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Have you or a family member served in the military

Military Service - See first post for question


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TheGirlNextDoor

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Has anyone in your family served in the military and was their service during a time of war or during peace time?

Have YOU served in the military and was it during a time of war or during peace time?

Just curious to see who would be familiar with supporting loved ones while they were in the military - whether or not you personally agreed with a war effort.
 
My uncle - WWII, pacific arena.

If memory serves, he told some stories about fighting on Corregidor (sp?).

He died a few years ago.

That was ~40 years before I was born (my aunt is about a decade and a bit younger than he was), so I don't have any experience with family members being in a war.
 
My father served in the Marine Corps during Vietnam, as did my only Uncle. My paternal grandfather served in the Marine Corps during WWII in the Pacific Theater, and my maternal grandfather served in the Army in the Pacific Theater during WWII.

I have several friends who have sons (and one, a daughter) and husbands who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. One lady I worked with a couple of years ago, lost her son in Iraq due to an IED explosion.

Since this is a military town, we are pretty tight knit.
 
I have served, 2 tours for OIF and once during Desert Storm.

My daughter serves, 1 tour for OIF

My wife was in the Air Force reserves, not during a time of war

Dad was drafted but 4Fed out of service during Vietnam

Father-in-law was a navigator (B-17s) during WWII and Korea
 
My late Grandfather served in the AAE in France 1917-1918 as a Captain in an artillery unit. He earned the Silver Star, the "cross", two purple hearts and the Croix De Guerre from the French

My late Uncle was a Ensign, USN, KIA at Okinawa doing close support mission in a carrier based Fighter. Purple heart, DFC among others.

My father was a deck officer on a cruiser-after his brother was KIA (two months before we nuked Japan) he was pulled from any further chance of seeing combat.

My nephew is currently a Captain in the US Special Forces--he served in the big Iranian offensive in the Rangers, then joined the SF. His current location is classified--he told me in a phone message about 6 weeks ago that he was going to be gone for a while. Where, I wasn't told
 
Yes, I served during a war. Yes, I have family who served during a war.
 
I'll probably get in trouble for fair use...but...

My fiance Tom was in Viet Nam. He served in the DaNang Mortuary. His job was to begin preparing American KIA for their final journey home. He's such a a warm, fuzzy guy, it's hard to believe that he saw and did what he saw and did. He had to fingerprint each and every soldier. Sometimes, decomp was so advanced that he had to slice off the skin at the wrist and then wear it as a glove to get the prints. How can someone not be forever changed after doing that for a year or more? He also drove a truck and had to go pick up the undertakers, private contractors who were paid by the US Army to embalm our guys. He'd go one day and pick up a dozen embalmers. Then the next day, he'd be driving 4 or 5 of them back because they just couldn't take the work. Our soldiers often buried their comrades so the North Vietnamese couldn't get hold of their bodies. The jungle heat did the rest.

Tom was just welcomed home from Viet Nam by Warriors' Watch. Part of their mission statement:

"The men and women of the United States Armed Forces are the finest generation of young Americans that our country has ever produced. They are the strongest and yet most merciful, the fiercest and yet most welcomed, the most dreaded and yet most compassionate, the deadliest and yet most moral warriors in history. As of June 30, 2008, about 1,427,546 men and women are on active duty in the United States Armed Forces, with an additional 1,458,400 in the seven reserve components. THE WARRIORS' WATCH RIDERS WILL HONOR EVERY ONE OF THEM."

I gave Tom a surprise birthday party, and Warriors' Watch celebrated with us. They sent 45 or more Harley riders in full patriotic regalia joined by a fire truck and a few police cars. Engines revving, sirens blaring, they slowly drove up a long driveway at the restaurant where we partied. And, finally, after 40 years, Tom and his best buddy Paul got their Viet Nam welcome home.

Paul was a point man in his company. 75 missions. Also the demo man. How he made home alive, I don't think anyone knows. He was forever changed...

Thanks for asking. And giving me a place to tell that short story. If you ever have a chance to rub elbows with the folks at Warriors Watch, don't miss it. It's the experience of a lifetime.

Warriors’ Watch Riders: WE HAVE YOUR BACKS AT HOME!

The Procession.jpgThe Group Fixed.jpg
 
My grandfather served in WW2 on the western front, and I have an uncle who served in Vietnam.
 
Yes, I served during a war. Yes, I have family who served during a war.

were you in the combat zone or in the military when a war was going on?
 
My Dad and most of my Uncles were WW2 vets.

My BIL was a Vietnam vet.

I attempted to join the Army for the first Gulf War, and was denied service due to a hearing problem.

About half of my good friends are current or former servicepeople, and a good many of them have done multiple tours in the "Sandbox" over the past 10 years.

My teenage son has voiced plans to join the military in a few years, and I will support this if this is his decision.
 
My father went into the Army-Air Force at the age of 19 in 1944. he was on a B-17 and flew missions over Europe. His plane was shot down over Czechoslovakia. He spent a few weeks with some partisans but then was captured by the Germans. He spent most of a year in a prison camp until liberated. He said the worst part was just after liberation when hundreds of Americans were following a railroad track and an American plane flew overhead and strafed the group killing some thinking they were Germans. He thought that he had survived the nazi's only to be killed by his own army. The men rushed into a field and formed the letters POW with their own bodies. On the second pass the plane tipped its wing flaps and the next day they were rescued by ground forces. After the war he was recruited by the OSS but turned them down.
 
My Dad and most of my Uncles were WW2 vets.

My BIL was a Vietnam vet.

I attempted to join the Army for the first Gulf War, and was denied service due to a hearing problem.

About half of my good friends are current or former servicepeople, and a good many of them have done multiple tours in the "Sandbox" over the past 10 years.

My teenage son has voiced plans to join the military in a few years, and I will support this if this is his decision.

being a competitive shooter for more than 35 years, I have lots and lots of friends who were in the military. The range officers at my gun club, the owner of the indoor range where I shoot and serve as a staff pro, the guy who works on my Smith and Wesson revolvers are all vets.
 
My father went into the Army-Air Force at the age of 19 in 1944. he was on a B-17 and flew missions over Europe. His plane was shot down over Czechoslovakia. He spent a few weeks with some partisans but then was captured by the Germans. He spent most of a year in a prison camp until liberated. He said the worst part was just after liberation when hundreds of Americans were following a railroad track and an American plane flew overhead and strafed the group killing some thinking they were Germans. He thought that he had survived the nazi's only to be killed by his own army. The men rushed into a field and formed the letters POW with their own bodies. On the second pass the plane tipped its wing flaps and the next day they were rescued by ground forces. After the war he was recruited by the OSS but turned them down.

Interesting story. More than a few POWs in Japan were killed by the US bombings. Pappy Boyington's book describes that
 
A lot of military service in my family, but all before I was born. I attempted to enlist myself back in '99 and was told in no uncertain terms that I'd never be allowed to.

I have good friends who have served and who are serving in the military now. They're in my thoughts and prayers.
 
A lot of military service in my family, but all before I was born. I attempted to enlist myself back in '99 and was told in no uncertain terms that I'd never be allowed to.

I have good friends who have served and who are serving in the military now. They're in my thoughts and prayers.

medical issues? I recall you mentioning some sort of disability

I was recruited by the USAMU-US Army Shooting team after I won a couple major shooting tournaments while on my college varsity team. I almost went thinking it would give me a better than even chance of making the 1984 Olympic team after coming close in the Carter-Boycotted 80 games. HOwever, my late father noted that having an Ivy Law degree would mean I could probably afford to shoot at a high level the rest of my life while retired army shotgun shooter wasn't exactly a resume that was going to make six figures so I went to law school instead.

when I was at the OTC one of the coaches was regular army and basically spent most of his time pissing off us civilian shooters. That played a role in my decision
 
I have never served, but both my grandparents have served during peace time. I also have friends in the military. My brother has considered joining too.
 
medical issues? I recall you mentioning some sort of disability

Medical issues. They took one look at the list of medications I was taking to stay functional and lost all interest in recruiting me.
 
My grandfather was in the Korean war,I served in the army in 2000-2003 but never got deployed to combat and I have a brother in law currently in the national guard. A couple of my sisters tried to join but it didn't work out.
 
My father went into the Army-Air Force at the age of 19 in 1944. he was on a B-17 and flew missions over Europe. His plane was shot down over Czechoslovakia. He spent a few weeks with some partisans but then was captured by the Germans. He spent most of a year in a prison camp until liberated. He said the worst part was just after liberation when hundreds of Americans were following a railroad track and an American plane flew overhead and strafed the group killing some thinking they were Germans. He thought that he had survived the nazi's only to be killed by his own army. The men rushed into a field and formed the letters POW with their own bodies. On the second pass the plane tipped its wing flaps and the next day they were rescued by ground forces. After the war he was recruited by the OSS but turned them down.
Interesting.

My uncle mentioned that at one point during the fighting on Corregidor, he fell asleep on a hill, and woke up to find that something he referred to as "Daisy Cutter" bombs had been dropped by the Japanese and basically mown down all the grass around the hill--but not on it.
 
Grandfather served in the US military in WW1.
 
Drafted into the U.S. Army 1963-65.
 
My great-grandfather served in WWI. Not sure about anyone else, we're not really the military type of family.
 
You should have made it a multiple choices poll.
 
My sister and I both served in the IDF. Our two brothers are career US military.
 
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