[Coco] Lest we forget, Dec 07, 1941, 70 years ago today

[Sean]

I also attempted the military thing but they didn't like my allergies.
 I probably would have been some computer guy in Iraq in the 90's had
it worked out.

My dad served in Vietnam in 64-65 (He mentioned he was in Cambodia
with no dogtags when the government said "There are no Americans in
Cambodia!"),

While all the stories he told were the funny ones, I would bet there
were a lot of memories that were not.  He passed this spring. He was
the Commander for his American Legion post for the last 15+ years.  I
think every member of the post made it to the funeral and wore their
uniforms, it was extremely touching.


On Fri, Dec 9, 2011 at 12:54 AM, Wayne Campbell <asa.rand at gmail.com> wrote:
> First, thanks to everyone who has responded to this thread.
>
> Gene,
>
> I was a little late in the Vietnam era, turning 18 when we began the pullout
> in 73. I have never served in the military, though I wanted to. I enlisted
> and ws told that, because I had admitted to a sprained shoulder muscle, I
> was being classified 1-H. I was told this meant I was good enough, but they
> would call me if they needed me. They never called.
>
> I had many friends that went to Vietnam and either came home with PTSD, or
> in a body bag, or not at all. War is hell.
>
> To all of the veterans on this list, no matter what country, no matter what
> branch, no matter what war, I salute you all.
>
> Wayne
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "gene heskett" <gheskett at wdtv.com>
> To: <coco at maltedmedia.com>
> Sent: Thursday, December 08, 2011 7:03 PM
> Subject: Re: [Coco] Lest we forget, Dec 07, 1941, 70 years ago today
>
>
>
>> On Thursday, December 08, 2011 09:37:09 PM Wayne Campbell did opine:
>>
>>> I observed that the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association is officially
>>> disbanding now. I guess there won't be anymore survivors visiting the
>>> memorial from now on. 12/7/1941 is at least as important to remember as
>>> 9/11/2001. Whether or not there will be future public rememberances, and
>>> despite the fact that I was born 14 years after the attack, I will
>>> always remember, and I will always give reverence to those who gave
>>> their lives for us, no matter what battle, or what war they fought in.
>>>
>>> Wayne
>>
>>
>> I was just 7 when the announcement came over grandpa's battery powered
>> radio that evening. The whole house came to a screeching halt while that
>> soaked in, the silence for several minutes broken only by Grandpa's
>> crying.
>>
>> The strongest memory I have of that night is that of my stepfather(Daddy
>> to
>> me) and grandfather crying while grandpa prayed for the men he knew were
>> going to die, including my dad.  The announcement of the draft had them
>> both riding a buckboard to town the next day to register.  Grandpa of
>> course was too old, and the war was done by the time the draft got up to
>> within about 2 years of daddies age, so daddy did the next best thing,
>> moved from a farm in Madison County (yeah, that Madison County with all
>> the
>> bridges) to Des Moines & both Mom & Dad worked at the ammunition factory
>> in
>> Ankeny IA until just after VE day.  The husband of one of Dads sisters
>> survived the Bataan death march and the 'labor' camps & didn't get home
>> till a couple of months after VJ day.  We didn't know about PTSD, so he
>> got
>> a job in a print shop and some fishing poles & spent a lot of time looking
>> for a monster catfish in the Des Moines River, preferably alone.  And
>> refused to talk about the march at all, so his story passed untold 20
>> years
>> ago with him.
>>
>> War is hell, make no mistake about it.  And yet I've missed it.  Call it
>> phenomenal luck or whatever but when korea came around, they didn't like
>> my
>> attitude & 4f'd me.
>>
>> Thanks Wayne.
>>
>> Cheers, Gene
>> --
>> "There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
>> soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
>> -Ed Howdershelt (Author)
>> My web page: <http://coyoteden.dyndns-free.com:85/gene>
>> If there is any realistic deterrent to marriage, it's the fact that you
>> can't afford divorce.
>> -- Jack Nicholson
>>
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