Met a WWII legend yesterday

[uctofeej]

Went to the WWII museum in New Orleans yesterday. Ted "Dutch" Van Kirk, the navigator on the Enola Gay, was there signing autographs. AT 87 years old, the guy's as sharp as a tack and likes to crack jokes.

It's not every day you meet someone who played a key role in altering the course of world history. It was just so cool, that I had to tell the Internet world!

 

[fhaze]

I think it's cooler Neil Peart wrote about him in a song.

 

[Janet]

It's not every day you meet someone who played a key role in altering the course of world history. It was just so cool, that I had to tell the Internet world!

Very cool. That would have been great!

 

[rainbowrider]

AT 87 years old, the guy's as sharp as a tack and likes to crack jokes.

Amazing. I wonder how many of the crew are still with us? My dad was a WWII vet, 82nd Airborne: Normandy to Berlin. He passed away a couple of years ago at 87.

I'm sure you'll remember your meeting for a long time.

 

[uctofeej]

Amazing. I wonder how many of the crew are still with us? My dad was a WWII vet, 82nd Airborne: Normandy to Berlin. He passed away a couple of years ago at 87.
I'm sure you'll remember your meeting for a long time.

My grandfather was a WWII vet as well. Oddly enough, his life may have been one that Van Kirk spared since he was on the USS Massachusetts just offshore.

I have a copy of the Massachusetts "year book" from the war and there's a picture of my grandfather in it as he's getting ready to go ashore with the occupation force. It could just as easily have been a pic of a landing force otherwise.

 

[rangerk9]

uctofeej,

What an honor!! Did you get any photos?

Rex

 

[radman]

I meet a WWII legend pretty much every other weekend. You won't find his name in books, Tom Hanks will never consult him for script accuracy. He tells the same stories over and over, Alzheimer's has removed quite a bit of what he once was, but scraps still surface. The mementos crowd his shelves, no museum display work here. The rifle lies unused, gathering dust for the first time in it's long history. Many of those he served with are gone now-his time will come to soon. But it won't be much longer, I'm afraid, and he'll be slappin' and drinking up some cold ones with his buds again-he's Gunny Winn, and he's my father in law. Semper Fi John. But sorry, I don't mean in any way to belittle your story. It is pretty cool to meet history.

 

[FJRMGM]

cool to know these old guys - who are dying off at a high rate per day now. A lot of untold stories will be gone when they leave.

Last year, while on a ride in Arkansas, we stopped for lunch at this country cafe and this old boy walked out to look at our bikes and marvelled at how they had changed since he rode a HD as an advance scout in WWII while in the Army.

I asked him about the dangers of being a scout and he replied: "it wasn't as bad as it could have been because the enemy artillery didn't have time to zero in on us like they did the foot soldiers that came behind us".

 

[Scab]

My grandfather was an infantry soldier in WWII. He was seriously wounded on 3 different occasions. He never whined, never complained, never told stories. He also never slept in the same room as my grandmother again. It seems he had the unfortunate habit of "trying to kill whatever he could get his hands on" while trying to sleep. It makes you wonder what happened while he was there.

 

[DucatiSSsp]

My grandfather was an infantry soldier in WWII. He was seriously wounded on 3 different occasions. He never whined, never complained, never told stories. He also never slept in the same room as my grandmother again. It seems he had the unfortunate habit of "trying to kill whatever he could get his hands on" while trying to sleep. It makes you wonder what happened while he was there.

Dad was in the army for WWII. Stationed in the Schofield barracks when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, then went of to Guadalcanal. 1st Army batallion/division(25th?) on the island after the marines.

Dad never talked much about the bad things that happened on Guadalcanal. He did have some funny stories though...fishing for sharks with hand grenades! Also has some photos of the locals. I'll have to dig those out of his closet someday. Came out of WWII a Capt.

One thing I have never heard him do was belittle or make fun of the Japanese! "Smart *******s" is usually his main label for the Japanese. Hope to celebrate my WWII legend's 90th B-day this July 4th. :yahoo:

Just found this on the net:

https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail....amp;rid=1023864

 

[phil]

I worked for a man in Houston for 2 years, who was a co-pilot flying "the Hump", in the bombing of Berlin. He would not discuss the experience, nor was he willing to fly again under any circumstance. On any other subject, he was always a jokester. He also rode a Yamaha motorcycle at very high speed. One of the most memorable men I have ever met. But we always knew he harbored a dark knowledge.

 

[FJRSTAR]

My grandfather was an infantry soldier in WWII. He was seriously wounded on 3 different occasions. He never whined, never complained, never told stories. He also never slept in the same room as my grandmother again. It seems he had the unfortunate habit of "trying to kill whatever he could get his hands on" while trying to sleep. It makes you wonder what happened while he was there.

Just found this on the net:

https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail....amp;rid=1023864

Thanks for that link...again. I had lost it. Just emailed and faxed them to finalize getting my Dad's military history. I hope they can help with any little thing.

I know he fought the Japanese in the Pacific but I am not sure where he was and what ship he was on or what islands they landed on. He would not talk about his military experience at all. He had nightmares about it and it really messed up his mental state. He had tons of photos of the landscape and the carnage and brought back a meatball flag, a samurai sword, silk banner and a 6.5 Carbine Arisaka rifle with ammo. I'm very curious about his experience as a Marine during the war. He was buried in his Marine military uniform along with his medals in 1979.

 

[FJR1300Jeff]

Very Cool...Those Guys that fought WW2 sure have my respect and gratitude. Much like the guys and gals fighting now. :clapping:

Only problem I have with the "Greatest Generation" was they raised the next generation....not sure what happened there....LOL

 

[phil]

Very Cool...Those Guys that fought WW2 sure have my respect and gratitude. Much like the guys and gals fighting now. :clapping:
Only problem I have with the "Greatest Generation" was they raised the next generation....not sure what happened there....LOL

Hey, I represent that remark, Jeff. I was born Summer of '42!

 

[Scab]

Very Cool...Those Guys that fought WW2 sure have my respect and gratitude. Much like the guys and gals fighting now. :clapping:
Only problem I have with the "Greatest Generation" was they raised the next generation....not sure what happened there....LOL

Hey, I represent that remark, Jeff. I was born Summer of '42!

Slacker.