Ask a WW2 battle of the bulge bronze star medal vet! right now

Originally posted by JBurns
Please express gratitude on my behalf, for being such a brave person, and a patriotic american. His contribution to that battle was essential to the success of it, and the war in general.

My question: what was being a soldier like back then?

It was very cold...I saw people die and I killed people...Then it was our duty...there wasnt a "choice" exactly..It was what you were supposed to do...the people you fought with were your friends...your brothers..the people you fought against were your enemy...but when they gave up without a fight, which was often, you couldnt help but feel bad for them.
you gave them food and they appreciated it

Thanks for the good comments, much appreciated

[edit on 25-11-2005 by xxKrisxx]

THis is great. My Dad is a vietnam vet (Flight engineer for CH-47Cs "Chinooks") who served in vietnam, only recently has he started talking about his experinace, and he is even getting all the medals he was awarded.

I would like you to ask your Grandfather; if there was anything that he had that was his "flag" (A picture of a girlfriend, letter from home) or a memory of home that gave him the will to keep on fighting in such extremes. When his thoughts turned back to home, what were they?

Thank you for risking your life, to protect my freedom. I never asked you to, nor will be able to repay it, but I want you to know how thankful I am to talk to a person such as you who has risked and gone through so much.

Please tell your Grandfather THANK YOU. I wish I could have found this tread while he was with you, to tell him thank you for his sacrifice. It is thanks to him and all our service men that we can have the freedoms we have.

God Bless him and all like him.

Originally posted by Jehosephat
THis is great. My Dad is a vietnam vet (Flight engineer for CH-47Cs "Chinooks") who served in vietnam, only recently has he started talking about his experinace, and he is even getting all the medals he was awarded.

I would like you to ask your Grandfather; if there was anything that he had that was his "flag" (A picture of a girlfriend, letter from home) or a memory of home that gave him the will to keep on fighting in such extremes. When his thoughts turned back to home, what were they?

Thank you for risking your life, to protect my freedom. I never asked you to, nor will be able to repay it, but I want you to know how thankful I am to talk to a person such as you who has risked and gone through so much.

that was so beautiful...my grandfather loved this post....He got engaged to my grandmother ....right before he left for war....he wrote her and asked her to name his tank...Julia named the tank, "Butch"....she named it this because it sounds so badasss, but you have to pucker your lips as a kiss to say it. "Butch" he carried her pictures with him thru out and thankfully returned home to marry for a wondeful 50 years, until she left him sadly, 11 years ago,

Thank you for your gracious words, sorry we took so long
Kristine

Originally posted by Masonic Student
Please tell your Grandfather THANK YOU. I wish I could have found this tread while he was with you, to tell him thank you for his sacrifice. It is thanks to him and all our service men that we can have the freedoms we have.

God Bless him and all like him.

We read this together, and he is so thankful for your appreciation, this thread has made his so happy. Wow, he is thrilled.

Kristine

Originally posted by xxKrisxx

Originally posted by Zaphod58
Here are a few questions, including one from my mother.

1. How long was he in Europe?
2. Was he involved in D-Day, or did he arrive after?
3. My mother is a mental health care nurse working with veterans, and she is wondering how he handled after the war (coming home, adjusting to peace time). She would like to know why there were so few WWII veterans that suffered from PTSD as compared to later wars. Did he talk about his experiences with someone, etc.

I am looking into a program that my mother knows about where you get a packet, and have a veteran either write about, or tape record his experiences, so that there is a record of them. Would he be interested in that?

I would love to hear more stories from him. Anything he would like to share would be VERY appreciated.

There for 1 year......No post traumatic stress...Everyone got home before him...so he wasnt recieved with a parade, or party...but noone gave him garbage for fighting ..he was well respected (hes saying now) unlike the viet nam vets returning, who were not respected upon return..."I was happy to be home" and live went on a usual

Oh by the way he would be certainly interested in sharing his experiences
he is so excited about the posting here, and your interest in it, thank you all, ...Cant tell what an exhilerating time he had with this!

thankfully
Kristine

Originally posted by Jehosephat
THis is great. My Dad is a vietnam vet (Flight engineer for CH-47Cs "Chinooks") who served in vietnam, only recently has he started talking about his experinace, and he is even getting all the medals he was awarded.

I would like you to ask your Grandfather; if there was anything that he had that was his "flag" (A picture of a girlfriend, letter from home) or a memory of home that gave him the will to keep on fighting in such extremes. When his thoughts turned back to home, what were they?

Thank you for risking your life, to protect my freedom. I never asked you to, nor will be able to repay it, but I want you to know how thankful I am to talk to a person such as you who has risked and gone through so much.

So to respond again because gramps love the post...I was so dam cold, hungry dirty.............And couldnt think of nothing else but to get warm.......It was wet and cold and I was hungry!! dirty!!! Basic comforts....Didnt think nothin' 'bout my life 'cause it was so dam miserable. Didnt want nothing but a little comfort

2 soldiers watchin 3 pows...I US soldier was bound for an injury to the arm...the unit was chowing...the soldier stepped of a vehicle and the POW took his gun to aid the injured enemy US soldier off the truck...the unit, freaked and the POW handed the soldier back his gun without incident...Hello were they happy to be captured or what111???

does your grandfather know anything about the composition of the german forces? like what divisions were there and that he personally fought against? im in a debate with a buddy weather or not "Grossdeutschland" was at the buldge.

anything will be greatly apreciated.

Originally posted by KrazyIvan
does your grandfather know anything about the composition of the german forces? like what divisions were there and that he personally fought against? im in a debate with a buddy weather or not "Grossdeutschland" was at the buldge.

anything will be greatly apreciated.

I didnt know who the hell I fought against cause we always detached to differernt outfits...infantry groups...We NEVer knew who we fought against.

"If they shot at us, We shot back."

sorry we couldnt answer your question, "Grossdeutschland", means "big Germany"...to my knowlege....when I ask German soldiers from my era, if they fought against me they always said..."No we fought against the Russians"...and "if you ever want to fight the Russians, we are with you."

When Gramps called everyone to fall in, he was suppose to have "98" he had 103 men, the extras said something in german, he let them go...a few gemans wanted chow...they volunteered as POWs

grossdeutschland menas "greater germany" sorry i had too. im a GD reenactor. it got that name from being made up of volunteers from all over germany.


again i had too.

Originally posted by KrazyIvan
grossdeutschland menas "greater germany" sorry i had too. im a GD reenactor. it got that name from being made up of volunteers from all over germany.


again i had too.

grandpa agrees