Veterans Day

[PaulOinMA]

Thank you to all that served.

Thought folks might like to see these. My dad's, 1919-2010, WWII photos ...

My Father's WWII Photos

As requested from the B-25 thread. Most of the photos will be of flight training in California and then where he was stationed in NE or KS prepping B-24 and B-17 crews. Dad is on the right. Dad in training. He went to the draft board right after Pearl Harbor, told them when he was born...

forums.vwvortex.com

 

[johneh]

My Father was also a Vet
He was a D Day Dodger, When D Day came he had been
already fighting in Italy. Later he was transferred to the campaign in Holland
Spent his whole career in the Military Ending his service as a Major in RHR Canada
The Black Watch RIP March 2, 1922-- February 2, 2002
Miss you Dad

 

[MTY]

If you have not been, some of the things we saw and did are hard to comprehend. Caught in the draft, I took whatever they could throw at me. I could have found a safer spot, a cushier job, or even lit out for Ireland as I am entitled to dual citizenship. I never even considered any of these options. I just said, "Take your best shot."

I found the drugs and prostitution even harder to understand than the worms in the food. I thought I did an original thing, but forty years on I met a vet who was 80 miles up the road from me. He said, "Life in the batteries was pure hell. We stole and ate the guard dogs' food." My warming up a can of dog food on the heater for dinner was not all that original.

For six months I ate canned dog food to get enough protein. I did not drink water for that same time period as one could not see through a jug of water, and urination would be painful.

 

[paulnlee]

If you have not been, some of the things we saw and did are hard to comprehend. Caught in the draft, I took whatever they could throw at me. I could have found a safer spot, a cushier job, or even lit out for Ireland as I am entitled to dual citizenship. I never even considered any of these options. I just said, "Take your best shot."

I found the drugs and prostitution even harder to understand than the worms in the food. I thought I did an original thing, but forty years on I met a vet who was 80 miles up the road from me. He said, "Life in the batteries was pure hell. We stole and ate the guard dogs' food." My warming up a can of dog food on the heater for dinner was not all that original.

For six months I ate canned dog food to get enough protein. I did not drink water for that same time period as one could not see through a jug of water, and urination would be painful.

Please, where and when?

 

[MTY]

I was caught in the last draft call, late 72. Korea, 73-74. Nike Hercules site. This was during the oil embargo, and we had heat for one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening. Winter clothes arrived in the spring after winter. Many of us wore GI wool blankets like ponchos. The Army called it a hardship tour.

I paid a local woman to make a jacket out of one of the green wool GI blankets. I gave her the blanket, probably about $5 and a picture. She gave me back a fully functional lined wool jacket that is still usable today. God only know where she scrounged up the lining.

Pay was about 15% of what I was making when I was drafted. Well under $100 a month. I think it was $80 and went up to $88 before I got out. I had been on my own for years, and had the bills and responsibilities to show for it. All but $5 was spoken for, and I invested the $5 buying and selling on the black market to stay afloat. I could get $10 for a fifth I paid $1 for, and green backs were worth 20 times their value in Korean money (won). It was dangerous trading green backs because you were dealing with the criminal element, and if something went wrong and you lived, the penalties were severe. We were not paid in money, but rather in Military Payment Certificates good at the company store (post exchange). US dollars were prohibited.

I bought eggs from a local farmer, ramen on the open market, mixed them with the dog food and chowed down. I ate my first puppy in Korea. Well not the whole puppy, we shared it.

Thanksgiving dinner was cold instant mashed potatoes dropped off at a guard shack. Nothing else. The cooks were selling the food on the black market. If you were willing to take a 2 hour ride on dirt roads in the back of an open truck you could get a decent meal. It was life in the batteries that was really bad. And it was usually that way because battery commander was not doing his job. The officers and NCO's were fed and treated much better, and they did not care about the peons.

 

[CaptSpiff]

The early 1970's were truly the Dark Ages for enlisted service members of the US military. I've heard stories, but none as demoralizing as yours. And I agree that much can be laid at the feet of the officer core at the time. It seems most were simply "doing time". Not meaning to get political, but it seams the 1980 Ronald Reagan administration was a new dawn for the US Military members.

I thank you and all military service members who were the tip of the spear. America is not without sin, and has much to self improve, but billions of people on this earth have improved lives because of America's influence. You were a part of that. That's why I value Veterans Day.

 

[Medic21]

I was caught in the last draft call, late 72. Korea, 73-74. Nike Hercules site. This was during the oil embargo, and we had heat for one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening. Winter clothes arrived in the spring after winter. Many of us wore GI wool blankets like ponchos. The Army called it a hardship tour.

I paid a local woman to make a jacket out of one of the green wool GI blankets. I gave her the blanket, probably about $5 and a picture. She gave me back a fully functional lined wool jacket that is still usable today. God only know where she scrounged up the lining.

Pay was about 15% of what I was making when I was drafted. Well under $100 a month. I think it was $80 and went up to $88 before I got out. I had been on my own for years, and had the bills and responsibilities to show for it. All but $5 was spoken for, and I invested the $5 buying and selling on the black market to stay afloat. I could get $10 for a fifth I paid $1 for, and green backs were worth 20 times their value in Korean money (won). It was dangerous trading green backs because you were dealing with the criminal element, and if something went wrong and you lived, the penalties were severe. We were not paid in money, but rather in Military Payment Certificates good at the company store (post exchange). US dollars were prohibited.

I bought eggs from a local farmer, ramen on the open market, mixed them with the dog food and chowed down. I ate my first puppy in Korea. Well not the whole puppy, we shared it.

Thanksgiving dinner was cold instant mashed potatoes dropped off at a guard shack. Nothing else. The cooks were selling the food on the black market. If you were willing to take a 2 hour ride on dirt roads in the back of an open truck you could get a decent meal. It was life in the batteries that was really bad. And it was usually that way because battery commander was not doing his job. The officers and NCO's were fed and treated much better, and they did not care about the peons.

I think Uncle Sam owes you some back pay my man.



no need to exaggerate things. From a Vet to another. Be proud and honest if your service.

 

[MTY]

I remember the 80 numbers, but not the two hundred figure. I assume the chart is correct, it has been a long time. All but $5 went to allotments, so that may be part of the confusion on my part. Exaggeration, no and if you would bother to read, I said I thought it was so much, there was no definitive statement that it was.

From a vet to another vet, judge not lest ye be judged. You have no clue what some of us went through.

 

[paulnlee]

At least no one was shooting at ya

 

[Medic21]

At least no one was shooting at ya

Lol, that’s not that big of a deal when it’s spray and pray.

There were more occasions that I was almost blown up from IEDs or VBIEDs that shot. Hadji couldn’t hit the broadside of a barn from 15 feet away. They could blow it up pretty well but, shooting wasn’t their skill set.

 

[paulnlee]

Not really any IED's in Chu Lai, punji's and booby traps tho

 

[Medic21]

Not really any IED's in Chu Lai, punji's and booby traps tho

We all had different wars, yours was probably as brutal as they came to our troops.

I had a pilot that was a medevac pilot in Vietnam that I rode with. The stories he told were a lot of fun and entertaining.

 

[paulnlee]

Those chopper pilots were Heaven sent whether evac or insertion. Mine were all USMC but I'm positive they're all cut from the same cloth

 

[Medic21]

Those chopper pilots were Heaven sent whether evac or insertion. Mine were all USMC but I'm positive they're all cut from the same cloth

They are and to this day all of them have a few screws loose lol.

I guess all of us did too. You call, we come. No matter what. I always told the infantry guys that they will scream for three people when hit. God, mommy, and Medic. And out of those three only one of us is coming...

 

[MTY]

At least no one was shooting at ya

A good portion of us said that every day. The post was not to say how bad I had it, but rather to point out that many service people do, see, & experience stuff that most cannot believe. I am positive many had it much worse than those of us in the batteries.