WW2 Vet obits (1 Viewer)

[lancer]

.MOH winner George Wahlen, 84, passed away 6-5-09. Was a pharmacist's mate on Iwo Jima and was seriously wounded while treating wounded men. Continued to care for the 14 men while under heavy mortar and rifle fire despite his wounds. Also awarded Bronze Star and 3 Purple Hearts for his service. C. Donald Albury, 88, co-pilot of "Bockscar", the B-29 that dropped the A-bomb on Nagasaki, passed away 5-23-09. Gentlemen, we salute you. -- lancer

 

[Lewey Gun Vick]

Very sad. "We will always remember. We will always be proud. We will always be prepared, so we may always be free." We will never forget what you went through gentlemen, and we will always be grateful.

Vick

 

[canucks]

Here, Here heros all god bless them all....
Canucks

 

[Louis Badolato]

These men are living national treasures, and as they pass away, we lose a unique opportunity to hear their stories first hand. I hope there are still some WWII Vets around when my son is old enough to thank them for their service and talk to them about their experiences.

 

[kilted vampire]

These men are living national treasures, and as they pass away, we lose a unique opportunity to hear their stories first hand. I hope there are still some WWII Vets around when my son is old enough to thank them for their service and talk to them about their experiences.

You got that right Louis. Nancy's Dad was on the Chicago. He had three ships shot out from under him. I would have given up after the first one I think.

 

[bromhead]

Sad but true,,I have posted an album regarding my fathers service,hoping to increase photos and items in the future as I again reorganize.

 

[Beaufighter]

Cheers Forum Squadron Members:

I came across this & thought most of you would enjoy this and or take something from it...

We're hearing a lot today about big splashy memorial services.

I want a nationwide memorial service for Darrell "Shifty" Powers.

Shifty volunteered for the airborne in WWII and served with Easy
Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st
Airborne Infantry. If you've seen Band of Brothers on HBO or the
History Channel, you know Shifty. His character appears in all 10
episodes, and Shifty himself is interviewed in several of them.

I met Shifty in the Philadelphia airport several years ago. I
didn't know who he was at the time. I just saw an elderly gentleman
having trouble reading his ticket. I offered to help, assured him
that he was at the right gate, and noticed the "Screaming Eagle",
the symbol of the 101st Airborne, on his hat.

Making conversation, I asked him if he'd been in the 101st Airborne
or if his son was serving. He said quietly that he had been in the
101st. I thanked him for his service, then asked him when he
served, and how many jumps he made.

Quietly and humbly, he said "Well, I guess I signed up in 1941 or
so, and was in until sometime in 1945 . . . " at which point my
heart skipped.

At that point, again, very humbly, he said "I made the 5 training
jumps at Toccoa, and then jumped into Normandy . . . . do you know
where Normandy is?" At this point my heart stopped.

I told him yes, I know exactly where Normandy was, and I know what
D-Day was. At that point he said "I also made a second jump into
Holland , into Arnhem " I wa s standing with a genuine war
hero . . . . and then I realized that it was June, just after the
anniversary of D-Day.

I asked Shifty if he was on his way back from France , and he said
"Yes. And it's real sad because these days so few of the guys are
left, and those that are, lots of them can't make the trip." My
heart was in my throat and I didn't know what to say.

I helped Shifty get onto the plane and then realized he was back in
Coach, while I was in First Class. I sent the flight attendant back
to get him and said that I wanted to switch seats. When Shifty came
forward, I got up out of the seat and told him I wanted him to have
it, that I'd take his in coach.

He said "No, son, you enjoy that seat. Just knowing that there are
still some who remember what we did and still care is enough to
make an old man very happy." His eyes were filling up as he said
it. And mine are brimming up now as I write this.

Shifty died on June 17 after fighting cancer.

There was no parade.

No big event in Staples Center .

No wall to wall back to back 24x7 news coverage.

No weeping fans on television.

And that's not right.

Let's give Shifty his own Memorial Service, online, in our own
quiet way. Please forward this email ... Especially to the veterans.

Rest in peace, Shifty.

"A nation without heroes is nothing."
-Roberto Clemente

Hang Tough,
Marc

 

[sammy719]

Cheers Forum Squadron Members:

I came across this & thought most of you would enjoy this and or take something from it...

We're hearing a lot today about big splashy memorial services.

I want a nationwide memorial service for Darrell "Shifty" Powers.

Shifty volunteered for the airborne in WWII and served with Easy
Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st
Airborne Infantry. If you've seen Band of Brothers on HBO or the
History Channel, you know Shifty. His character appears in all 10
episodes, and Shifty himself is interviewed in several of them.

I met Shifty in the Philadelphia airport several years ago. I
didn't know who he was at the time. I just saw an elderly gentleman
having trouble reading his ticket. I offered to help, assured him
that he was at the right gate, and noticed the "Screaming Eagle",
the symbol of the 101st Airborne, on his hat.

Making conversation, I asked him if he'd been in the 101st Airborne
or if his son was serving. He said quietly that he had been in the
101st. I thanked him for his service, then asked him when he
served, and how many jumps he made.

Quietly and humbly, he said "Well, I guess I signed up in 1941 or
so, and was in until sometime in 1945 . . . " at which point my
heart skipped.

At that point, again, very humbly, he said "I made the 5 training
jumps at Toccoa, and then jumped into Normandy . . . . do you know
where Normandy is?" At this point my heart stopped.

I told him yes, I know exactly where Normandy was, and I know what
D-Day was. At that point he said "I also made a second jump into
Holland , into Arnhem " I wa s standing with a genuine war
hero . . . . and then I realized that it was June, just after the
anniversary of D-Day.

I asked Shifty if he was on his way back from France , and he said
"Yes. And it's real sad because these days so few of the guys are
left, and those that are, lots of them can't make the trip." My
heart was in my throat and I didn't know what to say.

I helped Shifty get onto the plane and then realized he was back in
Coach, while I was in First Class. I sent the flight attendant back
to get him and said that I wanted to switch seats. When Shifty came
forward, I got up out of the seat and told him I wanted him to have
it, that I'd take his in coach.

He said "No, son, you enjoy that seat. Just knowing that there are
still some who remember what we did and still care is enough to
make an old man very happy." His eyes were filling up as he said
it. And mine are brimming up now as I write this.

Shifty died on June 17 after fighting cancer.

There was no parade.

No big event in Staples Center .

No wall to wall back to back 24x7 news coverage.

No weeping fans on television.

And that's not right.

Let's give Shifty his own Memorial Service, online, in our own
quiet way. Please forward this email ... Especially to the veterans.

Rest in peace, Shifty.

"A nation without heroes is nothing."
-Roberto Clemente

Hang Tough,
Marc

Thanks Beau, that's a great story and great memories you'll always have of talking to a true hero, ....I am a meat deptment manager for Safeway here in Arizona, I regularly see older gents come in my department with thier WWII hats, or pins etc..I try my best to chat with them about thier exsperiences and show them the respect they all deserve, some do not like to talk at all about it, and some talk at length about the war, my father served in WWII in Europe from 44-46, and he never-ever talked about it to me, a few times to my older brothers when the drinks had loosened him up, he worked on tanks that had been shot up, and told my brothers of stories about the carnage inside some of those tanks that would make your skin crawl, but I do love chatting with the few I meet, they are all heros in some form or fashion, no matter if they jumped in Normandy or slung potates in a chow line, these guys stood up against the mighty German Army, and the Japanese who had not seen defeat in hundreds of years, and whipped both thier *****!!!! if you get time talk to a WWII vet, not much time or vets left anymore sadly...Sammy

 

[bromhead]

Thanks Beau, that's a great story and great memories you'll always have of talking to a true hero, ....I am a meat deptment manager for Safeway here in Arizona, I regularly see older gents come in my department with thier WWII hats, or pins etc..I try my best to chat with them about thier exsperiences and show them the respect they all deserve, some do not like to talk at all about it, and some talk at length about the war, my father served in WWII in Europe from 44-46, and he never-ever talked about it to me, a few times to my older brothers when the drinks had loosened him up, he worked on tanks that had been shot up, and told my brothers of stories about the carnage inside some of those tanks that would make your skin crawl, but I do love chatting with the few I meet, they are all heros in some form or fashion, no matter if they jumped in Normandy or slung potates in a chow line, these guys stood up against the mighty German Army, and the Japanese who had not seen defeat in hundreds of years, and whipped both thier *****!!!! if you get time talk to a WWII vet, not much time or vets left anymore sadly...Sammy

True as to the passing of the generation,,I recently lost a friend, Career airforce and a maker of soldiers,,Bill Holt -Holts Hobbies,,his service was only briefly mentioned in the notice. Not long before there may be no veterans of WW1 present also,,the ranks in the great beyond are quite full again.

 

[Louis Badolato]

My last living Uncle to survive the War, Jack Amana, Staff Sergeant, 9th Airforce, served in North Africa, Sicily and Italy, passed away at the age of 89 last month. He never once spoke to me about his service as an aircrewman, and when I asked, he said he did "nothing special" - in this at least, he was wrong.

 

[bromhead]

My last living Uncle to survive the War, Jack Amana, Staff Sergeant, 9th Airforce, served in North Africa, Sicily and Italy, passed away at the age of 89 last month. He never once spoke to me about his service as an aircrewman, and when I asked, he said he did "nothing special" - in this at least, he was wrong.

Unfortunate,,any photos,momentos etc passed on? some excellent books on the 9th as a tactical AF,,B26 crew?

 

[Stryker II]

Unfortunate,,any photos,momentos etc passed on? some excellent books on the 9th as a tactical AF,,B26 crew?

Good point Bromhead, we owe them alot. I was first in line at the new Marine Corps Museum upon my first visit there. An old man walking very slowly up to the door with his wife beside him, also was waiting for the door to open. Upon some simple conversation, I discovered that this "old marine", was in the first wave at D-DAY----- IWO JIMA, and he wanted to see the original flag again before he passed on. I humbly surrendered my place in line to him and his wife, and later on caught up with them as I reached the Iwo Jima display inside. There he was, talking to a hushed audience before him, showing and telling us all about what it was like and where exactly he and his men were on those frightful days. He might have been 80 years old, but his mind was sharp and he was back on the island reliving his proud experiences for us to listen and learn from. A real WWII IWO vet and a Vietnam era Marine, sharing and caring. Two different generations, two different times, and two different wars, but the same comradry in proud wearer's of the eagle, globe, and anchor at OUR MUSEUM. I'm sure this story repeats itself every day, but we owe them so much.........................Stryker

 

[Louis Badolato]

Unfortunate,,any photos,momentos etc passed on? some excellent books on the 9th as a tactical AF,,B26 crew?

My mother is sending me a box of papers, photographs, etc. My Uncle Jack's momentos will be made into a display in the Museum, alongside his brothers Joe and John, who both died in the 8th Airforce in B17's.