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Family Ties to World War II: A New Poll


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My Father was in Co B,8th Armored Inf. Battalion,20th Arm. Div.and although he would talk rarely of the war to me,(he will be 81 yrs. old on Jan 14th) lately he has given me all sorts of war related articles and items that he had.I do know that they liberated Dachau concentration camp and that he was in Hitler's eagles nest at one time.He gave me a German dagger that he thought to be SS that he picked up in France somewhere(he had the full uniform that was left behind by retreating soldiers but left it in France) but I've found out that it is a Luftwaffe dress dagger and I've displayed it at our history center from time to time but I don't know the whole story behind it.The one ironic thing was that my father got a phone call back a few years ago by a man named Charles Schultz,(Charlie Brown creator,they called him Sparky during the war)and he told my father that he was in France recently and was filming some kind of documentary about his war years and came upon my fathers name scratched into an archway at an entrance to some estate that they holed up in at one time and he tracked my father down and called him to let him know it was still there.He sent pictures of the place with him standing, pointing to my dad's name, and also invited my mother and him to California to visit his studio and such,we were shocked to say the least!My dad told me he remembered Sparky drawing all the time but really didn't realize that that was the same Charlie Schultz he knew back in the war,it's a great story but I won't drag this on.My dad's brothers served as well,one in Artillary somewhere and the other in the infantry, and he was wounded in Germany and I got to see his Purple Heart and news article about it once when my Grandparents where still alive(my Grandmother had it).I was going through my fathers articles awhile back and found that had the Pacific war dragged on, Operation "Downfall" was planned and the 20th Armored would've taken part in Operation "Coronet", which was the invasion near Tokyo and the most heavily defended area and expected losses/wounded of American lives in the invasion to be in excess of 250,000 just in the first phase alone.I'm thankful the war ended when it, did since myself and probably others on this forum wouldn't be here right now.My father told me he believed he would've been killed had the war gone on.Today my one uncle is 83 yrs. old,my other uncle is 80 yrs. old and my father soon to be 81,and all in very good health and mind.I hold the utmost respect for what these "kids" went through and I truly believe what Tom Brokaw said when he called them the "greatest" generation.I owe them and I'll never forget as will my children never forget.

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My grandfather served as a 17-year old volunteer in air defense at his home town Turku in Russo-Finnish Winter war 1939-1940.

At Spring 1941 Germans recruited with aid of Finnish government men to serve as a volunteer in Waffen-SS and he was one of them who was accepted to serve in Finnish SS-battalion. Only about 30% of men who wanted to join was taken and Finns chose those men because their good fit and not because their political opinions as Germans first wanted. Battalion was trained in Germany and sent to the Ukraine as a part of the 5.SS-division "Wiking". Every men had two-year contract so they fought in Ukraine and Caucasus until spring 1943 when battalion was transferred back to Germany and again to Finland where it was disbanded in July 1943. My grandfather wounded twice in battles around Malgobek in October 1942. When the battalion was disbanded, men were sent to Finnish army to fight in Continuation war against Soviets and grandfather served in Rukajärvi area until the end of war in September 1944. Army asked him to serve in Lappland war against Germans but he rather continued his studies and refused.

My grandmother served in Lotta Svärd (Finnish women volunteer organization) during the continuation war. In 1941-1942 she was with Finns in Äänislinna and Karhumäki near Lake Onega and in 1943 she was transferred to Salla area with Germans. After that she returned to Helsinki to contunue her studies and was there when Soviets had their massive bombing campaigns against Helsinki in February 1944.

Especially my grandfather had told me really interesting stories about his time in Waffen-SS and I have also heard many stories when I have been in few meetings with other Finnish Waffen-SS volunteers.

http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Quarters/2130/

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My grandfather served as a 17-year old volunteer in air defense at his home town Turku in Russo-Finnish Winter war 1939-1940.

At Spring 1941 Germans recruited with aid of Finnish government men to serve as a volunteer in Waffen-SS and he was one of them who was accepted to serve in Finnish SS-battalion. Only about 30% of men who wanted to join was taken and Finns chose those men because their good fit and not because their political opinions as Germans first wanted. Battalion was trained in Germany and sent to the Ukraine as a part of the 5.SS-division "Wiking". Every men had two-year contract so they fought in Ukraine and Caucasus until spring 1943 when battalion was transferred back to Germany and again to Finland where it was disbanded in July 1943. My grandfather wounded twice in battles around Malgobek in October 1942. When the battalion was disbanded, men were sent to Finnish army to fight in Continuation war against Soviets and grandfather served in Rukajärvi area until the end of war in September 1944. Army asked him to serve in Lappland war against Germans but he rather continued his studies and refused.

My grandmother served in Lotta Svärd (Finnish women volunteer organization) during the continuation war. In 1941-1942 she was with Finns in Äänislinna and Karhumäki near Lake Onega and in 1943 she was transferred to Salla area with Germans. After that she returned to Helsinki to contunue her studies and was there when Soviets had their massive bombing campaigns against Helsinki in February 1944.

Especially my grandfather had told me really interesting stories about his time in Waffen-SS and I have also heard many stories when I have been in few meetings with other Finnish Waffen-SS volunteers.

http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Quarters/2130/

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My grandfather served as a 17-year old volunteer in air defense at his home town Turku in Russo-Finnish Winter war 1939-1940.

At Spring 1941 Germans recruited with aid of Finnish government men to serve as a volunteer in Waffen-SS and he was one of them who was accepted to serve in Finnish SS-battalion. Only about 30% of men who wanted to join was taken and Finns chose those men because their good fit and not because their political opinions as Germans first wanted. Battalion was trained in Germany and sent to the Ukraine as a part of the 5.SS-division "Wiking". Every men had two-year contract so they fought in Ukraine and Caucasus until spring 1943 when battalion was transferred back to Germany and again to Finland where it was disbanded in July 1943. My grandfather wounded twice in battles around Malgobek in October 1942. When the battalion was disbanded, men were sent to Finnish army to fight in Continuation war against Soviets and grandfather served in Rukajärvi area until the end of war in September 1944. Army asked him to serve in Lappland war against Germans but he rather continued his studies and refused.

My grandmother served in Lotta Svärd (Finnish women volunteer organization) during the continuation war. In 1941-1942 she was with Finns in Äänislinna and Karhumäki near Lake Onega and in 1943 she was transferred to Salla area with Germans. After that she returned to Helsinki to contunue her studies and was there when Soviets had their massive bombing campaigns against Helsinki in February 1944.

Especially my grandfather had told me really interesting stories about his time in Waffen-SS and I have also heard many stories when I have been in few meetings with other Finnish Waffen-SS volunteers.

http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Quarters/2130/

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Ill throw my family into this mess also.

My Grandpa was a Air Force officer during WWII. He was younger so he did not get in until towards the later end of the war. He was assigned as a navigator on the B17. They trained and got the assignment to transfer to England and start the runs. Then Germany surrendered a couple days before they would ship. So they started to train on the B29 to bomb Japan. Then the bomb was dropped and the war was over. So *luckily* he missed combat, but he still had some good stories to tell. Being in a bomber during WWII was not the safest place to be smile.gif

Chad

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Ill throw my family into this mess also.

My Grandpa was a Air Force officer during WWII. He was younger so he did not get in until towards the later end of the war. He was assigned as a navigator on the B17. They trained and got the assignment to transfer to England and start the runs. Then Germany surrendered a couple days before they would ship. So they started to train on the B29 to bomb Japan. Then the bomb was dropped and the war was over. So *luckily* he missed combat, but he still had some good stories to tell. Being in a bomber during WWII was not the safest place to be smile.gif

Chad

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Ill throw my family into this mess also.

My Grandpa was a Air Force officer during WWII. He was younger so he did not get in until towards the later end of the war. He was assigned as a navigator on the B17. They trained and got the assignment to transfer to England and start the runs. Then Germany surrendered a couple days before they would ship. So they started to train on the B29 to bomb Japan. Then the bomb was dropped and the war was over. So *luckily* he missed combat, but he still had some good stories to tell. Being in a bomber during WWII was not the safest place to be smile.gif

Chad

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My Dad turned 17 in Sep 42 and joined the US Navy. He wanted to get off the farm in New Jersey and away from his step-Mom. He said he would have joined the marines but that recruiter only came around once a week. He says that due to his being 1st generation Hungarian-American that after boot camp in Newport, Rhode Island he couldn't go to duty on "real warships" like "New Jersey's cruiser" USS Trenton but was sent to gunnery training and "armed guard" duty onboard various liberty ships. He became a gunners mate and made a bunch of trans-Atlantic convoy trips to England manning 3 inch guns, 40mm, etc. He said he shot down a 2 engined German bomber, maybe He-111 or Ju-88? He says he saw torpedo wakes go by his ship and saw ships being hit and then sunk. In 44 he was sent to amphib training and assigned to LST-994. He went through Panama Canal and was in San Diego when he broke an arm and was able to skip out on further action. He ended the war checking ammo at an ammo depot in New Orleans. He was also the base CO's driver and played tennis one day with the CO's friend, CAPT McVeigh. This was the CO of the USS INDIANAPOLIS. Sunk at end of war after carrying A-Bomb parts. Dad is still kicking. I'm in the navy now so he is all proud (makes me nearly puke sometimes). He does volunteer service on an old liberty ship woeking out of Baltimore and the LST in Mississippi.

My Uncle was a few years older and joined the Navy in 40 and became an aviation ordnancemen, like a bombardier. He did duty on PBY catalina flying boats and PB4Y2 (USN version of the liberator bomber). I went to a VPB-102 squadron reunion one time with him and my Dad. His aircraft was hit by Japanese AAA and pilot killed, co-pilot blinded. My Uncle helped fly the plane back with navigator and I think he received the navy cross. I saw a later photo of the plane "Navy's Gravy" and they had a large patch on the fuselage up near the cockpit. He doesn't like to talk much about the war. Still kicking.

My other Uncle was even older and joined the US Army, maybe as part of New Jersey National Guard. He went into MP's and was later sent to OCS and became an officer. He did time in China Burma India with (I think) the 44th Infantry Division.

He passed away years ago after retiring from the Army and then working at the post office.

Other Uncles in other parts of the family were in Marines, Army and Navy.

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My Dad turned 17 in Sep 42 and joined the US Navy. He wanted to get off the farm in New Jersey and away from his step-Mom. He said he would have joined the marines but that recruiter only came around once a week. He says that due to his being 1st generation Hungarian-American that after boot camp in Newport, Rhode Island he couldn't go to duty on "real warships" like "New Jersey's cruiser" USS Trenton but was sent to gunnery training and "armed guard" duty onboard various liberty ships. He became a gunners mate and made a bunch of trans-Atlantic convoy trips to England manning 3 inch guns, 40mm, etc. He said he shot down a 2 engined German bomber, maybe He-111 or Ju-88? He says he saw torpedo wakes go by his ship and saw ships being hit and then sunk. In 44 he was sent to amphib training and assigned to LST-994. He went through Panama Canal and was in San Diego when he broke an arm and was able to skip out on further action. He ended the war checking ammo at an ammo depot in New Orleans. He was also the base CO's driver and played tennis one day with the CO's friend, CAPT McVeigh. This was the CO of the USS INDIANAPOLIS. Sunk at end of war after carrying A-Bomb parts. Dad is still kicking. I'm in the navy now so he is all proud (makes me nearly puke sometimes). He does volunteer service on an old liberty ship woeking out of Baltimore and the LST in Mississippi.

My Uncle was a few years older and joined the Navy in 40 and became an aviation ordnancemen, like a bombardier. He did duty on PBY catalina flying boats and PB4Y2 (USN version of the liberator bomber). I went to a VPB-102 squadron reunion one time with him and my Dad. His aircraft was hit by Japanese AAA and pilot killed, co-pilot blinded. My Uncle helped fly the plane back with navigator and I think he received the navy cross. I saw a later photo of the plane "Navy's Gravy" and they had a large patch on the fuselage up near the cockpit. He doesn't like to talk much about the war. Still kicking.

My other Uncle was even older and joined the US Army, maybe as part of New Jersey National Guard. He went into MP's and was later sent to OCS and became an officer. He did time in China Burma India with (I think) the 44th Infantry Division.

He passed away years ago after retiring from the Army and then working at the post office.

Other Uncles in other parts of the family were in Marines, Army and Navy.

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My Dad turned 17 in Sep 42 and joined the US Navy. He wanted to get off the farm in New Jersey and away from his step-Mom. He said he would have joined the marines but that recruiter only came around once a week. He says that due to his being 1st generation Hungarian-American that after boot camp in Newport, Rhode Island he couldn't go to duty on "real warships" like "New Jersey's cruiser" USS Trenton but was sent to gunnery training and "armed guard" duty onboard various liberty ships. He became a gunners mate and made a bunch of trans-Atlantic convoy trips to England manning 3 inch guns, 40mm, etc. He said he shot down a 2 engined German bomber, maybe He-111 or Ju-88? He says he saw torpedo wakes go by his ship and saw ships being hit and then sunk. In 44 he was sent to amphib training and assigned to LST-994. He went through Panama Canal and was in San Diego when he broke an arm and was able to skip out on further action. He ended the war checking ammo at an ammo depot in New Orleans. He was also the base CO's driver and played tennis one day with the CO's friend, CAPT McVeigh. This was the CO of the USS INDIANAPOLIS. Sunk at end of war after carrying A-Bomb parts. Dad is still kicking. I'm in the navy now so he is all proud (makes me nearly puke sometimes). He does volunteer service on an old liberty ship woeking out of Baltimore and the LST in Mississippi.

My Uncle was a few years older and joined the Navy in 40 and became an aviation ordnancemen, like a bombardier. He did duty on PBY catalina flying boats and PB4Y2 (USN version of the liberator bomber). I went to a VPB-102 squadron reunion one time with him and my Dad. His aircraft was hit by Japanese AAA and pilot killed, co-pilot blinded. My Uncle helped fly the plane back with navigator and I think he received the navy cross. I saw a later photo of the plane "Navy's Gravy" and they had a large patch on the fuselage up near the cockpit. He doesn't like to talk much about the war. Still kicking.

My other Uncle was even older and joined the US Army, maybe as part of New Jersey National Guard. He went into MP's and was later sent to OCS and became an officer. He did time in China Burma India with (I think) the 44th Infantry Division.

He passed away years ago after retiring from the Army and then working at the post office.

Other Uncles in other parts of the family were in Marines, Army and Navy.

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My mom's uncle (my great uncle) was drafted into the Canadian Army, was sent to the Aleutians with the 13th Brigade, but luckily the Japanese withdrew before the Canadians arrived. Lucky for both of them, as many of the Canadians were not willing soldiers.

I have a couple of photos of him in my first book.

After the Aleutians he was sent to Northwest Europe and served in Holland. He would have been one of only a very small number of draftees to serve in NW Europe. I know he was a draftee because his official discharge papers never listed the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal.

He came back from Europe diagnosed with TB. He spent a year in a military hospital before they would discharge him. He died a few years later of cancer, aged 33.

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My mom's uncle (my great uncle) was drafted into the Canadian Army, was sent to the Aleutians with the 13th Brigade, but luckily the Japanese withdrew before the Canadians arrived. Lucky for both of them, as many of the Canadians were not willing soldiers.

I have a couple of photos of him in my first book.

After the Aleutians he was sent to Northwest Europe and served in Holland. He would have been one of only a very small number of draftees to serve in NW Europe. I know he was a draftee because his official discharge papers never listed the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal.

He came back from Europe diagnosed with TB. He spent a year in a military hospital before they would discharge him. He died a few years later of cancer, aged 33.

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My mom's uncle (my great uncle) was drafted into the Canadian Army, was sent to the Aleutians with the 13th Brigade, but luckily the Japanese withdrew before the Canadians arrived. Lucky for both of them, as many of the Canadians were not willing soldiers.

I have a couple of photos of him in my first book.

After the Aleutians he was sent to Northwest Europe and served in Holland. He would have been one of only a very small number of draftees to serve in NW Europe. I know he was a draftee because his official discharge papers never listed the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal.

He came back from Europe diagnosed with TB. He spent a year in a military hospital before they would discharge him. He died a few years later of cancer, aged 33.

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Paternal grandfather was a RAF firefighter/ ground crew on a airbase in Yorkshire during WWII.

My mother's family (including her) were interned by the Japanese in Shanghai (same camp as Empire of the Sun author, she finds the film difficult to watch) She was liberated by GI's, and still can't eat chocolate! (the GI's gave away all their Hershey bar rations to the kids in the camp - who were almost all promptly very sick as their stomachs couldn't take the richness)

Both maternal grandparents died relatively young (early 50's) that my mother thinks was contributed to by the fact they gave most of their rations to their three young & growing children to prevent malnutrition. Certainly the photos we have of them all in 1945 show three skinny, but healthy, young kids, and two skeletal adults. Of course, the chain smoking didn't help either.

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Paternal grandfather was a RAF firefighter/ ground crew on a airbase in Yorkshire during WWII.

My mother's family (including her) were interned by the Japanese in Shanghai (same camp as Empire of the Sun author, she finds the film difficult to watch) She was liberated by GI's, and still can't eat chocolate! (the GI's gave away all their Hershey bar rations to the kids in the camp - who were almost all promptly very sick as their stomachs couldn't take the richness)

Both maternal grandparents died relatively young (early 50's) that my mother thinks was contributed to by the fact they gave most of their rations to their three young & growing children to prevent malnutrition. Certainly the photos we have of them all in 1945 show three skinny, but healthy, young kids, and two skeletal adults. Of course, the chain smoking didn't help either.

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Paternal grandfather was a RAF firefighter/ ground crew on a airbase in Yorkshire during WWII.

My mother's family (including her) were interned by the Japanese in Shanghai (same camp as Empire of the Sun author, she finds the film difficult to watch) She was liberated by GI's, and still can't eat chocolate! (the GI's gave away all their Hershey bar rations to the kids in the camp - who were almost all promptly very sick as their stomachs couldn't take the richness)

Both maternal grandparents died relatively young (early 50's) that my mother thinks was contributed to by the fact they gave most of their rations to their three young & growing children to prevent malnutrition. Certainly the photos we have of them all in 1945 show three skinny, but healthy, young kids, and two skeletal adults. Of course, the chain smoking didn't help either.

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My dad was in the Navy from '41 to '47. Served in Aleutians, Hawaii, Puget Sound, as radioman. In the Aleutians the weather was so bad that trucks would be blown right off the island into the ocean. I have his diary from early '42. My uncle was in a field artillery unit in the ETO. Unfortunately I never saw him much, but we have a German Mauser pistol which probably probably was a souvenir of his.

Mum is an Aussie from Brisbane and worked for Americans during the war, and on Okinawa afterward.

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My dad was in the Navy from '41 to '47. Served in Aleutians, Hawaii, Puget Sound, as radioman. In the Aleutians the weather was so bad that trucks would be blown right off the island into the ocean. I have his diary from early '42. My uncle was in a field artillery unit in the ETO. Unfortunately I never saw him much, but we have a German Mauser pistol which probably probably was a souvenir of his.

Mum is an Aussie from Brisbane and worked for Americans during the war, and on Okinawa afterward.

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My dad was in the Navy from '41 to '47. Served in Aleutians, Hawaii, Puget Sound, as radioman. In the Aleutians the weather was so bad that trucks would be blown right off the island into the ocean. I have his diary from early '42. My uncle was in a field artillery unit in the ETO. Unfortunately I never saw him much, but we have a German Mauser pistol which probably probably was a souvenir of his.

Mum is an Aussie from Brisbane and worked for Americans during the war, and on Okinawa afterward.

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My great uncle was in the RAF 150 sqn on Wellington Bombers. His Squadron lost 17 of their aircraft on an abortive raid on Berlin and Mannheim. Those that were lost mostly ditched in the channel and the crews drowned. Unfortunately my great uncle was among those that were never recovered. His name is on the Runnymede RAF Memorial for those men of the RAF without a known grave. The awful circumstances of the raid only came to light recently as the 50 year secrecy rule expired and documents pertaining to it were made public.

[ January 12, 2004, 05:09 AM: Message edited by: Captain Pies ]

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My great uncle was in the RAF 150 sqn on Wellington Bombers. His Squadron lost 17 of their aircraft on an abortive raid on Berlin and Mannheim. Those that were lost mostly ditched in the channel and the crews drowned. Unfortunately my great uncle was among those that were never recovered. His name is on the Runnymede RAF Memorial for those men of the RAF without a known grave. The awful circumstances of the raid only came to light recently as the 50 year secrecy rule expired and documents pertaining to it were made public.

[ January 12, 2004, 05:09 AM: Message edited by: Captain Pies ]

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My great uncle was in the RAF 150 sqn on Wellington Bombers. His Squadron lost 17 of their aircraft on an abortive raid on Berlin and Mannheim. Those that were lost mostly ditched in the channel and the crews drowned. Unfortunately my great uncle was among those that were never recovered. His name is on the Runnymede RAF Memorial for those men of the RAF without a known grave. The awful circumstances of the raid only came to light recently as the 50 year secrecy rule expired and documents pertaining to it were made public.

[ January 12, 2004, 05:09 AM: Message edited by: Captain Pies ]

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