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

[Wayne Campbell]

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>
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> can't afford divorce.
> -- Jack Nicholson
>
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