re: At some point too soon there will be no WWII American veterans left

quote:

---

My grandfather - USMC - died in 1998. He fought the Japs at Peleliu.

---

Just finished up that HBO mini-series "The Pacific". Those men were braver than I will ever be

quote:

---

He turns 88 on the 9th, served in the Navy on Guam, he enlisted at 17. I've always wished I could wear his shoes .....

---

My grandmother was 20 when the war ended.

Three years older than your grandfather.

I don't know if he was active during WW2

When all the veterans of a particular war or witnesses of a major historical event die off we lose a direct connection to the past. It's worth noting, at a minimum.
You fricking suck as a poster by the way.

This link is unreadable.

quote:

---

At a minimum, go to the WWII Museum on NOLA, read every placard, view every exhibit, then form your opinion.

---

I happened to make one of my visits there when they had a reunion of men who fought in the Pacific there. To see those men (many in wheelchairs) openly crying at exhibits and listening to some of them who were talking about what it was like there gave me goosebumps. There is no denying they were the greatest generation.

quote:

---

But I have to say some of you people are incapable of critical thinking.

---

Speaking of critical thinking, if you'd take a break from trying to be a smartass and think about what you've said in this thread, you'd see why so many people have had a negative reaction to your rude behavior here. No offense, but you've really showed your arse in here.

quote:

---

My math might be off, but something doesn't add up here.

---

Unless my calculations are incorrect he would have been born in 1928 and turned 17 sometime in 1945.

Perhaps his birthday was in January and he enlisted in his birthday. This would give him from February to September to go through training and then ship out to Guam before the war ended.

As for going to Guam, it was retaken in July-Aug 1944. So by the time he got there this would be a rear area base. But that's not to say it was perfectly safe. There were a small handful of Japanese troops holding out in the hills at that time.

quote:

---

My granddad was on a supply ship in the Pacific. They where strafed a few times i think...his ship was the first US ship to get to Nagasaki after Fat Man fell. A lot of the sailors were driven around to see the damage.

---

I wrote my masters thesis on supply in the Pacific. Those guys don't get enough credit over there for the massive supply mission they had.

quote:

---

Artie Rome

---

The last WW1 vet died recently. We will still have WW2 vets around for another 20 years.