WWII Photos (and Stories) of Our Loved Ones

[CODDCOMMANDO]

Shrewsbury is not a million miles away from an old haunting ground of mine Codd. I spent many fine yomps up in the Brecons going up a peak called Pen-y-Fan (we called it the Fan Dance!, could be a killer dependent on the weather and distance we had done up to that point and I can still almost remember some of the horrific blisters I picked up there!! ouch!). Spent a wee bit of time around Hereford and that fine area and have some fond memories (early 80s).
Anyway! good to have you on board! Does your family have any mementoes of your uncle from his RAF days? like personal pics, kit, letters, medals..etc? Have you done any research on him via public records, MOD ..etc?
Thanks for posting, good to have another link to the RAF here :cheers1:

HI PADDY NICE TO SPEAK TO YOU,
YOU WOULD NOT HAVE WORN A SAND COLOURED BERET WHEN YOU WERE IN THE CAKE?
ME JUST REGULAR INFANTRY, EARLY 80,S LIKE YOU , MY MATE WAS IN SBS FALKLANDS,
MY UNCLE;S FLIGHT LOG EXISTS BUT WAS STOLEN FROM MY AUNT [HIS SISTER] BY A CARE WORKER ON HER DEATH IN 2003 ALONG WITH SOME OF HIS KIT AND PHOTO,S .
POLICE DID NOT WANT TO KNOW!
I DO HAVE SOME DETAILS OF HIS SERVICE I WILL DOWNLOAD THEM IN NEAR FUTURE
AS A MATTER OF INTEREST MY DAD FOUGHT IN KOREA AND MALAYA IN THE 50,S DID 6 YEARS REGULAR SERVICE,
HE WAS AIRBOURNE OR PARATROOPER AS THEY ARE CALLED IN UK,

 

[jake431]

SOME things on this forum, from time-to-time just seem to hit a nerve with me. This thread, unusally, has had that effect a couple of times now. Thinking of loved ones who were in the military and are no longer with us can raise a number of personal and private emotions within us.
I'll not belabour this guys, but in short, I feel honoured and humbled that so many of you can share your family in some small way with us here.

At times like this, I feel there is a kindred spirit among us, that in some small way disolves the oceans and space between us, and makes us a 'band of brothers.'

Indeed Paddy. Here's the relevant pages of my Grandfather's journal concerning the wreckage on Majuro.

"Dec 27th:
Being sick as result of the Christmas drunk I was unable to make this raid. The "GI"s plus a permanent case of nausea made me feel pretty low. The first mission I have not taken off with our crew. Ray Cloyer, the other Chicago boy is going to fly for me. It's a 20,000' mission and I would have liked to have gone but that's the way things happen.

Dec 28th:
The boys returned tonight from the raid on Maloelap and the results were bad - Osbourne, my pilot had to set down in the water after being shot up by zeros. It must have been pretty bad as he had 2 engines shot out. He landed just off the reef at Majuro atoll, a Jap held island. Dumbo service went to his aid but no reports have come back, The boys couldn't get close to the target as it was 8/10 covered. All the ships were shot up badly but they returned to Tawara - the 98th lost one ship also. It was tough and God only knows why I was sick yesterday and couldn't go on the mission. From now on I believe in fate wholeheartedly. This war is no place for non-believers.

The report was that the boys had a running fight with 30 to 50 zeros - it's not right going without a fighter escort. We can't bomb if we can't get over the target.

Dec 30th:
The crew has been definitely slated as missing. So now I have been appointed summary courts officer to dispose of their affects. It's a tough job doing all this work because I have to go over all personal belongings and separate the things that can be sent home with the things which cannot. Those guys will be missed terribly by us all. I have been placed on Houchins crew now so I am changed from the oldest crew to the youngest. Houchins has loads of time and our navigator is Stan Milbolski(ed - can't make out the name) formerly with Rowe. He is not new here, just no combat time. Caston is the bombardier & Hirsh is engineer."


I am grateful everyday for my Grandfather's journal. What an amazing experience he had. Thank you Grandpa!

-Jake

 

[Vanessa]

my dad

 

[airfrogusmc]

Vanessa Great shot of your dad. Was he in Nam? The reason I ask is there's a photo of a Huey on the wall next to him. Godbless'm all that went in harms way so we could enjoy our freedom.

 

[Vanessa]

He was, but thankfully never served out of the country. He was shipped out to California to then head overseas, but that was about the time they decided to start bringing the troops home. So he had a two week Californian vacation before heading back to either Ft. Hood or Ft. Leonardwood to finish his time.

 

[DanielJones]

Although this photo is not WWII, my Pop served proudly. This was taken around 1950.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[decodoll]

My Grampa in uniform with Gramma during WWII...

 

[Doctor Strange]

Both of my parents served in WWII. Here's a shot of my Mom... the Marine:

She spent most of her time at El Toro in CA, and ultimately made sergeant. But she was later demoted to corporal for making something "for herself" in the machine shop... a nasty looking bayonet-length knife that we still have. ("Guys going overseas offered me fifty bucks for it, but I figured I had to keep it since I lost a stripe over it.")

 

[airfrogusmc]

Great photo of your mom and a great story.

 

[Angelicious]

Here's a photo of my Poppa, Herbert Exley, Private, 4861615, Leicestershire Regiment.

Poppa (Herb, as he was known) enlisted in early 1940, and headed to the Middle East via Cape Town, Siwa, Sidi Barrani, BugBug, Sollum, Capuzzo, Bardia, Gambut, Tobruk, Crete, and then on through to Greece and the civil war there. Both his arms were smashed by machine gun fire while acting as post corporal in late '44 or early '45 I believe, and he was discharged as unfit for service. I wish I knew more about the medals he recieved; I know there were several but I only ever saw the Service Medal before they "disappeared". I still have the hat badge pictured above.

Here's a poem written to him by his friend and army mate, Larry:

To our Herbert from our Larry

Herbert, thar't a rate good lad
If there's owt that I can do for thee I'll be rate glad
'Cos your company's a pleasure and I'm always glad
To see that smiling face of yours when I feel sad.

The first time that I saw you, our meeting it were queer
You crept into my dugout when the moon were shining clear
If you remember there I was a drinking up some beer
What followed after that is what can happen anywhere.

In that lovely bit of desert that's a breeding ground for flies
Where the dust storm's always blowing hard and filling up your eyes
We sealed a friendship good and true, the kind the never dies
Here's hoping we shall meet again where the flag of freedom flies.

From there we travelled to an isle, the one we knew as Hell
The orders we were given were to hold out for a spell
We shared the same old slit trench while the bombs and bullets fell
But still we came back smiling with the same old yarns to tell.

And when the hardest moment came - we parted for a while
We went the way that soldiers do in good old army style
And even now when I think back it causes me to smile
For I went for a rest in dock and you to march your mile.

But fate decreed we meet again and here we are okay
Tonight we celebrate old times and talk of yesterday
Today we live and laugh and let the future bring what may
Until we part again old chap, "Here's all the best," I say.

- H. Seaman

 

[Hondo]

I feel honored to be in such company with everyone and thanks for sharing,
The attached photo of dad when in the navy (at top) this is 1945, here with two of his buddies, the guy with pistol belt was a tough guy I was told.
Second photo, my dad on the left holding a copy of the Stars & Stripes newspaper, something about their ship in a battle..

 

[Phog Allen]

Not golden era-WW1

Here's a pic of my grandad in 1918. He was 21 years old. Quite a jaunty figure with that rakish angle to his hat.

 

[Biltmore Bob]

My Dad and Mom, Homecoming 1960

 

[Biltmore Bob]

Senior Class picture, 1980...




to this, Parris Island South Carolina, August 1980...



Would you say that Boot Camp had a somewhat slimming effect on me?

 

[locobuster]

While my area of primary interest is the World War II era, no one in my family served at that time. My father was a career Marine, did two tours of duty in Vietnam and was wounded in combat. He retired as a Captain after serving over 25 years.

This is a photo of him just a few hours after being hit. The wound was actually a lot worse than it looks.

And here he is in the states.​

His father (my grandafther) served in the U.S. Navy during World War I aboard the U.S.S. Western Spirit. I never had the chance to know my grandfather, he died in the 50's.

My Grandfather.​

I also had a great uncle who served in the Marine Corps in South America between the wars and two uncles who served in the U.S. Army during the late 50's and early 60's.

 

[scotrace]

Dad

WWII, infantry. Photo taken in Belgium. More here: http://outsidethefence.typepad.com/walking/2005/12/remember_pearl_.html

 

[Twitch]

My Dad-

Me once

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Any stories about family and or friends that served in WW2?

I'm sure that there are many stories here. Many of us would not be here,both figuratively and literally, if not for our predecessor's involvement in that awesome period of history.
As to me, my uncle served in the Aleutian theater in Alaska. A much overlooked maybe, but still very important,(and at times desperate) theater of the war. The Japanese actually conquered and held 2 islands that are U.S. soil! From what I have heard, it was a terrible battle under very cruel conditions. My uncle NEVER said a word about it to any of us family members,(It must have been worse than even I can imagine) so I will take it upon myself to further investigate the history of this oft neglected corner of the war.

What stories do you have?

 

[shamus]

My grandfather served 2 years in the Aleutians. He never talked about it either. Except it was cold, and didn't see a woman for 2 years. They did have fresh eggs as they brought in a chicken or two. He then served another 2 years driving a motorcycle through german lines delivering documents.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

My grandad (so he told the story) was on a troop ship supposed to land in north africa. His ship got detoured, for some reason, around south africa and up through the suez canal. He spent a couple of months in egypt fishing and drinking. He did not make it to el alamein (sp?). His ship arrived too late for the invasion of sicily, and he didn't get to the invasion of italy in time. He marched through italy (always behind the front) and by the time he reached the north the war was over. At the end of the war he was posted to a prison holding officers of a concentration camp.

So, as one can expect, the only Germans he saw were dead or prisoners. The only Italians he saw were dead or prisoners. He never fired his gun. He was wounded by his drunk commanding officer who, while cleaning his sidearm, somehow managed to shoot my grandfather in the leg. What a war he had ...

Of course, when we were kids, he was wounded while riding a motorbike deep behind enemy lines. He was a cool guy.

bk