All The Way With LBJ

[mge825y]

Lee - Sorry, I do not see any other Goldwater buttons.

Chevy - Thank you for your service - sincerely.

My grandfather was the oldest of 6 sons. He was not called up in WWII (maybe for age), but his 5 brothers all served. As the war progressed, the 5 brothers mailed letters (with uniform patches, insignia, military script, etc..) home to my grandfather and to their widowed mother who lived with my grandparents. These letters were read and passed around and eventually, they and all the trinkets, ended up in this fruit box. It was a King Company fruit box probably for fancy oranges. From what I was told, apples and peaches were available locally to most. But an orange was an expensive luxury that had to be shipped in. So, it was usually only seen at Christmas when children would find an orange in their stocking. Anyway, I know one of my great-uncles was at Normandy. Three others were also in Europe. Another was with the Navy in the Pacific and was injured when a torpedo from a Japanese sub slammed into his ship. The goods news is that they all came home. I never recall anyone hearing any of these men talking about their service. The little that we do know came from their war-time letters.

Years later, when I was a child, we would visit my Grandparents most every Sunday. We would drive over after church for lunch, and stay the whole afternoon. I don't recall a TV in the house until many years later. It was a religious household so there were no games in the house that had dice or cards. Jacks or pick-up sticks was about it. So, when I got bored and needed something to do, I would ask to see "The Box". You couldn't take anything from it home with you, and you had to put it back the way you found it.

My grandfather gave it to my father, and then years later, my father to me. When the boxed passed to my father, he reached out to his cousins and gave each of them their father's letters from the Box. That box had all these little bits and pieces from these 5 men 's experiences in the war. Seemingly incredible that they all 5 survived and made it back home.

[TonyC]

Ooo, nice. I remember a German WW2 helmet in the fam, which apparently was handed to my grandfather by a captured German soldier. Not sure what ever happened with that helmet.

Unfortunately, the rules on "war trophies" became increasingly restrictive; but in my time in Iraq we were permitted to take military gear that used to belong to the Iraqi army. So I have a foot-locker loaded with old Iraqi military gear, along with a few decorative pins in the shape of a black bird-of-prey; apparently Iraq used that symbol as well, not just the Germans.

---Tony

[rick]

My Dad and my Father-in Law were front line WW2 vets. All my Dad would say was "I walked from Sicily to Germany." My father-in-Law was badly wounded although he did live until he was 82. He didn't talk about it at all.

Rick

[papawayne]

Good to hear from you, Rick, I wonder why most vets won't talk about their military experience? Do they imagine that it is bragging? I've met far more who won't talk than those who will. Do you think it's PTSD? Perhaps an expert will chime in. An old friend recently died, (94) and I didn't even know he was WW11 until his family got out the stuff for his funeral. I don't ever remember him talking. I don't even believe he was a member of the American legion. Is there a Canadian Legion? Do you like your Navigators? I'm sort of looking for one to tow our pop top, A Frame camper, which is now towed by a 97 Mercury Marquis. My nephew has a sort of dealership that keeps family and friends in cars. Wayne







do

[rick]

Hey Papa!!

Great to hear from you.

For my Dad, combat became an ugly thing fast. Not sure about my Father-In-Law who also wouldn't talk. But not PTSD. Just the firm knowledge that relating stories about those bad memories laced with terror, hate and regret weren't the same as what we all watched in John Wayne westerns. There was nothing to be gained by dwelling on what they considered a sad part of their lives. I guess when people are very quiet about something they have first hand knowledge of, there's generally a good reason.

My Navigators don't have air-ride. They've both been great. Gave the 2011 unit to my oldest daughter and so far, it's been fine even with higher mileage now. My 2015 is great but still has relatively low mileage. The 2015 is a turbo 6 whereas the 2011 was an 8. I'd recommend one for sure. I've had Escalades and found they ride better but were in the garage a whole lot more.

Have a great Easter week-end, my friend.

Cheers

Rick

[papawayne]

Thanks, Rick, you too. My daughters are both coming and will probably need something other than ham sandwiches. I may have to buy some lamb. Wayne