Just was talking to my BIL, a Vietnam veteran.

[Archae]

And he HATES with a passion Memorial Day.

Why? Because he saw too many of those we "honor" today that he was buddies with, die for nothing.
(His view.)

My Dad fought in Korea, called it a huge waste.

My Uncle was a top turret gunner on a B-17 during WW2, and he refused to tell any "war stories."
So even a war for a good cause had those who weren't "proud to have served."

Now? We have all those veterans from Bush's ego-boost. (Iraq)

And a war in an area where invaders never get anywhere. (Afghanistan.)

[libinnyandia]

1. My uncle was captured by the Japanese and was in the Bataan Death March. He never talked

about it. Well he did say he learned how to cook rice.

[rustydog]

5. My buddy's grandfather was a Bataan survivor. he didn't talk much

[blueamy66]

2. My Dad wouldn't allow a gun in his house after his tour in the Korean War.

I still won't own one to this day.

Miss you Dad!

[onethatcares]

3. my dad died a month ago, he was a

radio operator on a PBY during WW2 in the south pacific. He never talked about it.

My sister recently got a package of military items that he saved over the years, she's mailing me copies of his

decorations and service record.

Now we have so many vets returning from Afganistand and Iraq, so many that are committing suicide, so many that

will be tossed to the curb after the "feel good about protecting our freedom" speeches.

[safeinOhio]

4. Dad was a WWII and Korean vet.

I went to a WWII reunion with him. He served in the Battle of the Bulge, a captain.

Never told too many war stories, other than funny ones. At that reunion I learned a lot about the Battle of the Bulge and what he and the others did.


They were the Greatest Generation, by far.

[jwirr]

7. Many units have books that they wrote themselves telling the story. I have read a few of those.

They tell what went on in the battles and the thoughts of the soldiers. Very sobbering read.

[dflprincess]

10. My dad was a WWII vet as well

and also only told the funny stories.

He was in the Pacific theater, Army Air Corp, a rear gunner on a Mitchell bomber & went out on 56 missions. Never a word about them - except the start of the 57th mission when they were called back to base not long after take off because the war was over.

Men who saw a lot of combat tended not to speak of it - they knew there was no glory even when the "cause" appeared just. My dad swore my brother would never go to war & he told a neighbor's kid to go to Canada rather than Vietnam (and that was before Vietnam got really hot).

He supported John Kennedy in the primaries (over Hubert Humphrey) beause he hoped a fellow combat veteran would know enough to keep us out of the next war.

There was a high rate of early heart disease among Pacific Air Corps vets - Pop was one of them and died young. Turns out the flight crews used to get pumped full of speed - did it cause the heart disease or just aggravate a genetic tendency? Does it matter at this late date, not really - except it does establish the pattern of a disregard for soldiers' long term health. Just another link in the Agent Orange, depleted uranium chain.

[beveeheart]

6. My neighbor served under Patton

and the only things he ever mentioned from his service were how dirty he was after weeks of not being able to wash AND what an SOB Patton was.

[Archae]

11. My Dad was convinced to the day he died Patton didn't die in a car crash.

His own troops shot him and that was covered up by Truman.

Patton would have loved to have gone to war again against the Russians, AFAIK.

[UTUSN]

8. The main lesson of the military is that the CIVILIANS are the boss, like Harry TRUMAN

The military are civilians TEMPORARILY being tough to protect the CIVILIANS.

[HughBeaumont]

9. My grandfather was a Pearl Harbor Survivor.

He went to the Air Force to be a mechanic. He ended up spending his 19th year of life one December morning getting blown out of his bunk and down the stairs thanks to Japanese bombs. Had he been in the wrong place at the wrong time, I wouldn't be sitting here typing this today. He later flew missions in Europe and the Pacific Theater.

I never really talked to him about WWII, and it wasn't until I talked to an IWV in recent years that I fully grasped why. There's no nobility or badge of honor when it comes to the horridity of war. There are only ruined lives, nightmares, PTSD and sadness. In the few times that I did get to see him later on in life, before he died in 2004, I only wanted to see the happy side of Grandpa and I'm sure he felt the same way. So it was best just to leave it like that between us.