How about a HUGE SHOUTOUT to all our Veterans
for without them we wouldn't be able to enjoy the
things we love.
??

Amen. Special thanks to our brothers on this board who served and to my FIL and Dad who served in the Navy in WWII

Respect to my grandpa who landed on Omaha Beach in WWII and to all those who have served. I'll never forget the stories he told of the horror of the war and the privilege to be an American. RIP RPK.

(11-10-2016 10:41 PM)MiamiRocket Wrote:  Respect to my grandpa who landed on Omaha Beach in WWII and to all those who have served. I'll never forget the stories he told of the horror of the war and the privilege to be an American. RIP RPK.

Omaha Beach, wow. I've read books on it but I'm sure they don't do it justice. Mucho respect to your grandpa.

My dad was in the navy but was marooned on Midway Island (after the battle there) and narrowly avoided being re-assigned to the invasion of Japan by the A-bomb.

(11-10-2016 11:04 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  Omaha Beach, wow. I've read books on it but I'm sure they don't do it justice. Mucho respect to your grandpa.

My dad was in the navy but was marooned on Midway Island (after the battle there) and narrowly avoided being re-assigned to the invasion of Japan by the A-bomb.

He got dropped on Omaha Beach in 8 feet of water and many of his fellow soldiers couldn't swim. He ascended the beach and somehow survived. He was crying when he told me this. Before he passed away he told me things that he said he never told anyone, including his wife of 60 years, my grandma. He was part of the greatest generation. If he didn't survive that day on the beach, I wouldn't exist. Not only that, he was an amazing man. War is a racket.

(11-10-2016 11:38 PM)MiamiRocket Wrote:  

(11-10-2016 11:04 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  Omaha Beach, wow. I've read books on it but I'm sure they don't do it justice. Mucho respect to your grandpa.

My dad was in the navy but was marooned on Midway Island (after the battle there) and narrowly avoided being re-assigned to the invasion of Japan by the A-bomb.

He got dropped on Omaha Beach in 8 feet of water and many of his fellow soldiers couldn't swim. He ascended the beach and somehow survived. He was crying when he told me this. Before he passed away he told me things that he said he never told anyone, including his wife of 60 years, my grandma. He was part of the greatest generation. If he didn't survive that day on the beach, I wouldn't exist. Not only that, he was an amazing man. War is a racket.

Yea, I had an uncle that fought in the Battle of the Bulge, never talked about it, didn't want to talk about it. I can only imagine what that was like.

(11-10-2016 09:53 PM)Michigan Rocket Wrote:  How about a HUGE SHOUTOUT to all our Veterans
for without them we wouldn't be able to enjoy the
things we love.
??

I will be honoring the veterans in my family. Including 1 who didn't make it home and another who came home wounded and broken, couldn't get proper VA care and took his life. However, I don't enjoy things because of the wars they fought in. Those were wars for the arms manufacturers and politicians of conquest. What I have came through the hard work and perseverance of the daily grind; mine, my parents, my ancestors (along with all the resources and labor my country stole from others). I will honor the many in my family who fought in war by working for peace and pushing for good comprehensive health care for the soldiers who come home wounded physically and emotionally.

Thanks veterans. There is no way words can do you service justice, but thank you again.

Thank you on behalf of myself (Army), Father (Air Force), Uncles (Army, Navy, Marines), and my son-in-law (Army).

great great grandfather@16 yrs,lied about age Army of the Potomac, grandfather runner@ Belleau Woods, father Marine Korean Conflict, brother Army/Ramstein,/Gulf War, son-in-law 25th Infantry.
Thank you, all Veterans for your service.

Great family lines, Boca. Had a grandfather turned down for the Army in WWI for being underweight. Walked across the street, bought a bunch of bananas and a gallon of milk, ate and drank the whole mess then walked back in the recruitment center and enlisted, no problem. Your story about your great grandfather lying about his age reminded me of that. Had a great who served in the West during the Civil War including a 9 month stay at Camp Sumter which he survived and returned to frequently. Outlived Wirz and most everyone of his captors, dying at 90.

Cool stories. Great, Great Grandfather and his brother (Great, Great Uncle) on my Mom's side served in the same unit from Michigan (have to look up the unit) during the Civil War. The uncle was wounded in the Battle of the Wilderness, losing one of his arms below the elbow. Was able to visit that Battlefield a couple of years ago.

(11-11-2016 09:04 AM)RangerRocket Wrote:  Cool stories. Great, Great Grandfather and his brother (Great, Great Uncle) on my Mom's side served in the same unit from Michigan (have to look up the unit) during the Civil War. The uncle was wounded in the Battle of the Wilderness, losing one of his arms below the elbow. Was able to visit that Battlefield a couple of years ago.

.55 cal soft lead wounds and primitive medicine were a bad mix. I've been to a bunch of CW battlefields and there is truly a sense of hallowed ground at every one.

(11-11-2016 09:54 AM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  

(11-11-2016 09:04 AM)RangerRocket Wrote:  Cool stories. Great, Great Grandfather and his brother (Great, Great Uncle) on my Mom's side served in the same unit from Michigan (have to look up the unit) during the Civil War. The uncle was wounded in the Battle of the Wilderness, losing one of his arms below the elbow. Was able to visit that Battlefield a couple of years ago.

.55 cal soft lead wounds and primitive medicine were a bad mix. I've been to a bunch of CW battlefields and there is truly a sense of hallowed ground at every one.

+1. A bit of a Civil War buff myself. I've been to the National Archives and have combed through my ancestors muster rolls and discharge papers from 150+ years ago

(11-11-2016 10:44 AM)Rocket_Fanatic Wrote:  

(11-11-2016 09:54 AM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  

(11-11-2016 09:04 AM)RangerRocket Wrote:  Cool stories. Great, Great Grandfather and his brother (Great, Great Uncle) on my Mom's side served in the same unit from Michigan (have to look up the unit) during the Civil War. The uncle was wounded in the Battle of the Wilderness, losing one of his arms below the elbow. Was able to visit that Battlefield a couple of years ago.

.55 cal soft lead wounds and primitive medicine were a bad mix. I've been to a bunch of CW battlefields and there is truly a sense of hallowed ground at every one.

+1. A bit of a Civil War buff myself. I've been to the National Archives and have combed through my ancestors muster rolls and discharge papers from 150+ years ago

We actually have some of his Civil War papers at my family's home. My Dad's Uncle's position was overrun at the Battle of the Bulge. He went on to serve the Nation's interests in other capacities.

(11-11-2016 11:03 AM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  

(11-11-2016 10:44 AM)Rocket_Fanatic Wrote:  

(11-11-2016 09:54 AM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  

(11-11-2016 09:04 AM)RangerRocket Wrote:  Cool stories. Great, Great Grandfather and his brother (Great, Great Uncle) on my Mom's side served in the same unit from Michigan (have to look up the unit) during the Civil War. The uncle was wounded in the Battle of the Wilderness, losing one of his arms below the elbow. Was able to visit that Battlefield a couple of years ago.

.55 cal soft lead wounds and primitive medicine were a bad mix. I've been to a bunch of CW battlefields and there is truly a sense of hallowed ground at every one.

+1. A bit of a Civil War buff myself. I've been to the National Archives and have combed through my ancestors muster rolls and discharge papers from 150+ years ago

We actually have some of his Civil War papers at my family's home. My Dad's Uncle's position was overrun at the Battle of the Bulge. He went on to serve the Nation's interests in other capacities.

We have a letter my grt grt sent home from Fort Johnson, a couple Parrot shells and a ball and chain from Andersonville, the only known one in existence. Took it down to Antiques Road Show a couple years ago. Important to have that memorabilia to remind us of sacrifice.

(11-11-2016 11:50 PM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  

(11-11-2016 11:03 AM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  

(11-11-2016 10:44 AM)Rocket_Fanatic Wrote:  

(11-11-2016 09:54 AM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  

(11-11-2016 09:04 AM)RangerRocket Wrote:  Cool stories. Great, Great Grandfather and his brother (Great, Great Uncle) on my Mom's side served in the same unit from Michigan (have to look up the unit) during the Civil War. The uncle was wounded in the Battle of the Wilderness, losing one of his arms below the elbow. Was able to visit that Battlefield a couple of years ago.

.55 cal soft lead wounds and primitive medicine were a bad mix. I've been to a bunch of CW battlefields and there is truly a sense of hallowed ground at every one.

+1. A bit of a Civil War buff myself. I've been to the National Archives and have combed through my ancestors muster rolls and discharge papers from 150+ years ago

We actually have some of his Civil War papers at my family's home. My Dad's Uncle's position was overrun at the Battle of the Bulge. He went on to serve the Nation's interests in other capacities.

We have a letter my grt grt sent home from Fort Johnson, a couple Parrot shells and a ball and chain from Andersonville, the only known one in existence. Took it down to Antiques Road Show a couple years ago. Important to have that memorabilia to remind us of sacrifice.

For years, Civil War casualties were thought to be around 620,000 and now thought to be around 750,000 with a ceiling of 860,000. Half were due to disease.
Just for a comparison:
US casualties in:
Iraq-Afghanistan 6,841
Gulf War 258
Vietnam 58,209