Veterans

[usafmedic45]

A private discussion between another member and myself about one of my hobbies- history- made me decide to post this thread. Sadly, I missed out on the chance to ask my grandfather about his service in the US Navy during WWII and now those stories are lost forever. It is something I deeply regret and it is one of the reasons why I so strongly encourage everyone I meet to talk to the older members of their family- veterans or not- about their experiences. History is more than dry facts and figures. It's what happens to individuals. That's what matters.

One of the ways I spend my time is recording veteran testimonies, with a focus on WWII and especially on medical providers during the war. If anyone has any veterans in their family I encourage you to talk to them, get them to put down their experiences in writing, on tape (be it video or audio). If you need help with this, please let me know. If I am too far away to help you personally, I probably have a contact near you who would be happy to help. If one of your friends or family members is a medical veteran of WWII please let me know as I am actually working on a book on the subject so any information or experiences they are willing to share with another military medical veteran would be appreciated.

My fiancee is focusing on interviewing war correspondents of WWII through Vietnam and the Womens Air Service Pilots (WASP) of WWII. I have other friends who are interested in veterans of Korea, Viet Nam and all the wars since. This is very important.

In what may seem an act of strangely out of character emotion given my reputation on this forum, I implore each and every one of you to not let this opportunity slip through your hands. Even if you don't care, there are those of us who do and will do whatever it takes to make sure these brave men and women get the respect and thanks do them.

Regardless of what you think of me personally, I ask your assistance and support in this endeavour. This is not about me, this is about doing what is right because it is right. Those who do not learn, repeat and preserve history are dooming us to repeat it and the greatest disrespect to a person is for the fact that they lived and what they sacrificed to do in their life to be lost to the passage of time. Help me and my friends do something about that.

 

[Tommerag]

That's awesome work. I know what you mean as well. One of my grandpa's was in WWII in the army, but died when I was 10 so I never got to ask him about it nor tell him that I had decided to join. From what my dad and uncles have said, he told them he watched the invasion of Normandy, waiting to unload vehicles. I also know he was all over Europe but thats it.

My other Grandpa was in Korea, my mom said he refused to talk about it, but he did say he was in every major battle was a Marine machine gunner. He died when i was 17, never got to tell him I was joining as well.