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Have you, your father, grandfather or other relatives ever experinced war combat?

My Grandfather was in WWI, father and 6 uncles in WWII. I served during Vietnam but was not in combat.

Posted - April 30, 2018

Responses


  • 5391
    Yes.
    My grandfather was an Army Captain who fought in the Pacific in WWII, and earned a Purple Heart w/ Oak Leaf.  

    I was also a Captain in the Army, I served in the Gulf War and saw combat on three continents before that. I was on hand when the Marine Barracks in Beirut was truck-bombed in 1983. Worst day of my life. The bloody carnage I saw there defies description and brought new urgency to my life. This post was edited by Don Barzini at May 1, 2018 12:26 PM MDT
      April 30, 2018 7:31 PM MDT
    5

  • 19942
    Thank you for your service.  I'm sure those sights are permanently engraved in your memory.
      May 1, 2018 10:59 AM MDT
    2

  • 5391
    Indelibly. I lost friends there, too. It’s one of those horrors you simply can’t unsee, but as I noted, it gave me an infinitely greater appreciation for just being alive. 
    Nonetheless, serving was a great privilege. 
      May 1, 2018 11:06 AM MDT
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  • 19942
    I'm sure.  Some things you cannot ever "unsee." 
      May 1, 2018 11:07 AM MDT
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  • 1713
    Most of my male relatives are military dudes. I know my father used to fly fighter jets when he was in the navy and fought in Desert Storm. I remember us kids liked to try on his flight helmet when we were little.
      April 30, 2018 7:38 PM MDT
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  • 2327
    No, all of the males were either too young or too old to serve during the wars. Lucky. 
      April 30, 2018 7:44 PM MDT
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  • 5614
    Lucky dogs you all :)
      April 30, 2018 10:10 PM MDT
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  • 3523
    My step-father fought in Korea.  Some of it was hand-to-hand.
      April 30, 2018 7:57 PM MDT
    2

  • 5354
    A cousin in law who soldiered in the French Foreign Legion.

    And an English teacher in grade school who talked a lot about his adventures soldiering in India. Alas his stories did not fit his age (ca 35), and right enough, I found most of his tales in Kipling later.
      April 30, 2018 8:17 PM MDT
    2

  • 5391
    Those French Legionnaires are no joke. We did some work with those fellas in Chad and the Sudan in the 80’s. Serious mofos. 
      May 1, 2018 1:00 PM MDT
    1

  • 32529
    I know both Grandfathers did. One was in Korea, I don't know the other.
    I had 3 uncles Vietnam.
    Some cousins in Iraq.

      April 30, 2018 8:31 PM MDT
    2

  • 13395
    Grandfather WWI Army combat in Belgium-wounded, father,  WWII RCAF no combat, most uncles WWII army some were combat,  1 uncle paratrooper combat Korean War. This post was edited by Kittigate at May 1, 2018 7:11 AM MDT
      April 30, 2018 8:48 PM MDT
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  • "Yes"  The Battle of Normandy


    Sainte Mere Eglise church tower and the first town to be liberated in France.

    John Steele (paratrooper and my uncle) was stuck helplessly on the side of the church tower throughout the intense ground battle, witnessing the fighting below for two hours. After repelling this first stage of the attack, members of the German Garrison took Steele prisoner but were later forced to release him to the Americans. An effigy of John Steele is maintained to this day, hanging on the church tower.

    In the 1962 film, "The Longest Day,"  the soldier was played by Red Buttons.

      April 30, 2018 9:58 PM MDT
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  • 16199
    My grandfather was in an AA battery in Darwin when the Japanese bombed it in WW2. Claims they got 2 but neither kill was confirmed.
      April 30, 2018 10:57 PM MDT
    2

  • A great-uncle on my mom's side was in the Imperial Japanese Army. This post was edited by Benedict Arnold at May 1, 2018 7:12 AM MDT
      April 30, 2018 11:39 PM MDT
    1

  • 16199
    Probably got shot at by my grampa.
      May 2, 2018 12:07 AM MDT
    1

  • 14795
    Yes ....Only when our their wives  are on the warpath..... They all dive for cover including my dad..... :( 
      May 1, 2018 1:44 AM MDT
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  • 17364
    Yes, all Navy except my father who was Air Force (Korea).  
      May 1, 2018 3:47 AM MDT
    2

  • 19942
    My dad was in the China-Burma-India theatre of WWII but did not see combat.  His brother, my uncle, was on Guam and saw much combat.
      May 1, 2018 11:01 AM MDT
    2

  • I had many relatives over the past four generations that served in the military. My stepfather was in combat during WWII in North Africa(Patton) and the Italian Campaign.(Mark Clark) My father was on active duty(Army) during Korea, but did not serve in the theater of war. I also had great uncles in both North Africa and in the Pacific Theater during WWII. I can say without any hesitation that the very best years of my life were spent in the Air Force. ( Sgt 437th Military Airlift Wing, Domestic Air Medical Evacuation in the Medical Corps) This post was edited by Benedict Arnold at May 1, 2018 7:16 PM MDT
      May 1, 2018 3:26 PM MDT
    1

  • 44175
    My father got shot in the arse in Sicily, This post was edited by Element 99 at May 2, 2018 2:28 PM MDT
      May 1, 2018 7:18 PM MDT
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  • 22891
    not that i know of
      May 20, 2018 4:53 PM MDT
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  • 1326
    My stepfather was in the Korean war. Though he would refuse to speak about it, studying the bible helped him cope.
      May 25, 2018 11:49 PM MDT
    0