Lest We Forget (NF)

[mistyriver1]

I know it's not till Tuesday but I thought I would put this post up now. Some of you may remember these pics as this has kind of become an annual thing for me. My Dad was a WW II vet. He never talked about it much until the last few months before he died in August 2005. I miss him and my Mom of course at Christmas and on their birthdays but rememberance day is always a bit tougher, although it is getting easier each year. I am very proud of him to this day. These are some pics from one of his albums that I had scanned. I don't know the stories behind most of them. My dad was part of the Day plus 3 invasion and spent 2 years overseas.

 

Here's a newspaper article from his hometown from 1944.

 

 

My Dad drove a transport carrier.

 

 

This picture I believe is from Belgium and is probably in the earlier time he was over there as he was still a private then.

 

This is one of my Dad's buddies. I'm not sure what city it is in but you can see the Prisoner of War sign behind him.

 

A couple of shot down aircraft..

 

 

I really like this shot....Dad on his Harley :thumbsup:

 

 

 

His medals and badges which are proudly displayed in my cabinet.

 

Our last time fishing together at Lovesick Lake in fall of 2004.

 

God Bless Dad.

Edited November 9, 2008 by mistyriver1

[ccmtcanada]

Amazing photographs...

 

A great tribute to a man who risked everything for all of us.

 

Thanks.

[Roy]

Yes, great photographs, Jim. God bless your dad for doing for us what many would not do for themselves.

 

Thank you.

[TennesseeGuy]

Thanks to all who served so we could remain free.

[SlowPoke]

The world would be a far different place if not for brave souls such as your father.

A heartfelt thanks to him and others that fought for everything we have today.

[bigugli]

Well done and well put.

 

Never forget their sacrifices. Always remember what the sacrifice paid for.

 

" WE SHALL REMEMBER THEM"

Edited November 9, 2008 by bigugli

[ketchenany]

Thanks to people like your dad who kept us free and enjoy what we have today. I worked with a lot of vets in the late 60s and could have never met a better bunch.

Thanks for sharing.

[irishfield]

Thanks Alton !

 

I have my father's WWII discharge papers in front of me and my brother (as Herc Squad Comander) did the gulf war and every other civil/ethnic war in Europe/Yugo/Bosnia etc in the last three decades.

[Radnine]

What an amazing tribute.

My fav is the one from Lovesick Lake.

We owe much to people like your Dad.

Thanks for the post.

Jim

[fishing n autograph]

I'm glad your father was able to share his stories with you. I regret not hearing my grandfather. He was in Sicily and was party of DDay....

[silvio]

I salute your father. May he R.I.P I thank him for what hes done for out country.

[DT10Sam]

A great tribute to your Dad and thanks for the pics it reminds me of my Dad during the same times. May they both rest in peace and I will be thinking of both of them on Tuesday.

 

Best regards,

Sam

[Markystang]

Thanks to you Dad for what he did for our country and to you for your post.

[Rich Clemens]

Yes - What a great way to honor your father.

[John]

We all owe a great debt to those like Alton who served their countries so that we may be free. Thanks for sharing Jim and reminding us all.

 

Lest We Forget!

[Gerritt]

Thank you for sharing that with us. A fine tribute to your father.

 

G

[highdrifter]

Wow..

 

I'm gonna go to my old man's tonight and tell him I love him, while I tork his head a little..

 

Cheers

HD

[Handlebarz]

Just awesome Jim I remember that last trip it was a good read just like this you do your dad proud.

[Rich Clemens]

Wow..

 

I'm gonna go to my old man's tonight and tell him I love him, while I tork his head a little..

 

Cheers

HD

 

 

Not a bad idea at all. Tell them while you still have the chance. someday it will be too late.

[Rich Clemens]

He never talked about it much until the last few months before he died in August 2005.

 

 

I had an uncle that was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge during WWII. Never talked about it much and I often regret asking him to share his stories. He's long gone now, so I really missed out on something there .. I'm sure. I'm sure our veterans could tell some reall horror stories about their experiences. Give our veterans all the honor and glory they so richly deserve.

Edited November 10, 2008 by Rich Clemens

[highdrifter]

Not a bad idea at all. Tell them while you still have the chance. someday it will be too late.

 

I'm sure he'll chug along until he's in his nineties, defiant... to the end.

 

I'm still gonna tork his head though.

 

Hats off to all our dads. May their strength and courage find their way into our hearts as well.

 

cheers lads

HD

[fishing n autograph]

I had an uncle that was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge during WWII. Never talked about it much and I often regret asking him to share his stories. He's long gone now, so I really missed out on something there .. I'm sure. I'm sure our veterans could tell some reall horror stories about their experiences. Give our veterans all the honor and glory they so richly deserve.

 

Yeah, I totally understand. My grandfather never spoke of it...and honestly i think he suffered from "shell shock" because he showed a lot of the signs of it, or at least from the stories my father told me.

 

My great uncle never talked about it either, but he never saw action. He was a RCAF dispatcher in India.

[bigugli]

I had an uncle that was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge during WWII. Never talked about it much and I often regret asking him to share his stories. He's long gone now, so I really missed out on something there .. I'm sure. I'm sure our veterans could tell some reall horror stories about their experiences. Give our veterans all the honor and glory they so richly deserve.

Do not feel bad about not coaxing the stories from your uncle. A lot of the old sweats just couldn't bring themselves around to talk about the wars. My uncle Bob didn't talk to me about the trenches til I was 18-19 and a reservist. Every sentence was a struggle. Even at 90, faces of his mates and memories of that living hell still haunted him. He told us about fighting in the gas, the death, the stench, but we never knew about the "gongs" he had been awarded. First time we saw them was when we were gathering up his things after he had gone.