General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Check in if your dad was in The Big One! [View all]bluemarkers
(536 posts)If the family story is correct, he volunteered December 1942.
Never left the US though he tried really hard. "defended" Cape Canaveral and the Banana River until he got his chance to serve on a ship in port in NYC. After delays, standing room only on the train, only to get there after they sailed. Ended up working on airplanes somewhere in the west - Arizona or Nevada.
My uncle joined him in volunteering. His baby brother ended up on an air craft carrier as an Admiral's assistant. That just killed my dad.
Our family lesson was to always volunteer!
My Father in law waited, was drafted and ended up as target practice for the Axis armies. He was never injured though and ended up with the silver star. Rarely if ever talked about his experience to me. Apparently was left behind enemy lines for a while. Lived in the basement of a bombed out house. Fortunately there was enough food stored for him and his fellows sustained themselves until another allied sweep of the area. We found the silver star buried in a keepsake chest.
I think that generation felt it best to try and put it behind them and move forward.