Veterans Day

[Howling Wolves]

To all my friends here in TT I want to thank all of you who have served his country.
Let's all pause on the 11th and pay tribute to all who did and those that didn't make it back.

Dennis

 

[Dilligaf]

Thank you, may God bless those serving during these difficult times.

Gary
USN 77-81

 

[DaveM]

Thanks Dennis and to all of those that did not make it back may God be with you

 

[The Seeker]

May I add that Nov 11th is also Remembrance Day in Canada, UK, and other Commonwealth nations.

So Happy Remembrance Day for service people of all nations that have fought for freedom and democracy.

If you watched the ending of Vietnam in HD, they put it very well....

The WWII generation is often called the greatest generation. But all those who served in EVERY generation's wars were the greatest of THEIR generation too.

 

[hemibee]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Gromit]

 

[Rocky]

 

[Ksquared]

Their Mottos:

"This We'll Defend"
"Semper Fidelis"
"Semper Paratus"
"Honor, Courage Commitment"
"Service Before Self"


My Motto:

"Thank you"

 

[hemibee]

Their Mottos:

"This We'll Defend"
"Semper Fidelis"
"Semper Paratus"
"Honor, Courage Commitment"
"Service Before Self"


My Motto:

"Thank you"

Well said Kerry.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Gromit]

In Flanders Fields

by John McCrae, May 1915
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

 

[Rocky]

I just listened to an old radio interview with Canadian, Wally Floody, nicknamed "The Tunnel King" for his work in engineering the digging of the tunnel for "the great escape."
Floody was a Spitfire pilot with the RAF and was shot down over France and taken prisoner.
He, and several others were experienced miners, and they all aided in building and digging the tunnel.
He talked about the digging, the fear of cavein, disposing of the earth around the camp, and while only 3-4 ever escaped back to England, they interrupted road and rail service and tied up thousands of German troops to search for them. From that point of view they did their bit as prisoners.
He was called by "The Great Escape" movie director to act as advisor on the film. He agreed but only if the film stuck to historical fact and was not some Hollywood trivial treatment of this very serious event. He was very pleased with the result.
The digging incidents, forging of papers, making uniforms into suits, bribing prison guards, disposing of soil and all that detail was correct.
Charles Bronson played the part of Wally Floody, but the character was a compilation of several prisoners.
The same for Steve McQueen's part - a compliation of several real prisoners. McQueen jumping the fence on a motorcycle didn't happen. Certain things like that were put in for entertainment purposes and that was OK with Floody. He said he only watched the film twice.
Wally Floody was honoured by King George V of England for his efforts in the escape and given the Order of the British Empire. Floody died in 1989 at the relatively young age of 71.

 

[DaveM]

Rocky that must have been very cool to listen to after all these years.

 

[Gromit]

Carl - I just spoke to my mum, Iris (88) and Lieutenant in the RAF. I passed on your message and she was really deeply touched. She spoke for a while about her memories of WWII and I told her about this forum and the vets here.

Message from Iris: Thanks to all the 'young fella's for remembering this day. I salute you in return. (I heard her call one of the nursing staff to help her stand up - I'm sure she was trying to stand & salute) OK, now I'm all teary eyed so 'bye for now.

 

[Dilligaf]

God bless Iris and thanks for her service.

Gary
USN 77-81

 

[Rocky]

Rocky that must have been very cool to listen to after all these years.

Yes, the interview was done in 1980 and it was the first time I had heard of Floody and it made me feel very proud.
I knew nothing about his involvement in "the great esacape."
Floody said he enjoyed his time working as an advisor on the film and that the actors were great to work with.
They were in awe of him at first since he was the real deal; awed by his stories, and they treated him with great respect.
There was never any resistance when he suggested to an actor that a scene be played a certain way.
Floody wanted the movie to portray it as it was and the director always suppoorted him.
The result was one of the best WWII movies of all time.

 

[Gromit]

Thanks Dilligaf - means a lot to me and I'll pass it on to Iris - crazy ol' dame that she is.

 

[Dilligaf]

Those "crazy old" people have the best stories.

 

[The Seeker]

I get very sad and depressed on Veteran's Day and Memorial Day.

I think of my Dad and miss him so much.

Then, I can still picture the faces of the buddies I lost in Nam. Worst of all are the faces of those who as an officer I gave commands that I know directly lead to their deaths or lifelong injuries. Most days I can push that out of my mind, but not today.

I fully expected to die, in many ways I almost regret that I didn't.

I'm proud of my service, we did what we had to do and always did it successfully, but I don't feel there's any glory in war. It's man's insanity against man. When all hell breaks loose, you fight not for any ideal but for your Brothers.

Sorry to get so heavy, it's something I can express here on the Internet but not face to face with ANYONE. It feels good to get it out somehow - somewhere.

[video=youtube;aZHnfH_3Vxw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZHnfH_3Vxw[/video]

 

[DaveM]

Carl - I just spoke to my mum, Iris (88) and Lieutenant in the RAF. I passed on your message and she was really deeply touched. She spoke for a while about her memories of WWII and I told her about this forum and the vets here.

Message from Iris: Thanks to all the 'young fella's for remembering this day. I salute you in return. (I heard her call one of the nursing staff to help her stand up - I'm sure she was trying to stand & salute) OK, now I'm all teary eyed so 'bye for now.

Ah shame bless her heart

I get very sad and depressed on Veteran's Day and Memorial Day.

I think of my Dad and miss him so much.

Then, I can still picture the faces of the buddies I lost in Nam. Worst of all are the faces of those who as an officer I gave commands that I know directly lead to their deaths or lifelong injuries. Most days I can push that out of my mind, but not today.

I fully expected to die, in many ways I almost regret that I didn't.

I'm proud of my service, we did what we had to do and always did it successfully, but I don't feel there's any glory in war. It's man's insanity against man. When all hell breaks loose, you fight not for any ideal but for your Brothers.

Sorry to get so heavy, it's something I can express here on the Internet but not face to face with ANYONE. It feels good to get it out somehow - somewhere.

AJ at times like this it can be hard but rest assured I am sure they would do it all over again

 

[Rocky]

Man's insanity against man is the perfect way to put it.
All throughout human history there has been nothing but war and slaughter - and it's still going on.
It's crazy; it's insane. Will man ever learn? I think not!

A salute to your mom Gromit

To add further to the Wally Floody story, Floody was transferred out of the prison camp before the escape took place so he wasn't involved in it directly.
He was buried alive several times and was dug out in time. The effort of working so hard in the stagnant and stale air along with being buried many times damaged his lungs.
As he aged he had chronic breathing problems which led to poor health and contributed to his early death.