Any WW ll vets in your family before your family turned to Marxism?

[Rebel]

My grandfather hopped around islands in Pacific with the 155th Infantry Regiment, 31st Infantry Division. He was in the national guard for a year before the war kicked off, activated, and eventually got out of the service after the war ended.

[dutch508]

My dad was in Korea, my uncle in Vietnam. My great uncle and several others were in WWII. My Great grandfather and his brother were in WWI. Five GG relatives fought in the Indian Wars, two of them were killed with Custer at Little Big Horn. More than a dozen were on both sides during the Civil War. I know of two who fought during the Revolution.
When you get back to the old country the tradition continues.
My oldest son just enlisted.
I served for 28 years.

[BlueStateSaint]

A lot of pilots loved the Wildcats. I saw a documentary about them on the military channel. While slower than the others mentioned, the armor plating was second to none.

My uncle said that, being based near San Diego, that he and his boyhood friend, who flew Dauntlesses/Helldivers, would occasionally fly over the border to Mexico and buy whatever tequila they could find, and fly back.  The Wildcats couldn't carry much--the machine guns and ammo boxes had to be left at base.  With a second seat (and leaving the gunner behind), the Dauntlesses/Helldivers could carry a lot more booze.  One day, there in the taxi area, was the base commander waiting for them.  Six months' grounding over that.

ETA:  My wife's side . . . her great-uncle, who was an Ordnance officer with the 102nd ID in Eurpoe, got a Bronze Star for figuring out the method of firing captured German artillery rockets back at the Nazis.  He also found a burned-out barn with something along the lines of just over 1,000 Jews that had been burned to death inside it.  He never told me about that one--I read it in a newspaper.  On my wife's father's side, eleven generations back, was the commander of the Patriot forces at the Battle of Oriskany in the American Revolution.

[Dori]

3 g-uncles enlisted into WWII.  2 Navy and one Army.  The Navy uncles were in the Pacific and the Army uncle was killed in a tank in nothern Africa.

Prior to that was my ggg-granfather who was in the Civil War.  He fought in the Yazoo Swamps, where he and many others developed an intestinal disease,  lost an eye and spent half his military time in the hospital.  According to his military pension papers, he wasn't very healthy most of his life after that. 
 

[DefiantSix]

My grandfather was a green private fresh from jump school when he was assigned to the 508th parachute infantry regiment, 101st Airborne in July 1945. You never met a man more grateful than my grandfather for the atomic bomb.

For Memorial Day, we put on a documentary of the 1967 fire on the USS Forrestal for my son. His grandpa was serving his first fleet posting aboard that ship (as an Aviation Ordnanceman in an A-6 squadron) when this incident occurred. Even though Grandpa Mike wasn't killed in this, my boy seemed to understand his first grasp of what it means when good men (and women now) give everything they have in the service of their countrymen.  Joshua was especially impacted by the actions of Chief Gerald Farrier.

[Mike220]

My granddad (mom's dad) was Army. He was originally assigned to the 27th Infantry Division when it was reactivated in October 1940. He ended up getting out as a Lieutenant. I think I vaguely recall pilots wings on one of the pictures I saw, but I can't remember. I need to go to my aunt's house since she has a lot of the family heirlooms and pictures.

Here's a pic of him (well, his back) and my great grandmother from the Gary, IN newspaper when he left for basic.


Before the war he played for the Chicago Bears (even has his own Wiki page) and after the war he married my grandmother. He died 5 years before I was born. Would have loved to hear his stories, but alas, it wasn't to be.

Don't know a damn thing about my dad's side.

[98ZJUSMC]

A lot of pilots loved the Wildcats. I saw a documentary about them on the military channel. While slower than the others mentioned, the armor plating was second to none.

A very solid A/C.  One of the top Japanese aces retold one of his encounters with an F4F-3, I believe.  He was absolutely dumbfounded that it was still flying......

....with a smiling Navy fighter jock looking back at him.

I believe he said he emptied his entire base load into him.  Even the 20 mike-mike.

Before the war he played for the Chicago Bears

Say no more.  He's cool!   

[Mike220]

Say no more.  He's cool!   

Even has his own wiki page!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Mihal

[DumbAss Tanker]

A very solid A/C.  One of the top Japanese aces retold one of his encounters with an F4F-3, I believe.  He was absolutely dumbfounded that it was still flying......

....with a smiling Navy fighter jock looking back at him.

I believe he said he emptied his entire base load into him.  Even the 20 mike-mike.


Say no more.  He's cool!   

It was built like a tank, aside from being somewhat underpowered, but like the Spit and the Bf-109, its narrow landing gear killed an awful lot of pilots.

[Zathras]

I only know of one relative who served during WW2. Sadly it was for only 6 minutes and he is still with the 1176 other comrades who were killed in action at 0806 on 12-07-41 aboard USS Arizona (BB-39). I found out about this on my first visit to the Arizona Memorial....it was a bit of a shock looking at the marble wall with the names of the officers and enlisted who died that day and seeing your last name on it.

[Chris_]

I only know of one relative who served during WW2. Sadly it was for only 6 minutes and he is still with the 1176 other comrades who were killed in action at 0806 on 12-07-41 aboard USS Arizona (BB-39). I found out about this on my first visit to the Arizona Memorial....it was a bit of a shock looking at the marble wall with the names of the officers and enlisted who died that day and seeing your last name on it.

I discovered a man's name on the Vietnam Memorial that matched my father's other than the middle initial. 

It was very disturbing, especially since my family name isn't one you see every day.  There are variations in spelling which makes ours even more rare.

[Flufferlie]

I have a military history in my family going back to the Civil war (on both sides of the battle field)...and as far as WWII goes, I have a grandfather who served in the Army, and was a sergeant when he came back home. He served in the Battle of Okinawa.

I also have a great grandfather on my mother's side who served and was awarded a purple heart for his hand which was blown off. I don't know what branch of the military he was in or his rank.

I am very proud of my military history in my family. (yes even the Confederate) I don't understand anyone who would be ashamed of serving your country.

[Aristotelian]

Both grandfathers were in the army during W.W.II.

I don't know what my paternal grandfather did, he died before I was born - but have seen pictures of him in uniform around the time of his marriage to my grandmother.

My maternal grandfather came of age during the War, he arrived in Normandy the day after D-day; from what he said he used to help targeting in the artillery by calculating the angles the guns should be pointed up.

[marv]

Dad was in WW2 in the Pacific on a cruiser from 43 till 45. His ship earned 7 battle stars while he was on board. A few years ago at CU I posted the diary he kept after the war ended and was going to do it here, but just never have.

Here's my Dad's diary.

Here's my heritage...

Revolutionary War:
    Benjamin Cruzan, Sr., Co. "C", 5th Troop, 1st Regiment Light Dragoons, Continental Troops

War of 1812:
    Benjamin Cruzan, Jr., Dowden's Company of Infantry, 4th Kentucky Volunteers

Civil War:
    William Manton Cruzan, Co. "E", 12th Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Cavalry

World War I:
    Benjamin Edgar Cruzan, Pvt., Battery "F", 341st Field Artillery, 89th Division, 3rd Army, AEF

...and I'm damned proud!

Our family has had members in every war this nation has been involved in except the Mexican War and Gulf II, and the flag proudly flies in the front yard.

[Dori]

Don't know a damn thing about my dad's side.

I play around in genealogy.  If you want, I might be able to find out a few things for you.  PM me if your interested.

[Tucker]

Civil War:
    William Manton Cruzan, Co. "E", 12th Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Cavalry

Yankee.

[RobJohnson]

My grandfather was there, he was an amphibious tractor driver and you left out several locations. He didn't make it to Iwo Jima but they were on reserve to go. Funny story is that he volunteered and when he got home from the induction station there was a letter from the draft board waiting for him.
We have the pleasure/honor to host the reunion of his unit here in Hampton Roads this year. They have the honor of being the first group kicked out of the USMC museum.

My other grandfather served in the Army in Europe and was at the liberation of one of the camps. He served honorably but never talked about it.

Also since the primitives want to be sexist, my grandmother served for the duration as a WAVE working in the pentagon for one of the fleet Admirals. My other grandmother worked in wartime industries.

My grandmother also worked in wartime industries while my grandfather was serving in WWII.

When my father was serving, my mother had a job with the Rock Island Arsenal in Illinois. I believe she was an editor and a typesetter. She worked for a couple newspapers before that.

Lots of great memorials here of those that have served our nation. Warms my heart to read them all.