Today I met a WW2 Veteran, it was great to see him and recognize that the greatest generation that fought for this country are almost gone. Of the 16 million men who served in World War 2 as of this year only 240,329 are still alive. My Dad was one of those that served...
My Dad made the cover of Newsweek when World War 2 ended and he had just re-enlisted. He had forged his birth certificate so he could join the army in 1939. He fought and survived the Battle of the Bulge, Invasion of Normandy, as well as campaigns in North Africa, Sicily and others in the European Theater.
He received three purple hearts, two bronze stars a silver star and the Czechoslovakians equivalent of the Medal of Honor (He and 50 US soldiers rescued a handful of Czech political prisoners from a German POW camp, 12 soldiers made it back alive and all received this medal, the only US soldiers to do so during the war).
I was able to send him back to Germany and France about 9 years ago, he had not been overseas since the war and he needed the closure.
He found some names here that he remembered.
He was in the Big Red One;
No Mission Too Difficult, No Sacrifice Too Great, Duty First...
A local Frenchman expressing his gratitude for my Dad's sacrifices, bought him lunch and tossed down a few cold ones with him, he couldn't speak English and my Dad doesn't speak French and it didn't matter after the introduction was made by an interpreter. They just laughed and drank together for a few hours.
During the landing at Normandy a mortar hit my Dad in the back blowing up his back pack and lodging about 11 pieces of shrapnel in and around his spine, several of which remained there his entire life. It should have blown him to bits but he survived, fortunately it wasn't the first or last time he experienced a miracle during the war.
He made it to the age of 91, fathered five children all of whom were fortunate enough to be able to see him in the days before he went on ahead. We miss you Dad...
My Dad made the cover of Newsweek when World War 2 ended and he had just re-enlisted. He had forged his birth certificate so he could join the army in 1939. He fought and survived the Battle of the Bulge, Invasion of Normandy, as well as campaigns in North Africa, Sicily and others in the European Theater.
He received three purple hearts, two bronze stars a silver star and the Czechoslovakians equivalent of the Medal of Honor (He and 50 US soldiers rescued a handful of Czech political prisoners from a German POW camp, 12 soldiers made it back alive and all received this medal, the only US soldiers to do so during the war).
I was able to send him back to Germany and France about 9 years ago, he had not been overseas since the war and he needed the closure.
He found some names here that he remembered.
He was in the Big Red One;
No Mission Too Difficult, No Sacrifice Too Great, Duty First...
A local Frenchman expressing his gratitude for my Dad's sacrifices, bought him lunch and tossed down a few cold ones with him, he couldn't speak English and my Dad doesn't speak French and it didn't matter after the introduction was made by an interpreter. They just laughed and drank together for a few hours.
During the landing at Normandy a mortar hit my Dad in the back blowing up his back pack and lodging about 11 pieces of shrapnel in and around his spine, several of which remained there his entire life. It should have blown him to bits but he survived, fortunately it wasn't the first or last time he experienced a miracle during the war.
He made it to the age of 91, fathered five children all of whom were fortunate enough to be able to see him in the days before he went on ahead. We miss you Dad...
