To be a German and watch your country embrace National Socialism, to see the thousands massed at the Nuremberg rallies.

To be Polish and be invaded from the west by Germany and from the east by Russia. To have everything literally taken from you and your family rounded up and put into camps. It must have been completely unbelievable.

To be a young British boy or farmer and be able to look up in the sky one summer and actually watch the Battle of Britain with your own eyes.

To have been Scandinavian and watch one European country after another fall and know your time is coming.

To have been Italian and watching the war wage in your yard from what was left of your home.

To be French and see the Normandy invasion fleet approaching the beach.

Hard to believe it was a mere three generations ago. More people died in 1945 than in any other year of recorded history. I don't think anyone understands what it was actually like if they weren't there.

mostly it would have sucked.

although if there was ever a cause worth dying for, defeating nazism was it.

I agree.

When I was younger, WWII was the "big one".  There was a real reverence for those who participated.  My grandfathers were intimately entwined in the events surrounding the war, if they did not actually participate.  (My FIL was a naval commander in the Pacific)  It seems now that it is getting harder to find someone who actually fought in the war.   All the veterans are dying off.   Our collective short attention spans enable Americans to easily forget.  I worry - as they say - those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.

I just put in my CMP order for three Garands today.    

Damn, I thought this would have a cool gun pic.

Quoted: . More people died in 1945 than in any other year of recorded history. I don't think anyone understands what it was actually like if they weren't there.

I'll bet we set a new record this century.

Quoted: Quoted: . More people died in 1945 than in any other year of recorded history. I don't think anyone understands what it was actually like if they weren't there. I'll bet we set a new record this century.

I bet you're right.

Quoted: Quoted: . More people died in 1945 than in any other year of recorded history. I don't think anyone understands what it was actually like if they weren't there. I'll bet we set a new record this century.

I would say that is highly probable......there are some people in this world that need some killin.

It kind of makes me feel wierd to realize that I live and work within a few miles of where Patton crossed the rhein.


 Alot of people died here. And when you look at some of the really old Germans, you can tell they remember what happened here. And I bet more than a few of them were nazi party members.

Imagine the refugees fleeing the Nazi Blitzkrieg, would you have been one of the refugees or would you have bunkered down and lived in the occupied territories working at a factory making guns for the invaders?

Or would you have been one of the Ukranians welcoming the Wermacht with flowers as they "liberated" your town from the Stalinists?

No one who's lived in the West and was born after WWII understands what Total War really means.  If they're lucky, they never will.

Yes, civilian American's of that time have to feel real lucky that we didn't have to live through the brunt of both the Axis (DEU/ITA/JAP) and Soviet war machines ...... things were very different here in the USA due to the war, but the every-day live more or less went on ...

The German army on the move must have been awsome ........

I truly pitty those people - especially the ones that were interred ......

I can't imagine what it would be like being free again after years of imprisonment and forced labor ........ especially going back home to find everything/everyone is gone ..... insane ......

I agree, not only are there few left who would undertsand what it was like, unfortunately few alive today are even aware of the current similarities that exist today.
History is no longer taught with any perspective of good and evil.
Our children are not taught civics as we were (I'm 35)
I went to school overseas for the most part, International schools, and we had American history throughout even though I was usually one of only 2 or 3 Americans in the class. Our system is taught to children of many countries in the International School System, unfortunately it is no longer taught here.
Today our schools are controlled by the socialists of the NEA and our children are being indoctrinated to accept the values of the NEA.(Democrat Socialists)
Example: The NEA is now pushing for "Gay History Month" i.e. "Black History Month"
We have school books called "My 2 Dads" in 1st grade. The kids are taught that multiculturalism is the only way, that they need to embrace every philosophy except that which our forefathers embraced when creating our great nation. They are taught that instead of brave heroes and wise men with foresight, our forefathers were evil white slave owners.
Many adults in my age bracket have become incredibly apathetic. So much so that all they care about is what is happening in their suburb, at the soccer game etc. How many adults do you know today that can even tell you who their senator is?

It is the "Dumbing Down of America", encouraging apathy and full trust in the mass media. Let Dan Rather tell you what is right and believe it.....  
This has set the stage for a National Socialist type movement to take over.
Don't believe me? Lets see how well the Dems did in the last 2 elections. They came close didnt they? Whats their platform? Increased secularization of our country, removing God from all public life, supression of our RIGHT to Keep and Bear Arms, socialist labor policies, indoctrination of the youth by taking over the education system, referring to religion as "outdated" in an attempt to kill it off.

ALL of these were also key components of the Nazi Party's platform in 1933.
ALL of these ARE key components of the Democratic Party's platform.

The only hope as I see it, is to wage a battle at home with the children, when they come home from school, let them know they are loved, let them know how great their country is, teach them pride in our system and make sure they know how hard it was fought for. Let the kids know that they CAN shape the future through action. (the schools now teach that this is not possible, as they do not teach that kids can eventually facilitate change in  the system through voting, remember,... civics is no longer taught the way we learned it.)

If you think the Dems are not a threat to our way of life you are counted amongst those who have already given up. Make no mistake, everything that made and still makes our country great is being threatened by the these Socialists. (open borders, the UN, gun control, abortion, etc etc) It begins at home, we gotta tell the kids how it really is, and be involved enough to at least keep an eye on what they are being taught at school.


Rant over.

The scale of that era indeed must have been surreal. Thankfully, I can hardly imagine what it would have been like.

Quoted: mostly it would have sucked. although if there was ever a cause worth dying for, defeating nazism was it.

Sir, that comment brings to memory a scene from "Band of Brothers" in one of the last installments.  The scene is one where Frank Picante (sp?) is in a guard bunker trying to read a book near or just after VE day.  A new replacement arrives for his duty in the bunker, humming "comming round the mountain", checks out the 1919 all full of it and ready for war.  Frank procedes to tell the newby off, ending his diatribe something to the effect:  "fuxxing war, haven't been home in two years".

Frank's circumstances displayed in that scene are not exactly what comes to my mind in association with a term such as "surreal", but it most certainly represents circumstances close to what I think of as "sucks".  JMHO, 7zero1.

Quoted: mostly it would have sucked. although if there was ever a cause worth dying for, defeating nazism was it.

I don't think anyone would doubt your points but I think you missed mine.

Being at Hiroshima definitely would have sucked. But seeing it would have been an incredibly unreal event. There were so many of those "unreal" events in WWII I don't think most people today could relate.

A mere three generations later the world is so completely different most can't even imagine what it was like.

My grandmother on my dad's side was straight outta Compton the Fatherland. She got out and eventually came to America when Hitler was beginning his rumblings.

She had no love for Hitler or what the Germans did to the Jews and other people they oppressed, but she'd listen to the speeches on the radio and she said she knew why they acted the way they did - Hitler was spellbinding, if you were receptive at all to what he was saying.

I was just at a funeral the other week, and there was a family member that is 99 years old there. All I could think when I found out her age was, how much history has she seen?

Sorry, double tap.

Quoted: No one who's lived in the West and was born after WWII understands what Total War really means.  If they're lucky, they never will.

I think the exception to that would have to be Bosnia.

Isn't there a Chinese curse "May you live in interesting times"?



-K

Imagine seeing the Battle of Kursk or Battle of Leyte Gulf.

Quoted: Quoted: No one who's lived in the West and was born after WWII understands what Total War really means.  If they're lucky, they never will. I think the exception to that would have to be Bosnia. Isn't there a Chinese curse "May you live in interesting times"? -K

I don't know if I count Eastern Europe as "the West."  

Quoted: My grandmother on my dad's side was straight outta Compton the Fatherland. She got out and eventually came to America when Hitler was beginning his rumblings. She had no love for Hitler or what the Germans did to the Jews and other people they oppressed, but she'd listen to the speeches on the radio and she said she knew why they acted the way they did - Hitler was spellbinding, if you were receptive at all to what he was saying. I was just at a funeral the other week, and there was a family member that is 99 years old there. All I could think when I found out her age was, how much history has she seen?

No kidding.

My father's boss was a German Luftwaffe pilot and did mission in Poland. When America entered the war (he visited America one time as some sort of project, so he knew what we had), he defected and flew his plane to England, crashed in some field and wondered around 3 days in full uniform until he found some one.

Imagine some poor Kraut trying to surrender in England and couldn't find a sole!

Quoted: Quoted: My grandmother on my dad's side was straight outta Compton the Fatherland. She got out and eventually came to America when Hitler was beginning his rumblings. She had no love for Hitler or what the Germans did to the Jews and other people they oppressed, but she'd listen to the speeches on the radio and she said she knew why they acted the way they did - Hitler was spellbinding, if you were receptive at all to what he was saying. I was just at a funeral the other week, and there was a family member that is 99 years old there. All I could think when I found out her age was, how much history has she seen? No kidding. My father's boss was a German Luftwaffe pilot and did mission in Poland. When America entered the war (he visited America one time as some sort of project, so he knew what we had), he defected and flew his plane to England, crashed in some field and wondered around 3 days in full uniform until he found some one. Imagine some poor Kraut trying to surrender in England and couldn't find a sole!

Before the war, the US military had nothing, it was at an all time low ..... I have to question this ....

It was a major/major revamping for the war ............ if we would have had to go up against the Germans in 1941 ........................

She hasn't forgotten!

From a 2004 reenactment through the French Countryside that I attended. We saw lots of people who were there and haven't forgotten what America did for the World in 44-45!

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: My grandmother on my dad's side was straight outta Compton the Fatherland. She got out and eventually came to America when Hitler was beginning his rumblings. She had no love for Hitler or what the Germans did to the Jews and other people they oppressed, but she'd listen to the speeches on the radio and she said she knew why they acted the way they did - Hitler was spellbinding, if you were receptive at all to what he was saying. I was just at a funeral the other week, and there was a family member that is 99 years old there. All I could think when I found out her age was, how much history has she seen? No kidding. My father's boss was a German Luftwaffe pilot and did mission in Poland. When America entered the war (he visited America one time as some sort of project, so he knew what we had), he defected and flew his plane to England, crashed in some field and wondered around 3 days in full uniform until he found some one. Imagine some poor Kraut trying to surrender in England and couldn't find a sole! Before the war, the US military had nothing, it was at an all time low ..... I have to question this ....

Not military stuff, but the fact we have thousands of factories, dozens of sea ports, millions of workers. It was a known fact America would dominate everyfield. New York City back then was quite a site. America was one of the few nations that were 100% self reliant.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: My grandmother on my dad's side was straight outta Compton the Fatherland. She got out and eventually came to America when Hitler was beginning his rumblings. She had no love for Hitler or what the Germans did to the Jews and other people they oppressed, but she'd listen to the speeches on the radio and she said she knew why they acted the way they did - Hitler was spellbinding, if you were receptive at all to what he was saying. I was just at a funeral the other week, and there was a family member that is 99 years old there. All I could think when I found out her age was, how much history has she seen? No kidding. My father's boss was a German Luftwaffe pilot and did mission in Poland. When America entered the war (he visited America one time as some sort of project, so he knew what we had), he defected and flew his plane to England, crashed in some field and wondered around 3 days in full uniform until he found some one. Imagine some poor Kraut trying to surrender in England and couldn't find a sole! Before the war, the US military had nothing, it was at an all time low ..... I have to question this .... Not military stuff, but the fact we have thousands of factories, dozens of sea ports, millions of workers. It was a known fact America would dominate everyfield. New York City back then was quite a site. America was one of the few nations that were 100% self reliant.

Yes, I see your point .......

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: My grandmother on my dad's side was straight outta Compton the Fatherland. She got out and eventually came to America when Hitler was beginning his rumblings. She had no love for Hitler or what the Germans did to the Jews and other people they oppressed, but she'd listen to the speeches on the radio and she said she knew why they acted the way they did - Hitler was spellbinding, if you were receptive at all to what he was saying. I was just at a funeral the other week, and there was a family member that is 99 years old there. All I could think when I found out her age was, how much history has she seen? No kidding. My father's boss was a German Luftwaffe pilot and did mission in Poland. When America entered the war (he visited America one time as some sort of project, so he knew what we had), he defected and flew his plane to England, crashed in some field and wondered around 3 days in full uniform until he found some one. Imagine some poor Kraut trying to surrender in England and couldn't find a sole! Before the war, the US military had nothing, it was at an all time low ..... I have to question this .... Not military stuff, but the fact we have thousands of factories, dozens of sea ports, millions of workers. It was a known fact America would dominate everyfield. New York City back then was quite a site. America was one of the few nations that were 100% self reliant.

Correct even Yamamoto was aware of, and feared Americas industrial capacity.

Yep very weird ! I grew up with my father being a former watercooled machine gunner , w/ Patton's 3rd army .

He's still kicking , The fear I have is after all of them are gone they will be demonized for winning the war the way the did in Europe flattening towns and shooting German soldiers in civvies as spy's .

And of course nuking Japan is going to shouted down from the roof tops ........

I proly wouldn't be here now as he was scheduled to go to the Pacific theater and get killed there .

I'm going to "make it my bidness " to keep the record straight during my life time .

It amazed me , and still does why these civy clothed terrs were not summarily shot as spy's .
Get the damn reporters out of there and take care of bidness .

My ol man has related several incidents to me since I was a kid , IT BLEW my mind when those same things were related in "Saving private Ryan"

"Memo to German soldiers : DO NOT SHOOT OUR MEDICS " especially when they are trying to aid a wounded German

Ready ...aim ...

Gitmo !!! you bet ....git mo spies to be shot .

Quoted: Correct even Yamamoto was aware of, and feared Americas industrial capacity.

Blades of grass...

ETA my mom lived in Liverpool as a child and had a bomb shelter in her backyard. They had an UXB in the backyard once.

My dad went from the farm in Missouri to doing glider drops in Burma.

Quoted: She hasn't forgotten! i49.photobucket.com/albums/f293/WolfgangZ/Greetings.jpg From a 2004 reenactment through the French Countryside that I attended. We saw lots of people who were there and haven't forgotten what America did for the World in 44-45!

That post gave me goosebumps.

Quoted: Quoted: Correct even Yamamoto was aware of, and feared Americas industrial capacity. Blades of grass... ETA my mom lived in Liverpool as a child and had a bomb shelter in her backyard. They had an UXB in the backyard once. My dad went from the farm in Missouri to doing glider drops in Burma.

Yea, my dad went from working in a textile factory in a town of 5,000 to being an infantry-man in the South Pacific - started in Hallandia, Humboldt Bay, New Guinea and went from there .... talk about a change of life ............. seeing total war and the thousands and thousands of fellow soldiers must have been very surreal to him ...

My father (83 yo and still kicking) fought in Europe in WWII, was wounded (nothing major, some shrapnel in his shoulder from a tree-burst) at the Battle of the Bulge.  

All the guys in his senior HS class went down to the recruiter and signed up together (only about 18 guys or so, small rural school).  The Greatest Generation!

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: My grandmother on my dad's side was straight outta Compton the Fatherland. She got out and eventually came to America when Hitler was beginning his rumblings. She had no love for Hitler or what the Germans did to the Jews and other people they oppressed, but she'd listen to the speeches on the radio and she said she knew why they acted the way they did - Hitler was spellbinding, if you were receptive at all to what he was saying. I was just at a funeral the other week, and there was a family member that is 99 years old there. All I could think when I found out her age was, how much history has she seen? No kidding. My father's boss was a German Luftwaffe pilot and did mission in Poland. When America entered the war (he visited America one time as some sort of project, so he knew what we had), he defected and flew his plane to England, crashed in some field and wondered around 3 days in full uniform until he found some one. Imagine some poor Kraut trying to surrender in England and couldn't find a sole! Before the war, the US military had nothing, it was at an all time low ..... I have to question this .... Not military stuff, but the fact we have thousands of factories, dozens of sea ports, millions of workers. It was a known fact America would dominate everyfield. New York City back then was quite a site. America was one of the few nations that were 100% self reliant. Correct even Yamamoto was aware of, and feared Americas industrial capacity.

Watched  a program on the History Channel this last weel that said the Japanese went to war with the home industry producing 2.5 pounds of supplies per soldier.

The American soldier went to war with the home industry producing 8000 pounds of goods per soldier.

My mom and grandmother (Oma) lived in Kampen, Netherlands during WW II while My grandfather (Opa) sailed oil tankers from Venezuala to England.  My mother and Oma didn't see my Opa from '39 to '45.   We visited the Netherlands last in '98.  My mom related stories of cycling to the neighboring towns to get shoes, clothing, & food items while trying not to draw the attention of the Germans along with many other amazing stories.  My great uncle was involved with the resistance as was my Oma (hiding contraband for a very short while).  Fortunately, for my mother Kampen was off the beaten path of military manuvers.

Kent

I was talking to an old man once who was a friend of my wife's grandmother.  

He told me about the Rhine river when he crossed over it in 1945 I believe.  He said the water was red with the blood of his fellow soldiers.  He was crying when he got through telling me the tale.  It was one of the most moving things I had ever heard.  He died alone in a nursing home, being basically forgotten by his grandkids.  

B

Quoted: Quoted: mostly it would have sucked. although if there was ever a cause worth dying for, defeating nazism was it. I don't think anyone would doubt your points but I think you missed mine. Being at Hiroshima definitely would have sucked. But seeing it would have been an incredibly unreal event. There were so many of those "unreal" events in WWII I don't think most people today could relate. A mere three generations later the world is so completely different most can't even imagine what it was like.

Just imagine liberating a concentration camp......  

I cannot.


efxguy

Quoted: To be a German and watch your country embrace National Socialism, to see the thousands massed at the Nuremberg rallies. To be Polish and be invaded from the west by Germany and from the east by Russia. To have everything literally taken from you and your family rounded up and put into camps. It must have been completely unbelievable. To be a young British boy or farmer and be able to look up in the sky one summer and actually watch the Battle of Britain with your own eyes. To have been Scandinavian and watch one European country after another fall and know your time is coming. To have been Italian and watching the war wage in your yard from what was left of your home. To be French and see the Normandy invasion fleet approaching the beach. Hard to believe it was a mere three generations ago. More people died in 1945 than in any other year of recorded history. I don't think anyone understands what it was actually like if they weren't there.

Yeah. I wonder who the liberals were blaming it on since Bush wasn't around?

j/k

Indeed. It must have been an "interesting" time to be alive.

Quoted: She hasn't forgotten! i49.photobucket.com/albums/f293/WolfgangZ/Greetings.jpg From a 2004 reenactment through the French Countryside that I attended. We saw lots of people who were there and haven't forgotten what America did for the World in 44-45!

Oh, no. The French in Normandy have not forgotten. Not one bit.

When my parents and I went back in 1984, the locals would always buy the drinks for the Americans. We politely refused, but eventually gracefully accepted so as not to offend them in their gratitude.

Very different from Paris, Normandy is.

Quoted: She hasn't forgotten! i49.photobucket.com/albums/f293/WolfgangZ/Greetings.jpg From a 2004 reenactment through the French Countryside that I attended. We saw lots of people who were there and haven't forgotten what America did for the World in 44-45!

that picture gave me goosebumps.

A buddy of mine visted Amsterdam in 1995, and it just happened to coincide with the 50th year rememberances of VE day.  He said it was the strangest thing for old men in old uniforms with tears in their eyes to come up to him and shake his hand and say, "It was young Americans like you who freed us!  You see that street?? There were German tanks driving on that street!"

My friend wasn't military,  just an ordinary looking college age tourist.  (I guess Americans stand out)

Not all Europeans have forgotten their debt to the US.   But you are correct, the ones that do remember are dying out.

Quoted: Quoted: She hasn't forgotten! i49.photobucket.com/albums/f293/WolfgangZ/Greetings.jpg From a 2004 reenactment through the French Countryside that I attended. We saw lots of people who were there and haven't forgotten what America did for the World in 44-45! that picture gave me goosebumps.

It put a lump in my throat.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: mostly it would have sucked. although if there was ever a cause worth dying for, defeating nazism was it. I don't think anyone would doubt your points but I think you missed mine. Being at Hiroshima definitely would have sucked. But seeing it would have been an incredibly unreal event. There were so many of those "unreal" events in WWII I don't think most people today could relate. A mere three generations later the world is so completely different most can't even imagine what it was like. Just imagine liberating a concentration camp......   I cannot. efxguy

I remember one officer writing about his unit liberating a concentration camp. He commented that his troops were among the most jaded, battle-hardened men he'd ever seen. They barely reacted at seeing one of their own get blown apart.

He said most of them were violently ill and many collapsed and were crying uncontrollably when they began going through the camp and releasing the prisoners.

I find it hard to believe that most camp guards and administrators weren't executed on the spot.

While we're talking about WWII...



A caption for this pic from another site:

Landing operations on Rendova Island, Solomon Islands, June 30,1943. Attacking at the break of day in a heavy rainstorm, the first Americans ashore huddle behind tree trunks and any other cover they can find.

My grandfather is the one kneeling up front. I have a short paper he wrote in 1994 about some of his time in the war. It's only on paper, but if anyone is interested I can type it in. I also have a ton of pictures to scan.

Quoted: Quoted: She hasn't forgotten! i49.photobucket.com/albums/f293/WolfgangZ/Greetings.jpg From a 2004 reenactment through the French Countryside that I attended. We saw lots of people who were there and haven't forgotten what America did for the World in 44-45! Oh, no. The French in Normandy have not forgotten. Not one bit. When my parents and I went back in 1984, the locals would always buy the drinks for the Americans. We politely refused, but eventually gracefully accepted so as not to offend them in their gratitude. Very different from Paris, Normandy is.

Whenever we are making fun of the French in general, I always try and draw a distinction between Normans and Parisians.

With the WWII stories coming up in this article of surreals, I am reminded of my grandfather. He was a US Army infantryman who fought in the amphibious invasion of Okinawa.

I grew up appreciating his stories, and he was one to teach as much as he could about "dubya-dubya two." But it was outside Mobile, Alabama at the USS Alabama musuem where I grew to appreaciate the scale and likely surreality of his experience - the photos of the huge fleets on their way to Okinawa (the first to experience Kamikaze attacks), the sheer scale of it, and the thought of being one man in amongst it was a deep experience.

Their resourcefulness and endurance in the face of hardships were inspiring. He told of them "bombing" schools of sea turtles with blocks of TNT so that could have fresh meat on the troop transport ships, and setting tripwire grenades on cowpaths in Okinawa for beef. That put the "luxury" of being able to pull MRE cases out of a loaded conex into perspective.

It is the "Dumbing Down of America", encouraging apathy and full trust in the mass media. Let Dan Rather tell you what is right and believe it..... This has set the stage for a National Socialist type movement to take over. Don't believe me? Lets see how well the Dems did in the last 2 elections. They came close didnt they? Whats their platform? Increased secularization of our country, removing God from all public life, supression of our RIGHT to Keep and Bear Arms, socialist labor policies, indoctrination of the youth by taking over the education system, referring to religion as "outdated" in an attempt to kill it off. ALL of these were also key components of the Nazi Party's platform in 1933. ALL of these ARE key components of the Democratic Party's platform.

Exactly, National Socialist was totalitarian and advocated gun control.  It was political left not right.  Democrats today are no different than Nazis, Stalinists, Maoists.  They are all the same....totalitarian gun control advocates.  

Socialist is totalitarian, it is not voluntary.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: She hasn't forgotten! i49.photobucket.com/albums/f293/WolfgangZ/Greetings.jpg From a 2004 reenactment through the French Countryside that I attended. We saw lots of people who were there and haven't forgotten what America did for the World in 44-45! Oh, no. The French in Normandy have not forgotten. Not one bit. When my parents and I went back in 1984, the locals would always buy the drinks for the Americans. We politely refused, but eventually gracefully accepted so as not to offend them in their gratitude. Very different from Paris, Normandy is. Whenever we are making fun of the French in general, I always try and draw a distinction between Normans and Parisians.

I don't really count the Normans as being French. They're better than that, in general.

I would have loved to see MacArthur return to the phillipines

During WWII pretty much all the B-24 bombers and P-47 fighters used our local AFB as their jumping off point as they were flown to England.

My father used to watch them all day coming and going, he said there was no time when you didnt hear the drone of radial engines. He eventualy joined the airforce and was in during Korea.

There are still remnants of that period at the now civilian airport.

Since we are posting pictures:


My dad.  1Lt. Sid Smith in May 1944. Later became the company commander of Co-B 121st Combat Engineers 29th Infantry Division.  Stepped ashore on June 6, 1944 0705 hours, Normandy France, Omaha Beach sector Dog Green.  Earned the Bronze Star, two Purple Hearts and the Silver Star for his actions in securing Ft. Montberry outside the City of Brest France September 13-16, 1944.  My father's experience in Brest and at Ft. Montberry will soon be featured in a soon to be published book by Joseph Balkoski.  The book will be a sequel to Mr. Balkoski's book Beyond the Beachhead

Dad is now 86 and he lives comfortably in Florida.

If shit dosent get any better, i feel we may get a taste of it first hand........

Bump

Quoted: mostly it would have sucked. although if there was ever a cause worth dying for, defeating nazism was it.

The idea is not to die for your Country.
The idea is to make sure the other poor dumb bastard dies for his Country......