Happy Veteran's Day

Yeah. He was an interesting guy, my great uncle Rob. He couldn't hear very well and was a mechanic his whole life. He had a speech impediment too and you couldn't really understand him, unless you knew him. Didn't have a German accent but was very methodic in his daily activities. You know. Meals at the same time every day and all that. Never married. I remember he'd eat two pieces of toast with a slice of American cheese and some butter on it at about 10 PM every night. With a cup of coffee. He would come over to my Grandma's and when I slept overnight there, that's about when I'd be going to bed, but I always wanted to stay up and watch him. And probably have a piece of cheese too. hehehe

Memories.

A thanks to both of my grandfathers who served in WWII, and one of which also served in Korea, my Uncle who served in Vietnam, and of course all of the other men and women who bravely served and still serve their country.

A shadowbox I have dedicated to my maternal grandfather.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...to286JPG-1.jpg
I have another one, which is away in storage right now, dedicated to my great-great-grandfather's grandfather, who served in the American Civil War.
I'm hoping to make one for all of my relatives who served.

That would be neat to have one with all of them in it. What a history!!!!

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Originally Posted by ABPOS

Yeah. He was an interesting guy, my great uncle Rob.

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Funny the things we remember.
My tribute display with WWII momentos from my dad (flag,photo and postcard home) and maternial grandfather(helmet ,pistol belt,dress cap,jeep cap,pipe and photos all in the shadow box).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ABPOS

That would be neat to have one with all of them in it. What a history!!!!

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Yeah I think that would be a really nice memento to all of them. My paternal grandfather wants to hang on to his things, which I completely understand. In the meantime I've been going through the family's things and I've found my maternal great-grandfather's call-to-arms and discharges for the Balkan wars and WWI.

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Originally Posted by HOOKED ON HISTORY

Funny the things we remember.
My tribute display with WWII momentos from my dad (flag,photo and postcard home) and maternial grandfather(helmet ,pistol belt,dress cap,jeep cap,pipe and photos all in the shadow box).

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That is awesome!!!! Have some things hanging on my hallway wall. But this is really great what you have there. I also have his flag in a box like that but it's in a different area from the other stuff I have. It would be nice to have it all in one place like you have here. I'm referring to my Grandpa's stuff. I don't have anything on my Uncle Rob's service. I should try and dig into that also.

Some pictures of my dad in WW2

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_0006-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_0004-1.jpg

I still have his class A uniform jacket and overcoat, as well as many items of his from Iwo Jima

When was the second phot taken? It looks like he's wearing denim coveralls. Great pictures.


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It was a picture from 1944 at Camp Lee, VA. It was probably the denim work or fatigue uniform they had back then. He was old for a draftee, and wasn't supposed to be drafted. He was over 30, was a US Post Office employee, and had several kids already when he was. He could have fought it, but he didn't. He was proud to go do his part for the war.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_0005-1.jpg

Since he was a postal employee, he was initially assigned to APO in Hawaii. Since he was an HAM radio operator, he got himself transferred to the Signal Corp, and ended up with Headquarters, 147th Army Garrison Force, as a signals NCO, while they were planning the assault and occupation of Iwo Jima. He watched the invasion from a troop ship, often using a sniper's scope from a friend's 1903A3 sniper rifle. On the 6th day of the invasion (D+6) he went ashore with the advance contingent of the 147th SGF, and was billet with the Marines, until the Arny took over the island almost a month later. He was there for the constant shelling, nightly bombing, snipers, and Japanese counter attacks. I gained a new respect for him watching HBO's "The Pacific."

I have some of his artifacts from Iwo: His numbered copies of the pre-invasion planning map, and his personal copy of the post-invasion minefield map, so he would drive his jeep into a minefield. I have an original picture of the first flag raised on Suribachi that he got from the Marine photographer (not Rosenthal).