him and his property. Lives on an old farm with stacks of guns, pr0n, and a mangey dog under the table in a house made from 4 wedged together mining shacks and bars on his windows.

Close family friend :
GW1 & GW2 USMC-res. veteran. Married just before he was deployed to GW1, discovered they couldn't have kids some time later. Found out they were expecting their first just as he got called up for GW2. Part of advance logistics, commander arranged for a early leave when his wife was about to deliver. I picked him up at the airport and brought him home to his wife at 1am. They joke about how if the corps wants you to have a wife they'll issue you one, but there's no words to describe the situation on bringing someone home like that.

High school arch-rival :
Crazy kid I was always getting in fights with in Knowledge Bowl, claimed he was a socialist or a communist, teachers didn't know what to do with either of us. Found out recently he up and joined the navy a couple years ago. Will have to hunt him up and see what he's up to.

-edit-

My brother's high school drafting teacher :
Served as a tunnel rat in Vietnam, still carries a fair amount of shrapnel in him iirc. His brother died in vietnam, doesn't really talk about it except to go off on people that don't value the service and sacrifice of the grunts.

--- US Memorial Day background ---

The origins of Memorial Day go back to the observances of "Decoration Day", originally started and organized under the auspices of the Grand Army of the Republic to honor the Civil War dead. It was through their efforts that the service became well known, then as the membership of the GAR declined with time (limited to Civil War veterans) the services were picked up by the Veterans of Foriegn Wars (technically did not include Civil War veterans) and the American Legion community posts. It was finally sealed as an official National Holiday by Pres. Nixon in 1971. The VFW post in my small town still executes the old-style service starting with the reading of G.A.R General Order 11, then continues with the VFW honors.

It's true that there are seperate holidays for all Veterans (Veterans Day) and for the military in general (Armed Forces Day), and that Memorial Day was originally solely to honor the dead. But it is through those that came back who stand to serve and honor those that did not that we learn of their sacrifices and duty. Especially for those of us in younger generations, all we know about prior service is what we read in books or find out about through their friends and relatives that came back to say thank you.

Additionally as Veterans Day is the re-branded Armistice Day, and there is no other particular war-event related Federal Holiday other than Independence Day, it tends to lend some confusion to the mess as well. Some southern states also honor Confederate Memorial Day to honor those that served their respective states.

Internationally, Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi has made it a personal point to regularly visit Yasu-no-kuni, his stated reason is to "remember the price of war, and pray that it never be repeated", although this is interpreted by the Chinese as warmongering, as Tojo among other Class-A's are enshrined there along with the millions of ordinary soldiers dating back to the Meiji Civil war in the 1860's.

Quote[/b] ]
HEADQUARTERS GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC
General Orders No.11, WASHINGTON, D.C., May 5, 1868



1. The 30th day of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet church-yard in the land. In this observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.

We are organized, comrades, as our regulations tell us, for the purpose among other things, "of preserving and strengthening those kind and fraternal feelings which have bound together the soldiers, sailors, and marines who united to suppress the late rebellion." What can aid more to assure this result than cherishing tenderly the memory of our heroic dead, who made their breasts a barricade between our country and its foes? Their soldier lives were the reveille of freedom to a race in chains, and their deaths the tattoo of rebellious tyranny in arms. We should guard their graves with sacred vigilance. All that the consecrated wealth and taste of the nation can add to their adornment and security is but a fitting tribute to the memory of her slain defenders. Let no wanton foot tread rudely on such hallowed grounds. Let pleasant paths invite the coming and going of reverent visitors and fond mourners. Let no vandalism of avarice or neglect, no ravages of time testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic.

If other eyes grow dull, other hands slack, and other hearts cold in the solemn trust, ours shall keep it well as long as the light and warmth of life remain to us.

Let us, then, at the time appointed gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with the choicest flowers of spring-time; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved from hishonor; let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us a sacred charge upon a nation's gratitude, the soldier's and sailor's widow and orphan.

2. It is the purpose of the Commander-in-Chief to inaugurate this observance with the hope that it will be kept up from year to year, while a survivor of the war remains to honor the memory of his departed comrades. He earnestly desires the public press to lend its friendly aid in bringing to the notice of comrades in all parts of the country in time for simultaneous compliance therewith.

3. Department commanders will use efforts to make this order effective.

By order of

JOHN A. LOGAN,
Commander-in-Chief

[breaker44]

I don't want to discourage the posting, but let's keep this to deceased military only. Thanks.
-Breaker Out
(Please be respectful, as this is to be a place to honor induviduals who have given of themselves for us)

[Tovarish]

Aleksandr Shushemoin - My grandfather from my mother's side, I was named after him. He fought in the Ukraine, and never spoke much about the war, but I know he was wounded in the back from a landmine (which some other unfortunate soul stepped on) and from what I recall had a great deal of liking for the Soviet Air Force, though he was a grunt.

Alfonso López-Vargas, my father, who was an aircraft mechanic in the Cuban Air Force, and passed away from cancer at the young age of 36.

[Billabong81]

Great Uncle, Mom's side:
Was a medic in Vietnam. Died in 1965 when a Huey he was in got shot down . I never met him, as I was born in '89.

[theavonlady]

'Green Acres' Star Eddie Albert Dies at 99.

Oh, but I loved that show! Albert playing the straight-guy farmer Oliver Wendell Douglas will always be a classic.

This is posted here because if you go through the above link you'll find:

He escaped his studio contract by joining the Navy in World War II and served in combat in the South Pacific. He received a Bronze Star for his heroic rescue of wounded Marines at Tarawa, his son said.

That's beside all the many other amazing causes he seems to have been involved in throughout his lifetime.

I almost forgot.......................














That'll be twenty dollars.............