Let's talk about our grandfathers

[naomi 343]

As mentioned in the Netflix thread, The Greatest Events of WW2 in Colour is an excellent docuseries. If you sometimes struggle to retain historical info, they've done a good job of unpacking a lot - big picture innerworkings and details- in a memorable manner.

It's given me a new appreciation of my grandfathers and a curiosity to hear about the roles and experiences of those caught up in the war. I'm sure some of you have some interesting secondhand stories. 

Not all of our grandfathers were/are veterans, but most of ours (especially here) likely were. Wish mine had stuck around a decade longer. I'll add their background in when I have more time - a Berkeley, CA boy (1919 - 2000) who joined the Coast Guard a few years before the U.S. entered the war and a Kansas farm boy (1920 - 2007) who joined the Army Air Corps right before.

[Cloaca du jour 2,064]

Never met mine...but my step dad flew b-17 30 missions ....401st Bomber group.

Homesick Angel was his plane.

[Drizzay 646]

My paternal grandfather was a mechanic in the Army under Eisenhower.  Met my grandmother in France (she was born in Brussels), brought her back to small town Minnesota, and raised a family.  I have most of his medals, and some pictures of him posed over a downed Nazi plane.  My grandma is more decorated than him, as she fought in the French/Belgian underground.  She won the Ellis Island Medal Of Honor in 1986, its inaugural year.

He was a farm boy, 2nd generation Norwegian.  Ate only pork as a meat source.  Loved the St Louis Cardinals, as he could get KMOX all the way up in MN.

[JustinCharge 2,397]

My ancestors were either too young or too old for world war 2.  Had an ancestor fly jets in the Air Force in the Vietnam War.  I have lots of male relatives in the military but they've spent their time just being stationed all over the globe for years at a time.  Recently, I've had some cousins in the Marines moved around to South Korea for a while (when people thought we were going to war with North Korea a few years back), and then some got moved to Germany.  Haven't gotten a status update in a while.

[Cdub100 3,384]

Don't know mine.

My wife's fought in Italy which you don't hear much about. He died a few years ago. The other one is still alive and fought in the Pacific. He gave me a Japanese sword he brought home 

[titans&bucs&bearsohmy! 2,745]

My maternal grandfather fought in France. He died when my mother was a small child, so I never met him, and never heard any stories, even secondhand. Have some medals, and a boot pistol he took off a dead german I presume. Trigger folds up in the body, and it has a swastika engraved in it. I also have his westinghouse army issue binoculars. Used to use them when I hiked and stuff back in the day. When mom died this summer and we went through all the old boxes, found a scrapbook he made while in france.

My paternal grandfather was too young. He fought in Korea though, was at pork chop hill. I regret not getting the stories before he died. He was never much of a talker.

[Cloaca du jour 2,064]

Hoo Rah!!

[TimmySmith 2,782]

Come from a family of engineers. Paternal Grandfather and Uncles were in the Army Corp. Know very little. Grandfather was killed and is buried in France. I have visited his grave. Maternal, I don't know. Lousy stories, I know.

[Voltaire 4,563]

Both of my grandfathers were born in 1900. One made it to WWI basic training by the time the war ended, the other didn't get that far. Then, they were too old for WWII as well so they had some luck with good timing. I remember as a kid thinking 42/43, yeah, maybe that's too old to go fight. Now that I'm 48 I know that's BS. I could go off. The government just never got desperate enough to go conscripting people that age.

[cyclone24 1,814]

We are about 90% sure the story is true based on where he was stationed and what a stubborn sob he was. 

 My grandfather played baseball and was a cook in the military. He tells a story that 1 day general Patton came through his lunch line and wanted an extra dessert. Allegedly my grandfather told him he couldn't have one because they only made enough for everyone there. And he wouldn't back off of it. So Patton ordered every single dish, Pan and silverware thrown out into the yard for him to clean. 

Both grandparents served. My biological dad was in Vietnam and apparently was a badass there...(he had severe mental issues returning)

Some days I wish I was brave enough to serve like they did...most I go nope...not happening. Brave people man.

[jerryskids 5,207]

Early in life I was told my maternal grandfather had died.  Found out later that he, an Italian, was called "Primo" and ran a "reputable pool hall."  He left my grandmother for reasons even my mother didn't know, I believe.  In my mind it was a Godfather-like event where he needed to escape to Italy, but I don't know.  My grandmother never divorced nor remarried, Catholic and all.  A long time ago I learned about relatives from his side who lived in AZ -- my wife was like "awesome, you can find out what happened," but I didn't pursue it out of respect for my grandmother's desire to not have it known.  

My paternal grandfather was even more of a mystery; I was told he was a firefighter and he was dead, that's all I knew and we never discussed it.  There are some relatives who may know more, and I may go back home for a reunion this summer, maybe I'll ask.  He was never in my life or my mind so I never pursued it.

[5-Points 2,732]

Mom's dad was in the 12th Armored Division. Rode around in a tank. They were called the "Hellcats." I have some old photos and stuff from his time in. I have a map that shows the route they took all over Europe. It's pretty cool. Also have a Nazi helmet he brought back with him. Have that in display in my home office. 

Dad's dad was over there too. Army I think. Don't know what he did exactly. I have a couple of really nice, ornate double barrel shotguns he "liberated" from Germany. Also have some nazi coins he brought back. 

Wish I'd had more time with each of them. Both of them were tough as nails. Whenever I start complaining about something stupid I think of them and I feel like a little b!tch.

I shudder to think of what they would think about today's society. 

[NorthernVike 2,080]

My grandfather died at Auschwitz 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He fell out of the guard tower. 

[Kanil 519]

Paternal grandfather was in Korea but never spoke of it.  He was an incredibly smart man and after he got out he went to work for Martin Company (now part of Lockheed Martin) designing rocket engines.

Maternal grandfather was a mechanic in the Army Air Corp in WW2, stationed in London.  One night he rode his bike to a pub, got wasted, and on the way back to base rode into a bomb crater.  Ended up blowing out his knee.  Got a purple heart and desk duty for the rest of the war.

[Cdub100 3,384]

This is a good thread with great stories.