re: Does anyone have a family member alive that served in WW2?

Apparently, the Marines had an issue with their version of the B-24. The one squadron was shut down. Dad said that all he wanted to do was get out in the Pacific and into the war.

Finally, he gets orders to go to Guam. He's on the ship when the Military Police come up and tell him he's being arrested as a deserter. Dad is 18, very confused and wonders what is going on. When he gets to wherever they took him, the C.O. says "he's not under arrest ... we've restarted the B-24 squadron and we're short of pilots so he needs to get to the squardron ASAP.

Later in the war, he is the co-pilot as the B-24 is flying over some Japanese held area. My Dad looks out and tells the pilot "those are some odd looking clouds there." Pilot, who was probably 19 or 20, says "those aren't clouds its AA fire."