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re: PSA: There are Four Medal of Honor Recipients Left from WWII
Posted on 2/4/18 at 5:20 pm to kywildcatfanone
Posted on 2/4/18 at 5:20 pm to kywildcatfanone
quote:
Think about that. 4. Only 4.
WWII started for us over 76 years ago. If you were 17 at that time, you'd be 93 today.
If you were 18 in 1945, you'd be 90 today.
They're slipping away quickly now.
This post was edited on 2/4/18 at 5:23 pm
0
Posted on 2/4/18 at 7:28 pm to Jim Rockford
quote:
Impressive, but Ploesti had five Medals of Honor in one day
An ex-neighbor's father was a B-24 pilot. Easy going guy, humble, very laid back. One day we were talking and I asked where he was stationed during the war. Africa and Italy. I made a comment that he must have had some crazy experiences. He was quick to say that the 8th AF out of England took a terrible beating, but things weren't bad where he was. "Mostly milk runs.", he said. I asked if he was involved in the Ploiesti raids, because that was no milk run. He said, "Yeah, well Ploiesti was pretty bad, but mostly it was milk runs."
He's about 95 now and still driving. If you saw this man you'd think he was 15 or 20 years younger. Great sense of humor. He said during the war it took a miracle to live through every third day (they were on a 3 day flying rotation) and now at his age it takes a miracle every day.
Posted on 2/4/18 at 10:05 pm to White Roach
Yeah, in the early days of the 8th AF, the casualty rate was in the 7-10% area, which means, mathematically, a guy had no shot to complete a 25-mission tour.
By the end of the war, things had improved so much, a tour had been increased to 35 missions.
By the end of the war, things had improved so much, a tour had been increased to 35 missions.
Posted on 2/4/18 at 10:20 pm to geauxtigers87
I only personally know 1 vet from WWII who is still alive.
Sad.
Sad.
Posted on 2/4/18 at 10:22 pm to geauxtigers87
quote:
I keep seeing people saying Woody Williams is the last because he's doing the coin toss tonight at the Super Bowl. But there are 3 others alive still.
Only living Marine recipient and the only living Pacific theater vet recipient I believe.
Posted on 2/5/18 at 1:30 am to geauxtigers87
Posted on 2/5/18 at 2:23 am to SoFla Tideroller
Posted on 2/5/18 at 7:00 am to FightinTigersDammit
My grandfather was a radio operator on B24 out of Italy. They crash landed twice in Yugoslavia - leads me to believe he was part of the bombing runs in Romania.
He would not talk about it. My grandmother gave gave me a book after he passed away about the 15th Air Force and said this is about what it was like.
He would not talk about it. My grandmother gave gave me a book after he passed away about the 15th Air Force and said this is about what it was like.
Posted on 2/5/18 at 7:05 am to geauxtigers87
I love threads like this. My grandfather fought in the Pacific. I've only heard him talk about it once. But the museum did interview him. That was really cool.
It's called "The Pelican State goes to War" and it's well worth the trip to the museum.
quote:
There's an exhibit all about Louisiana in WWII at the WWII museum right now that's pretty cool
It's called "The Pelican State goes to War" and it's well worth the trip to the museum.
This post was edited on 2/5/18 at 7:53 am
Posted on 2/5/18 at 8:50 am to Breesus
Woody Williams, the gentleman who did the coin flip in the Super Bowl last night, visited some events in Louisiana last year. Wanted to know more about him so I looked up his profile. WOW!
quote:
Williams' next and final campaign was at the Battle of Iwo Jima, where he distinguished himself with actions "above and beyond the call of duty" – for which he would be awarded the Medal of Honor. On February 21, 1945, he landed on the beach with the 1st Battalion, 21st Marines. Williams, by then a corporal, distinguished himself two days later when American tanks, trying to open a lane for infantry, encountered a network of reinforced concrete pillboxes.[4] Williams went forward alone with his 70-pound (32 kg) flamethrower to attempt the reduction of devastating machine gun fire from the unyielding positions.[4][5]
quote:
Covered by only four riflemen, he fought for four hours under terrific enemy small-arms fire and repeatedly returned to his own lines to prepare demolition charges and obtain serviced flame throwers. He returned to the front, frequently to the rear of hostile emplacements, to wipe out one position after another.[4] At one point, a wisp of smoke alerted him to the air vent of a Japanese bunker, and he approached close enough to put the nozzle of his flamethrower through the hole, killing the occupants.[5] On another occasion, he was charged by enemy riflemen who attempted to stop him with bayonets and he killed them with a burst of flame from his weapon.[
Posted on 2/5/18 at 8:58 am to GetCocky11
All 6 of my maternal grandmother's brothers served and made it home. They are all dead now. One of my uncles was on the Arizona, but was at mass during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Posted on 2/5/18 at 9:03 am to HoopyD
The flamethrowers of that era only held a small amount of fuel - maybe like 30 or 60 seconds worth. I believe Williams crawled back and forth something like 8 or 10 times to swap his empty unit for a fueled one. Dude had giant balls. It's a heroic thing to charge one bunker, knock it out in a few minutes, and still live to tell about it. Imagine doing that for four hours.
Posted on 2/5/18 at 9:04 am to geauxtigers87
quote:
PSA: There are Four Medal of Honor Recipients Left from WWII
give them each $10mil and a full-time personal on-site physician.
Posted on 2/5/18 at 9:06 am to geauxtigers87
Damn. A reminder that time flies.
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