doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Veteran's Day

As a fellow Veteran, I would like to thank and remember all of our Veterans everywhere. Those who didn't return will be in my prayers.
Karl

And Happy Birthday, USMC! Gil

Hat's off to those who have served.

Thanks to all who served, and also thanks to all who recognized them today ...... and everyday. My church fellowship makes it a point to recognize each year, and thank, all who served, as was done at the beginning of services this morning. For myself, and all others who served, thanks to you who care.

Thanks for your service, Stan. All you other guys, too. My Dad did 22 years active duty, 8 years as a reservist, in the USMC.

I tore my ACL in high school, and it kept me out of the Coast Guard.

Best,
Ted

HHC 3/325th INF 82nd Airborne Division 1971-1974
Thanks to the Vets & special thumbs up to those that wore Silver Wings!

+1. Well said!!!!!

Today is Remembrance Day in Canada---the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of the 1918 armistice, a minute of silence throughout the Commonwealth.

None of my boys had to serve, but my Grandfather did, my Daddy did and I did. I don't know any further back than that, but I know we were represented on both sides of the War Between the States, mostly on the losing side. God Bless America!...Geo

Flying our flag proudly this morning for those who have served and are serving to maintain our freedoms.

Have one veteran friend that is always quick to point out that today is for those who are here with us and Memorial Day is for those who gave all.

I'm just glad to see an overall improvement for recognition than existed at an earlier time.

A salute to all of you here and everywhere that have served or are serving.

Its the veterans that protect our freedoms when the going gets tough and not some politician, judge or mutt w/their own agenda who would ignore them, regulate them or take them away and yes, it makes a difference.

My wife and I are on our way to the local school for a Veteran's Day program. It is always put on by the grammar school classes. I think it is wonderful that they are teaching the young ones.
Mike

"In Flander's Fields, where poppies grow-- there stand white crosses, row on row-- In my case-- from the center axis of the Wall- Five rows East- 63rd name- (aprox in the middle of that fifth Black Panel--) Don was the guy who you always wanted to be with--loyal, great athlete, Class president-- why does it always seem like those guys end up in body bags, and the "10 per-centers' and the REMF's make it back "To The World" intact?

Just reading a book by the C.O. of his Unit-- "Danger's Dragoons" written by Col. (Ret) Wm. Haponski-- The Air/Cav Division of the Big Red One-- I served in the USMC 3rd. Mar/ Div-- Yes, Sunday 10/Nov we "Jarheads" celebrated 274 years, but on 11/Nov each year, since "Ike" declared it "Veteran's Day" in 1954, all of us who served America celebrate as Brothers In Arms... And by the way, my favorite General, after "Chesty" Puller, George Smith Patton Jr., was born on 11/Nov.

Semper Fi-- RWTF

[""10 per-centers' and the REMF's make it back "To The World"] Fox

I'm sorry Fox, but when I read someone referring to veterans as you just did, and on Veterans Day it strikes me as wrong. My respect on this day is for every guy who took the oath and put his future in Uncle Sam's hands. Not everyone fought, not everyone in mine and your generation even went to Vietnam. No personal offense meant...Geo

My father, cutting across a large corner lot in Guelph, Ontario, as a kid, was stopped by a tall, erect white-haired man of military bearing. He asked my father's name and school and favourite subject. When Dad said English, he asked if he knew poetry. When Dad said yes, he was asked if he knew In Flanders Fields. With a positive response, he asked if he would recite it for him. When Dad recited the poem, the man man said to my father, age 9, "John McRae is my son."

King even though its U.S. Veteran's Day here, I always think of my father in law Col. Everette Denison who was unfortunate to have been with the Quebec Rifles in Hong Kong when it fell to the Japanese in 1940. He spent 4 1/2 years
in a prison camp and lost hundreds of men to disease, torture, and starvation as they built Kai Tak Airport.

Went to the vet's breakfast this morning. Packed as usual.

Hal
USMC 1535853

King-
We quote "In Flanders Field", and give out Poppies( usually paper, and made at first by disabled "Great War" Veterans) on Armistice Day, now Veterans Day. I wonder how many realize it was written about UK friends that fell in 1914 Belgium. WE also honor our friends on this day even if we don't know it.
Mike

Thanks, Karl-back at you!

101st Airborne, Vietnam, 1968-1969

Fox,
The Air/Cav Division was the 1st Cavalry Division( Air Mobile), the Big Red 1 was the 1st Infantry Div., both outstanding units with proud histories, but are not the same; just as the 3rd Marine Division is different than the 3rd Infantry Division even though both are proud units any member should be proud of.
Mike

Suffering of prisoners of the Japanese is unimaginable. My father was POW of the Luftwaffe in Stalag Luft III for three years, a camp of some 11,000 Allied airmen, scene of The Great Escape. Six POWs died of natural causes there during the war. An adjoining camp for Russians, not protected by Geneva Convention, carted off hundreds each month, starved, without medical care and worked to death. My wife, oldest daughter and I visited Zagan, now in Poland, two years ago. It had a single huge sculpture at the entrance of a near-prostrate dying Russian with an arm up in appeal to humanity.

The Russians had a soft spot for German POW's and vice versa. The Germans treated US POW's far better than they did the Russians. I knew more than a handful of dad's friends who survived as POWs in German camps. Mom's oldest brother, on the other hand, was a captured airman who was eventually murdered by the Japanese captors in New Guinea. The one thing all of our veterans, living and dead, have in common is that they signed a blank check with their lives as payment in service to our country. Gil

Guess I have mis-read the Colonel's book- Can't ask Don, he died "In Country" near Pleiku--Point man, that and door gunner on a Huey- very short life expectancy. RWTF

None taken, George. All branches of our Military Service have their heroes, and their share of "non-quals". Fact of life. But when one of the finest guys God ever created gets blown to bits by a NVA grenade booby trap-- And idiots like Lt. Albert Gore get a "REMF" MOS, due to their father being an influence bases Senator from TN during the 'Nam Conflict- or Veeps like numbnutted Danny Qualye get a Reserve billet- It don't sit well with me- RWTF

The ones that don't sit well with me are the ones that turned tail and ran to Canada. Then Jimmy Carter let them come back. At least the ones that refused to go and went to jail had the courage of their convictions. I wouldn't give Jane Fonda a hand full of dry briers if she were a cow in a concrete pasture, she is acting up again.
Mike

Concur-- "Hanoi Jane" Fonda and Hillary Clinton- 2 of many women extant in our world that value their "celebrity status" over their responsibilities as American citizens. Just as my Grandfather said-- "America started on the road to Hell in a handbasket when women got the right to vote and got into the man's world of politics- first off, they vote for a lightweight like Warren G. Hardon, because he looks like Douglas Fairbanks Jr.-- then they push to get liquor banned, deprivin' a hard workin' man from a shot of whiskey every now and then, so opening the door for Al Capone and his gang to become millionaires.""

RWTF,
I think I would have really liked your Grandfather.

God bless you all who served and God bless America

Amen

That's an important point to make. And good to remember, as we reflect on Veterans' Day, that NO ONE has to sign that check these days. All volunteer military. Whenever I find myself pessimistic about what's going on in my country, I remember the young men and women who are volunteering today. And I remember that there are far fewer of them serving in uniform today--protecting far more of us--than was the case during the Cold War. And I'm also thankful that for the most part, the population of the USA has managed to recognize that it's not those who wear the uniform who get us involved in foreign wars. They're only the ones who end up following orders, and sometimes come home in body bags. Or, more often, with physical or mental problems stemming from their service. Colonel (retired), Military Intelligence, US Army Reserve.

Thank you, Willeb- many men did whose lives he touched in his 75 years on earth. He passed on some "words of wisdom" that have endured in my life. I'll share a few with you, if you'd like, knowing that some of them may be familiar to you: (a) A banker will always be glad to loan you money when you don't really need it. (b) A small town is one where everybody knows if your wife, your word and your personal checks are good. (3) Never get into pissin' contests with skunks. RWTF

thank you

USAF 1971- 1995

retired 1995-2019 seems like yesterday !!

Mike