swamprat Posted January 25, 2006 Report Share Posted January 25, 2006 Had to go see the Doctor today for a routine follow up visit. Usually the wait in the waiting area is quite boring. However today was so enteresting that even after my appointment I went back to the waiting area. The reason. There was a World War II Vet there that flew the Burma Hump and he was telling stories of funny stuff that had happened. Wish I would of had a tape recorder with me. Best visit I ever had to the V.A. He said on one flight into Burma with supplies the Japs were bombing the airfield and they had to circle and wait for the shelling to stop. Then when they landed they steered around the shell craters. Once landed they found the only Air Corp. person on the field was a private who was trying to change a wing on a aircraft by himself in between the shelling. He wanted to know if they had came to help. After some quick questions about what the H-ll he thought he was doing, the private informed them the last orders he had was to fix the plane. He admitted he wasn't making much head way with the Japs blowing stuff up as fast as he fixed it. Said he figured without help he might never get it fixed. So were they going to help or not? They put his butt on thier plane and took him with them when they flew back to China. Seemed all officers involved thought he needed a rest. This old Vet also said he was stationed at Fort Benning (hauling troops for jump school) when they started towing gliders with thier DC-3's. He said when they got to towing 3 gliders word came around asking for 4 volunteers for overseas duty. He said he volunteered because he figured it was safer than towing 3 gliders. Then he added. Must of been I made it back and alot of the others didn't. Swamprat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doble Troble Posted January 25, 2006 Report Share Posted January 25, 2006 Man I wish these guys could live forever. We really still need them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinkerfive Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 Sounds like you found a rare one. Or perhaps it was the surroundings, being with other vets. Most of those guys just don't seem to talk much about the war. My dad was with Patton. That deal about rescuing the surrounded general who said "Nuts", dad was there. Thing is he like so many others just isn't one for telling 'war stories'. My father in-law was on the Yorktown. When the movie "The battle of Midway" was on he commented about the one plane crash scene that he was on the 'tower' over the deck when that happened. Otherwise not much else said. I think the guys that lived thru it don't remember it in the 'glorified' way we've come to perceive it from the movies made about the events. A vets son & son in-law Tinker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Unregistered guest Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 Which VA? I spent all of today, and will spend the next ten or so business days in one, relocating a bunch of medical monitoring capability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest_AzRednek_* Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 Several years ago I was on a flight between Phoenix and Las Vegas when we hit a terrible storm. After dropping for what seemed like an eternity after an air pocket we flew into some terrible turbulence. After some screams an old man apparently a WW2 bombardier yelled out, “calm down lady why hell our 50 caliber turret guns shook the whole dang blang plane alot more”. After another shake tilting the plane up on one side the old guy yelled out “heh heh heh that ain’t nothing why you all oughta try flying when jerrys shootin flak atcha heh heh heh”. After every turbulence bump the old guy loudly “heh heh heh”. The old guy obviously enjoyed the rough flight and was probably the only person on board not saying their prayers. I sure wish I had been sitting next to him, bet he could have told some interesting stories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swamprat Posted January 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 Which VA? I spent all of today, and will spend the next ten or so business days in one, relocating a bunch of medical monitoring capability. Tha V.A. in Topeka, Kansas. Swamprat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Unregistered Guest Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 Haven't been to that one yet. Was at mine (so to speak) all day. While there, on the phone with the one in El Paso for a good spell. Some of the gear I work on looks at each piece of morphological info that you (the patient) put out while admitted, and stores it and analyzes it. A couple of new pieces of that type were being put on line, and we were working up a methodology for support if something became an issue. Probably won't. It is not life support gear, so you have a little time to plan your moves. Anyway, hope all is well for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FC Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 Pretty neat. Both my neighbors have been to Iraq; we never talk about it. Why? Not pleasant. However, I've noticed some things about vets. They will tell bits and pieces of things that come to mind, like food, some odd character, or some interesting or funny thing. What isn't said are the battles in the mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebel49 Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 Very close friend of mine was with the Seawolves / HAL-3 in Vietnam. Has a lot of stories about the funny stuff that went on there and with him and others. Doesn't say very much about the missions though. It took about 3-5 years before he told me about his commendations, and only after he brought them over to me to copy for him. Among other things he had were 23 air combat medals. I know that he has some issues that he deals with on a daily basis, and when he needs to talk I just listen. There are times I want to ask questions, but I think it's better for him that I listen and let him do the talking. Many years ago the foreman I worked with seen me reading the book A Bridge To Far and asked if he could borrow it when I was done. I lent it to him and the next time I saw his wife she asked that I not give him any other of those books to read. It seems that he was there and reading that book triggered the nightmares again after not having them for years. He did tell me about jumping into Normandy and into Holland and some other things, but it still bothered him a lot. I never try and pry info out of our Vets for this reason. I figure if they wish to tell me anything they will in their own time. I just respect them for what they have done and thank them for their service to our country, after all they have kept me free by their actions and deeds, I figure I owe them big time. That goes for you FC and all the other guys that are here, Thanks for everything you have done. Rebel49 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sailormilan2 Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 I have a buddy who started out as a sniper in Italy, he got the job because he used to hunt a lot. One of his better stories is the time he and a buddy were hauling a 5 gal gas can full of wine back to their camp. They had the can slung on a pole between them. A German sniper saw them, and shot the can. He knew what they were up to. They were just a might peeved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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