Special Relative, pretty rare deal Thanks!

[madman4570]

Had a nice day with my Uncle. He is 85 years old and spry. Went down his place here he is outside putting 55 gal drums in a truck for some 40 year old guy?
He gets empty ones somewhere and I guess sells them for burning barrels or whatever. This dude is still ripped.
Retired tractor trailer driver(30+ years) for Yellow Freight. Now, this is pretty cool.
During WWII he " officially" served in 4 branched of the Military.

Marines, Merchant Marines, Army, Navy.
Saw combat on numerous occasions.
Very special loved man. He tells you things straight. He always says to me "Your a real beauty Lar"

Both my parents were Military.
My dad was a spot jammer/ waist gunner in the Army Air Core flying on B24's aircraft.
He saw combat and was one that went on the Ploesti Bomb Run . His dad my gramps was at the Normandy Invasion at age 36.
All other dads brothers(gramps sons) were in WWII overseas and saw combat.
My mom after graduating Auburn School of Nursing (RN) then entered the Air Corps as an
Officer Medical Corps. Then was a Nurse Manager Supervisor as a career. My dad graduated from Penn State University and was a Molecular Biochemist. Cool stuff. I could do things----like take some "looked like salt" sprinkle it on kludged kids lunches and three hours later they peed green etc. Or red! Won't go further? No, would I have done that ?? Maybe, or Maybe not ??

Though I did not serve in the Military Branches being a Senior Metrologist at the classified level on Marine One(Presidential Helicopter) and the whole Space Shuttle Program(employed/retired 31 years ---Federal Systems) I feel maybe I did a little something for our country! Hey guys, One thing for sure "high stress" you don't screw up and if you do say it quick, make sure you say what you do cause otherwise your going to jail---------and with that boss ain't getting no pardon.

Anyhow, again Thank You all you guys and all that serve or served with keeping us safe and free. Have a great weekend all.

[Sixgun]

Mad Dog,
Thank you and your family for your service. There's just somethin' about those old timers who saw combat.....don't seem like any of them feel like they did something special. These kids today are real whiners. Take me for example, the only combat I ever saw was in the kitchen or sometimes the living room with my wife. Had a few battles with the shipping boss a few times.-----6

[madman4570]

6,

Brother you would be one of the last people I would want after me.
I know better you are no one to mess with.

Honestly,
My little bit of whatever was nothing. The guys that served signed knowing at any time they will lay down their life and many did. That cannot be compared to. Utmost respect.
I remember the first time at age 13 pulling targets at an M1 shoot behind the dirt mound (make that hill) at our 200yd shooting range.We had at that time this small hut behind hill.
To the side where targets was this hill with old tires(hundred's)and tall brush behind stands.
When the range commended firing I about fell over.Everything was wasted followed by booms.
Remember thinking how does someone face that?

[Sixgun]

Mad Dog 20/20,
First, let me say that I am just a regular working class guy who would never go after anyone, unless they messed with my family. People have screwed me over my entire life and I just bit my tongue, knowing full well that Karma would get them.

When you have a family, a job, toys, house, vehicles, in other words, a happy life, you do nothing to screw that up, so if somebody f's me over, I let the law or Karma do it's business. Plus, I'm scared to death of being in the "big house" where the real bad dudes are.

But........Back in the day....say late sixties, early seventies, me and my crowd were known (at worst) for smashing windshields and underage drinking......whoa!! .......we were baaaaaadddd dudes

I'm told that no one can honestly predict how they would act in real combat if they have never been in it. I hear that some big tough guys cower down and the wimp that we used to beat up in the locker room will put his life on the line to save his buds.

Either way, I have lived about 3 times as long as the average soldier who has died defending what I love to do do.....live free and shoot. My hat is off to our soldiers, past and present. We all owe them our deepest gratitude. As far as the politicians who started these wars, well, we will let Karma take care of them.------6

[madman4570]

6,
You have done good. For you and your family.
Also you are a man of your word and have done good with your many friends.
I am sure you also are a good worker at work too.
Not wanting to mess things up in your life being stupid is SMART.
Should be proud brother. Have done good in the past, doing good in the present, and its my bet in the future will be even sweeter. Proud of you.
God Bless

Larry

[Sixgun]

Thanks Larry and from reading your words, you are also an honorable dude. We's GOTS to hook up sometime.-----6

[piller]

I have 2 Uncles left who served in WWII. Uncle Cecil flew B24J bombers in the South Pacific off of Either Kwajalein or 7 mile, and I am not sure which. Uncle Jesse was a clerk and never saw combat. Doesn't matter to me because he was drafted and he showed up when and where he was ordered to. Uncle Homer is now passed on, and he served with an Infantry unit in Patton's 2nd Armored Division. Uncle Homer was awarded a Silver Star, Bronze Star with V device enough times that he had a silver oak leaf cluster on it, 3 Purple Hearts, and he had enough points to rotate himself and 3 others home. He once said that he felt that the married men should have a chance to go back home. He stayed until about a week before the Battle of the Bulge. He didn't talk much about it, and when he did, it was about things such as seeing the different kinds of lemons that grew in North Africa. When I asked about El Alamein, he just gave me a look that meant for me to shut up! Uncle Homer once told of buying/trading for a knife over there in North Africa. He was trained as a blacksmith by his dad, my Grandpa. He said the knife had good steel in it, but was not heat treated properly. He borrowed the tools from the mechanics and took the handles off, built a fire, and heated the knife up. He quenched it in used motor oil, and then tempered it. He kept it until he was wounded somewhere in Europe. His 3rd Purple Heart. When he got back to his unit, that knife was on a Colonel's belt. He got a KaBar and used it from then on. That KaBar was with him for the rest of his life. My Dad was almost drafted during the Korean War. He was told by a sister who worked in the Post Office that the batch that just came through had his number range in it and that he better choose to go enlist where he wanted or be drafted. He went and enlisted in the Air Force the next day. They trained him to be a medic and sent him to Germany for 4 years. He could have waited, but he did enlist. I see nothing wrong with what he did. He did not know where they would send him, and he served where he was sent. I see nothing at all bad in having served in a capacity that did not involve combat.