War Stories

[TEWKS]

I’ve always been fascinated by war stories. I can remember as a kid asking my father’s buddy who fought in Korea “did you kill anyone” you can ask that as a kid because you didn’t know any better.  I can still remember his answer fifty years later.

 

He told me this in an uncomfortable way. (gruff old farmer) (old, he was probably 30 at the time I asked)  He said I don’t know, we’d set up our machine guns and would fire them most of the night. In the morning there was a lot of dead bodies outside our area. That was it, nothing more than that. He died at a fairly young age of a heart attack. He was a cool dude.

 

I never saw this one before, Iwo Jima in color.

 

 

[MikeB60]

My Uncle Howard was a career NCO. He enlisted in 1948 and was on occupation duty with the 24th Infantry Division in Japan in 1950. His artillery battery was one of the first to land in Korea. His battery was at about 60 percent strength and while an artillery man he was the battery supply Sergeant in Japan.  On the ship to Japan, the Battery Commander told him I don't need a supply Sergeant right now I'm gonna make you a gun chief in 1st platoon. He had just been promoted to corporal and working in supply hadn't spent much time on the guns and his gun crew was all guys who had been working in headquarters and hadent spent much time on the guns either. He said they worked it out but it was a challenge. His battery was overrun a few times during the initial fighting in Korea.  Uncle Howard told me several times they would run out of rounds for the guns and the order was to head south where some random officer would reform the battery's. 

 

He told me one story about when they ran into the Chinese. They had just crossed the Yalu river, out of rounds for the gun and headed for a resupply point. The lunette (hitch) was broken on his gun and they were having a tough time pulling it and lost the rest of the battery. While they were stopped and trying to reconnect the gun to the truck with chains they started taking small arms fire from a hill about 100 meters away. One of his guys got hit and he started returning fire. He said that he realized he was the only one shooting and looked around and all of his gun crew was making themselves small behind the gun. He then yelled "hey you SOBs I could use some help!" He then started to laugh hard while telling the story and said "none of those bast***s initially got up but my number1 man held up a bandoleer of a M1 ammo! He said one of the guys had a BAR and finally started to return fire when the guys shooting at them lost a few guys and the rest ran off.

 

Korea was a shitty deal, there's a really good book In Mortal Combat that gives a great rundown.  Uncle Howard also served two tours in Vietnam. I still remember seeing him in his khaki uniform with his jump boots thinking i want to be like him. He was a little guy but tough as nails. Here is a photo of him rigged up at Fort Campbell for a jump.

[TEWKS]

RIP Toby.  He motivated a lot of young military men and women with his music. 

 

 

[Rougarou]

9 hours ago, TEWKS said:

I’ve always been fascinated by war stories. I can remember as a kid asking my father’s buddy who fought in Korea “did you kill anyone” you can ask that as a kid because you didn’t know any better.  I can still remember his answer fifty years later.

 

He told me this in an uncomfortable way. (gruff old farmer) (old, he was probably 30 at the time I asked)  He said I don’t know, we’d set up our machine guns and would fire them most of the night. In the morning there was a lot of dead bodies outside our area. That was it, nothing more than that. He died at a fairly young age of a heart attack. He was a cool dude.

 

I never saw this one before, Iwo Jima in color.

 

 

 

Read With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa, makes mention of how the battles numb folks.  One instance from the book, the author is walking and sees a Marine using a Japanese skull as an ashtray..

 

Then read Marine! The Life of Chesty Puller, winner of five Navy Crosses, guy was born to fight.  Can't remember the island, but like Mikes uncle getting pulled from supply, Chesty was expecting a heavy attack, so he pulled every support position to be riflemen.......after all, "Every Marine is a rifleman".  

 

Both really good books with no "bravado", just straight stories.........and you actually should read them, not listen to them.

 

 

[Rougarou]

 

He can call me a Soldier,....that's all.

[TEWKS]

Guess who? 

 

 

Spoiler

 

No @Rougarou isn’t that old…

[TEWKS]

The Douglas Skyraider was one rugged aircraft and this story proves it. 

 

 

[MikeB60]

Longish but a great American Hero. Had the honor of shaking his hand back in 1997.

 

[TEWKS]

^ Soft spoken warrior.  The weight of owning that medal must be tremendous. 

[TEWKS]

A very special treehouse. 
 

 

[MikeB60]

1 hour ago, TEWKS said:

A very special treehouse. 
 

 

Unreal!

[beemerboy]

8 hours ago, MikeB60 said:

Longish but a great American Hero. Had the honor of shaking his hand back in 1997.

 

Incredible story. The ending, where he talks about other MOH recipients and their inability to deal with their war past was sad and most informative. Thanks for posting!

[wbw6cos]

On this day, 79 years ago.  Ooo rah!

 

https://www.pulitzer.org/article/joe-rosenthal-and-flag-raising-iwo-jima

 

 

[TEWKS]

79 years, wow! The math says we’re all going to witness the passing of the last WW2 veteran probably sooner than later.  🇺🇸 

 

edit

This chart says 11 years.  I was off the mark, in a good way. 

[TEWKS]

If this is a true story, I’m sad. How about the Medal Of Honor instead?  Yeah, I know, it’s not his jet, big deal.