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re: Does anyone else here actually remember 12/7/41 ??
Posted on 12/7/16 at 9:56 am to ChineseBandit58
Posted on 12/7/16 at 9:56 am to ChineseBandit58
quote:
Anyone else have real time experience with the event?
I was not alive but my late uncle would serve in the army right at the very end of WWII. He was actually sent to Nagasaki after it was bombed. They had wait 2 months off shore before disembarking and begin the occupation.
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Posted on 12/7/16 at 9:58 am to ChineseBandit58
I was 3 months old at the time, so have no memory of that event. Well remember my dad and uncles in uniform going off to war the next year.
Posted on 12/7/16 at 10:04 am to TheFonz
My Uncle Art was a gunnery instructor at the blimp base in Tillamook Oregon. The blimps would patrol the coast. One of the blimp hangers is still standing.(The remains of one is at the Houma Airbase) He met his future wife there, she trained the carrier pigeons that the blimps used instead of radios. Oregon was attacked several times during the war, a couple of submarine attacks and some incendiary balloons that killed six people.
Posted on 12/7/16 at 10:10 am to MMauler
quote:
My first hazy memory like that was for the moon landing. I don't remember much about it as I was wasn't quite 3, but I do remember my mom sitting my brother and I in front of an old black and white television and telling us how important this event was.
My 3rd birthday, 1967, was very shortly after my family moved to Tampa. I remember 3 of the "warm-up" orbital missions, including spacewalks, and the 1st lunar landing clearly. The smoke trails from the prelim launches were clearly visible in the eastern sky. Sat in the floor about 3 feet from our TV and listened to Cronkite as he narrated the 1st moonwalk.
My 5th birthday was NASA themed, had my own little blue and silver spacesuit with plastic helmet and landing capsule with martians and astronauts on my cake (chocolate cake with vanilla frosting and blue lettering/trim, little blue candles too).
Was a proud time in American history!
Posted on 12/7/16 at 10:15 am to LSUwag
quote:
That's before my time as I was born in 65. Even my parents came after that. I do spend a considerable amount of time with my MIL who was born in 26. She has some amazing stories about those times. She has her sister became nurses to help the war effort. She was a VA nurse for 50 years
My SO was a late in life "surprise baby" and her dad was a WWII naval officer. I looked up the war diary of his ship online (Fold3.com is an awesome resource.) One thing that gets lost in handing down the stories is the boredom. There were days, and sometimes weeks at a time where the only entry was "steaming as before" or "tied up at the dock as before." Even ships that were in heavy combat spent most of their time doing mundane things. Just getting to and from the war zone in the Pacific took a lot of effort.
One of my older relatives who passed within the last year served on USS Essex in the medical department. He saw a lot of action, including kamikaze attacks, but said the most scared he had ever been was during Halsey's typhoons, with 50 foot waves breaking over the flight deck.
Shortly after WWII the local newspaper in our parish put out a commemorative book with the names and service records of everyone who served. It was pretty interesting how many non combat casualties there were compared to combat losses. Lots and lots of vehicle accidents and the like. Flight training was especially bad. If you were a pilot and made it through the training without killing yourself, you must have been pretty good.
Posted on 12/7/16 at 10:23 am to Jim Rockford
quote:
Lots and lots of vehicle accidents and the like. Flight training was especially bad. If you were a pilot and made it through the training without killing yourself, you must have been pretty good.
Great Grandfather was a flight instructor during WWII. He died when the pilot he was training crashed their plane. Trainee walked away with no injuries. It was pretty surreal finding his death certificate on Ancestry.com. Great Grandmother is still alive and coherent but was born deaf. I never learned sign language so getting stories out of her is insanely difficult. Something Ive only recently began to regret not learning.
Posted on 12/7/16 at 10:27 am to ChineseBandit58
My grandfather, who died last year, heard the news on the farm in west TN. Immediately left school, hitchhiked to Memphis, took the train to New Orleans and joined the Navy.
He lied about his age but was super small so they had him working in the shipyard for 2 years before he was allowed to join the regular fleet and deploy to the Pacific.
He lied about his age but was super small so they had him working in the shipyard for 2 years before he was allowed to join the regular fleet and deploy to the Pacific.
Posted on 12/7/16 at 10:40 am to ChineseBandit58
Way before my time, (born in '68) but my dad was born in Feb. '41, so he wouldn't remember. Mom was born a year later.
My paternal grandfather was a farmer, so he was given an exemption, but my maternal grandfather was drafted and served as as infantryman in the Army 88th Infantry Division (Fighting Blue Devils) and was severely injured during the Rome-Arno campaign by an artillery shell. Laid in a foxhole for 2 days after having most of his left calf blown off, broken leg, shrapnel in his back and arm. Said a medic would come visit him every couple hours and check his wounds and shoot him up with morphine, until he was evacuated.
The doctor at the field hospital wanted to amputate his leg but he protested and they didn't. Told him he'd never be able to walk again and he had to wear leg braces for a couple of years but he was eventually able to walk after a couple of years.
Told me some combat stories while we drank some bourbon when I was a teenager. Some crazy shite.
Tough old bastard, I miss him dearly.
His medals that I have.
My paternal grandfather was a farmer, so he was given an exemption, but my maternal grandfather was drafted and served as as infantryman in the Army 88th Infantry Division (Fighting Blue Devils) and was severely injured during the Rome-Arno campaign by an artillery shell. Laid in a foxhole for 2 days after having most of his left calf blown off, broken leg, shrapnel in his back and arm. Said a medic would come visit him every couple hours and check his wounds and shoot him up with morphine, until he was evacuated.
The doctor at the field hospital wanted to amputate his leg but he protested and they didn't. Told him he'd never be able to walk again and he had to wear leg braces for a couple of years but he was eventually able to walk after a couple of years.
Told me some combat stories while we drank some bourbon when I was a teenager. Some crazy shite.
Tough old bastard, I miss him dearly.
His medals that I have.
This post was edited on 12/7/16 at 10:46 am
Posted on 12/7/16 at 10:47 am to ChineseBandit58
My grandfather has a pretty funny story about that day.
He says he was playing marbles with his friend on the kitchen floor when his dad came in and said. "Boys, we've gone to war." His friend snatched up all the marbles and high tailed it back home.
70 years later, telling this story he says, "I never did get my damned marbles back.."
He says he was playing marbles with his friend on the kitchen floor when his dad came in and said. "Boys, we've gone to war." His friend snatched up all the marbles and high tailed it back home.
70 years later, telling this story he says, "I never did get my damned marbles back.."
Posted on 12/7/16 at 10:49 am to Loserman
quote:Me too. I was still 7 years away.
And I though I was an old frick
Dad had been in the Army for 6 months when that happened.
I was fortunate to be raised among mostly men that had been in the war. I got most of my values from these men which guide me to this day.
Many, many times I wish they were still around so I could ask them for advice. Hell, I just wish they were still around.
This post was edited on 12/7/16 at 10:50 am
Posted on 12/7/16 at 10:49 am to ChineseBandit58
Respect for you sir! 
Posted on 12/7/16 at 10:54 am to No Colors
quote:
My father was also 3 years old that day. He was born in October of 1938. He says he doesn't remember it. But he does remember the mobilization. And all the men in uniform. And the radio constantly with war news.
Me too - born 10/12/38 - [out in Alco, LA. (Alexandria Lumber Co.) still had a Post Office until in the 9-s.) Was really close to Peason Ridge where the Army did their maneuvers. (btw - Eisenhower, Patton, Marshal, et al came thru Leesville during that time - lots of military parades too.)
My dad hated when they held "black-out' maneuvers. Nobody in the area could display a light - especially on the roadways. I loved dad driving in the dark. However, there were lots of accidents when people ran off the roads.
During my high school days they began using flares to light up areas for air to ground training. Usually 3 flares at a time. First time I saw them ignite I thought it was the Second Coming - 3 huge 'stars' all of a sudden appearing in the sky. My buddy and I started going into the area looking for the parachutes they hung on. We got some parachute material that we couldnt figure out anything to do with that it became boring - But we did notice that some of the parachutes had un-ignited flares still attached. These were about 4 inches in diameter over 2 feet long.
We took some home to set them on fire. First time I ignited one out in front of our house was another memorial experience. They were so bright you could not look in their direction. Everything was stark black or white-out white. (I don't think you were supposed to be that close to them when they ignited) Neighbors came from miles around because they had seen the glow and thought our house was on fire. Dad said "don't do that again."
I didn't do that anymore but did discover they would burn underwater - so I'd wrap them up in dynamite cord and put them in a plastic sack and toss them in the lake. The smoke that came out was all sorts of colors - orange-green-gold-yellow. But it killed a lot of fish. Dad said 'don't do that again.'
Then we crushed it up and began trying to make rocket fuel - but it kept exploding. Once I had just ignited a spent rocket casing (also picked up at Peason Ridge) when dad drove up. It exploded and the rocket casing flared out like a helicopter and went about a hundred ft in the air. Then it whiffer-dolled down and landed on my dad's truck. Dad whipped my arse. Didn't do that shite any more.
Fun times back in the day. Went on to become a real rocket scientist. Worked on every manned space mission the country ever put into production - and a couple that didn't get fully funded.
Posted on 12/7/16 at 10:58 am to bhtigerfan
quote:
Tough old bastard, I miss him dearly.
What a great man - that entire generation deserves our utmost respect. I envy your experience of hearing his stories. I sure wish I hd asked more questions. My dad never made it into combat in WWI but my FIL was wounded twice - but he never talked about it - found out about it after he died when we found his Purple Hearts. So sad that I don't have any tales from him.
Treasure those memories.
Posted on 12/7/16 at 11:03 am to ChineseBandit58
quote:
Does anyone else here actually remember 12/7/41 ?
No, but I do remember the Mark Essex incident in NOLA. One of the first "home grown terrorist" incidents in the US?
Wiki: Mark Essex
This post was edited on 12/7/16 at 11:08 am
Posted on 12/7/16 at 11:03 am to Redbone
quote:
I was fortunate to be raised among mostly men that had been in the war. I got most of my values from these men which guide me to this day.
As was I. I feel that was the last generation which truly had the moral imperatives to do the right thing - every time they were called upon.
That generation would scoff at any kind of 'welfare' - they would be appalled at these modern snowflakes who get their feelings hurt over every imagined slight.
I wish that era of moral fortitude could come back - or even get close.
Posted on 12/7/16 at 11:05 am to ChineseBandit58
Mate, when you finally leave this earth in 23 more years you'll look back upon the two votes that you cast for Donald J. Trump in 2016 and 2020 as the greatest votes of your life. Even more so than your votes for Ronald Reagan. No, no think of it! It's true!
This post was edited on 12/7/16 at 11:06 am
Posted on 12/7/16 at 11:09 am to ChineseBandit58
Dad never wanted to talk about it other than to make a joke once in a while about none combat activities. His first action was in north Africa. He made it all the way into Germany but was severely injured in Germany 4 months before they surrendered.
That ended his war and ended a promising sports career.
That ended his war and ended a promising sports career.
Posted on 12/7/16 at 11:14 am to SirWinston
quote:
you'll look back upon the two votes that you cast for Donald J. Trump in 2016 and 2020 as the greatest votes of your life
I was a reluctant Trump voter - prompted almost entirely by 'anybody but Clinton.'
I am withholding my re-evaluation until after his first few months. But so far I am extremely encouraged by the quality of his cabinet choices.
It just may be that he is the (quoiting GumboPot i think) 'the chemotherapy we need"
IF he can actually make headway towards draining the swamp and leave a record to be emulated, he may well be the savior of our republic.
I pray that your enthusiasm is well founded.
Posted on 12/7/16 at 11:16 am to ChineseBandit58
Sorry I accidentally downvoted.
Posted on 12/7/16 at 11:34 am to ChineseBandit58
My dad was about 30 when Pearl Harbor happened. He was dating mom at the time with no kids so he was draft eligible. But he was never called up and I asked him why.
He said "I was told my back was bad".
Me: "Was it?"
Him: "No, I was a roughneck on a drilling rig. I used my back a lot. They didn't have a lot of power tools on rigs back then."
After he died I had a conversation about this with a guy who was a WWII buff. He said that oil was key to the war effort and my dad's job could not be filled by a female (like on assembly line work).
He said "I was told my back was bad".
Me: "Was it?"
Him: "No, I was a roughneck on a drilling rig. I used my back a lot. They didn't have a lot of power tools on rigs back then."
After he died I had a conversation about this with a guy who was a WWII buff. He said that oil was key to the war effort and my dad's job could not be filled by a female (like on assembly line work).
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