*WARNING, OFF TOPIC* What military history is in your family?

[Oblt.Fonnekold]

Whats your families military history?

As far as I know, My great uncle saw the Bismarck sink the Hood and my Great Grampa flew sopwith camels in the first world war.

[sethe69]

Great subj. Wrong forum. My great uncle was on the USS Phelps at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7th 1941. My other two great uncles were on the Arizona. Sadly the Arizona didnt make it through the attack, neither did they. My great uncle (Jesse) who was later at Midway is still alive today and I love hearing his stories. However it is hard for him to tell the stories of war.

[njcl]

my great uncle died at sea onboard a navy ship,torpedoed or something in ww1

my grandad served in the welsh guards in ww2

[andromedam31]

Both of my grandfathers were officers in WWII, European Theater, but they didn't see direct action.

One was a Maj. with the U.S. Army Corps. of Engineers. He detonated bridges, made bridges, etc., but didn't take fire. An interesting story about him was that he only weighed about 105 pounds and was about 5'4". He almost didn't make it into the Army, until he proved he could carry 100 lbs. on his back. He was tough that way. He passed away years ago and I have his medals, insignias, etc.

The other served as an accountant in the Army. He followed up units that invaded Italy. He told us that all the officers each got bottle of vintage Italian wine for dinner every night after they liberated parts of Italy, and once they were housed in a castle. German prisoners passed through this unit all the time and he fondly remembers the ones who could speak a little English being astonished at the mountains of supplies the U.S. Army had stockpiled -- contrary to what the German propaganda had been telling the soldiers about the U.S. lack of supplies. (Not too exciting, but still part of the overall war story)

[Praetorian_Elite]

Both Grandfathers were in WWII. The one of my mothers side was in the 99th Infantry Division and fought in the Battle of the Bulge and a few other ones I think but I don't know what they are.

The one on my fathers side didn't really talk about anything to my dad a lot other then once he kicked a helmet off of a German soldier and maggots were eating his brain.

I think he was in the Battle of the Bulge also.

My dad was almost drafted into Vietnam but his number was never called so he was drafted. That's about it for military service in my family.

Some of my great grandparents may have fought in WWI but it's hard to find out.

My mom is trying to do research but most documents were destroyed during WWII so it's hard.

[RMC.SBS]

My Grandad(RIP) was with the Royal Artillery (SGT),and was at Dunkirk at the time of the Evacuation,and brought back a couple of howitzer shells,which he passed on to his son (my dad,RIP) along with his medals.
And my older Brother is god knows where!

[jUsTiNcReDiBLe0]

I can tell a story about my uncle in Vietnam.

Well my Uncle Ron was in the 1/52nd Echo Recon, 198th Light Infantry Brigade in Vietnam. He enlisted in the army in 68 and got sent to 'Nam in '69. He was a medic.

He wrote to the local newspaper on numerous occasions talking about his experiences in the Nam and answering question to folks back home.

In one of his letters he talks of going on a patrol and being ambushed. His Lt.'s back went up in flames by a white phosphorus grenade, my uncle being the medic was trying to put the fire out with a towel along with one of his buddies. While doing this, his buddie who was helping him, got shot right in between the eyes by enemy machine gun fire.

Then half way through his tour on Oct 4th '69 his unit went into a viallge called Quang Ngai to search for enemy weapons, intelligence, that sorta stuff.

Suddenly while patroling the area my Uncle got hit by a sniper. He died while being choppered out on a medavac. He was 20 yrs old.

I actually ahvve a site that my Aunt is running... PFC Huffman

-----------------------------------------------

My uncle is in the army. Don't know what he does exactly. He's not in combat.

My cousin Amos, is in the army. He fought in Afghanistan, then in Iraq. He is now MP (military Police).

[Punwin]

uhhh my grandpa was a peacekeeper in Japan after WWII

[Dat-guy]

I have a relative who was a Jedi in the Old republic, i also had an uncle who was a Republic Commando

[jUsTiNcReDiBLe0]

that was sorta funny Dat-Guy since I'm a Star Wars fan and all, but people can take it the wrong way.

[bigsouth1981]

My families Military history is quite prolific, My Great grandfather Pvt Harry Jones sined up for the british army at the beginning of WW1, at the tender age of 16. He lied to the enrollment officer along with a friend and went of to fight with the South Lancs Regiment. He was involved in the first major offensives at Ypres and Paschendale If I remember correctly. One of my favourite stories he recalled to my grandmother was of how he killed a german stormtrooper using a shovel/ entrenching tool and a knuckle duster.
Seriously im not s---ting you, i was mouth agape too!, get this aswell....he also at one point had a rifle bullet richochett of his cap badge, slicing his head open in the process, and knocking him out. Once he told me that a artillery shell landed in the trench he was in about 30 yds away, when they got to it, it had hit a sleeping soldier and was stuck right through him. It hadn't exploded and they just had to cover his body in sand bags in case it went off. That was in Ypres. Afer that he got postedin archangel in the russian arctic circle. He only got home in 1919. He got called up in ww2 but was to old to be a combatant so he was in charge of POW's at burtonwood airbase ( about 3 miles from my house it was the biggest US Airforce base in Europe in ww2 )and finished the war at the rank of Sgt Major. A remarkably tough, wonderfull man, like many combat veterans he was modest and rarely talked about what he had seen. Im proud to be his great grandson.
One of my grandfathers was a navigator in the RAF, whilst the other was in the Royal Artillery serving in N Africa. After the war, whilst still in the army he transfered to the Parachute Regiment and served out in Libya fighting the arabs. One of my great uncles was in the chindits fighting in burma against the Japs, another " My uncle Ernie " was killed in the Offensive that took monte casino in Italy. He was killed on boxing day 1944 aged 26. I recently found his grave using the commonwealth war graves commission he is buried in Forli war cemetary.

Read his citation here
http://www.cwgc.org/cwgcinternet/certificate.aspx?casualty=2207317

My father grew up in relative peace time and has never served in the forces.
And that leaves me, currently serving in the British Army (1Kings) Armoured Infantry, with one operational tour of Iraq and plenty of combat experience I think Ive done my family heritage proud.

[bigsouth1981]

My great uncle john was also on the HMS HOOD, although not when it was sunk by the bismark, he was torpedoed four separate times and survied. Ironically after serving 25 years in the british navy he was electrocuted and killed when working as an electrician in civvy life after the war. **** luck eh?, sad.

[njcl]

i must add my grandpa was 42 in 1941 so he was a tad old for action abroad but served as ???.whats below the home guard??....he was in that..he died in 1951 in a motorcycle accident..

[Dannard]

My grandad was in the Royal Navy and served as a gunner in WWII. he joined at 16 and lied about his age. He never used to like to talk about he war, my grandma always said it was because he lost alot of his good friends at sea. I can always remember that my grandad hated me playing with guns as a kid as a result of his experiences.

[RommelsMind]

My Grandfather flew P-38's on sub patrol, didnt really talk about it much, my other grandfather served in the army during WWII but died when I was only 3, so never got to ask him. Have and Uncle who served in Korea, have a cousin who is currently serving in the Navy on an aircraft carrier off the coast of Kuwait, (so our family thinks, dont give info on whereabouts) and have another cousin who is currently in the Coast Guard stationed on Statten Island.

[ertyguy]

Well one of my great grandfathers on my dad's side was a fighter instructor i don't know wher though. I know that one of my greatuncles on my mom side was fighting on Iwo Jima near the base of mt. sarabatie (i can't spell). You know where old glory was raised.My grandfather was a radio operater on a ship during the Korean war.
Besides that I had a greatgrandma who is 86 and she remembers all the men going away and how the cars would come and tell the moms their sons or husbands have died. http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/cry.gif My greatgrandma too had a brother served in WW1 but she didn't know much about him. Also my greatgrandma has old those rations from WW1,WW2 and the rations for the civilians during that time. I will make a post later with a picture of the rations later. http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

And how could I forget my Dad he was in the airforce during the Gulf War. He was on the ground watching a titan 4 rocket going up about a mile away.(When the others had to be at least 10 miles away.)He said it was like a second sun. http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/16x16_smiley-surprised.gif Also on that same airbase I was born on. Which is Vanenburg Airforce Base. http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[halfdone]

My Grandfather on my mothers side was drafted to join the Japanese navy during World War II, his ship was sunk by americans and he was part of the small portion of the crew that survived(my mom is korean) and my Grandfather on my dads side was a medic for the American side in World War II. My uncle enlisted for Vietnam, my dad was in the reserves during Desert Storm.

[Borofsky]

My grandfather on my mom's side was stationed at Anzio, but the fighting had mostly stopped as it was 1945. So he did mostly policing duty.

My grandfather on my dad's side was Navy Seabee in the Pacific, and surveyed the runway that the plane with the second A-bomb took off from.

My father is the one who saw the most action. He avoided being drafted by the Marines and Army and enlisted in the Navy....to be a Corpsman. Which doesn't quite make sense, but whatever. His school closed after he got out of Basic, so he was attached to a PBR as the bow gunner (twin .50 Cals) mostly along the Mekong Delta and South China Sea. One story I've heard him tell was about a time they beached the boat for some reason, I think to rescue some downed piolts, and he was left to guard the boat. As he was guarind the boat, a Viet Cong soldier walked out of the bushes inspecting the boat, completely unaware of my fathers presence. My father, who was farther from the boat than the Viet Cong, turned around and reared his pistol up and aimed. The VC heard this and looked right at him, and my father pulled the trigger.

Since then, he's always been a fan of the Colt 1911 .45 caliber pistol.

[DarkCanuck420]

Great uncle was @ The Battle of YEPRES when the germans first used mustard gas on the Canadians in WWI. in WWII my grand father was a lieutenant w Canadian Army, other Grand father was a flight sargent. And my Great Uncle was a PathFinder and got shot down in a bombing raid over Germany MIA, I have his medals, a letter written home, and a section in from the news paper stating missing/kia pilots.

================================================

[Sgt.Killa78]

I had one Grandfater in the Coast Guard, he was stationed on a transport ship. And was the signalman (The flashing lights and morse code) My other grandfater was in the Navy in the Pacific, he was on a frigate but thats all i know. I had a great uncle in the Army who was killed in Normandy after throwing him self on a mine to save his platoon.

[JG27_Arklight]

Great Grandfather (Dad's side) : German Army
Grandfather (Dad's side) : U.S. Navy
Grandfather (Mom's side) : U.S. Air Force
Uncle (Mom's side) : U.S. Air Force
Cousin (Mom's Side) : U.S. Marines, FT National Gaurd
Dad : National Gaurd

[NewHouse_]

My grandfather was a member of the Danish Resistance during ww2.

[greenlionhaert]

I guess I don't have any military history. My grandfather was once almost shot by the germans as a boy and my other grandfather had to hide a young man in his house from the germans. That's 'all'

[Princejules]

My grandad on my mother's side was in the front lines in world war 2. And my other grandad who i never met, was in the landings on normandy.
He was helping with the invasion on the beaches, including omaha

[Company-E]

My dad's father served in Korea in the 2nd Infantry Div. (Indian Heads), 72nd Medium Tank Batallion and saw a fair amount of action in the turret of an M-44. My mother's father served as a mess-cook in WWII, but I don't recall the division or unit.

[grandrpcity]

I had an uncle that was a helio mechanic in Vietnam, he made it through the war but killed himself later. Both grandfathers were in WWII, one was a pilot flying C-47s in the pacific the other a submarine mechanic. My granddad has been doing some research on our family and he says that i had a great, great, great, great, uncle that (or something like that) fought in the American revolution.

[Torpex.]

I'm from the Netherlands. My family history. A long story, so I'll try to make it short and only will call the most important persons.

My granfather has served 10 year. He has trained a lot of men.
My other grandfather was active in the resistence of the Netherlands, he sapotaged (don't know how to wright) German post and vihicles. He spread the important news to other important peops.
My uncle. 12 years served in the army. Started with the "luchtmobiele brigade" difficult.. infantery by air.
After 4 years he joined the "mariniers" soldiers from the navy on land. He went with his squad to Cambodja for a half year where he has fired his gun.
After 4 years mariniers he has joined the "Commando's" (elite-team). Went with his squad to Bosnie.
A lot off my family has joined and left the army. But these 3 were very important in some missions http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[conduris789]

All of the military service comes from my fathers side. His uncle jimmy on his fathers side served on the Wahoo submarine (no lie) and On his mothers side his uncle charlie was somewhere in the pacific on a PT boat i think.
Uncle everet who i sadly didnt know was in the 1st infantry division ON ALL THE MAJOR invasions (N.A, italty,normandy,bulge)His uncle Arry was an engineer who served in the ETO theatre. I think thats it

[walsh2509]

Grandad Mothers side { Boer War / WW1 )
Grandad Fathers side ( WW1 )

Uncle: Mothers Bother ( WWII Killed in Holland 1944 (21), jeep went over a landmine )

[markiz26]

My grandfather was a 15 year old boy when World War 2 started. He saw a few Germans in the Eastern Ukraine where he was born. They lived a mile away from a german airfield.
His brother served in the Ukrainian army and took part in the Kursk battle where he was wounded and sent home. He still lives but doesn't like to talk about the war.

[Tadpole2005]

My mothers father was a pilot in Finnish flight squadron LLev24 called Leaping Lynx (Loikkaava Ilves). He flew atleast 4 diffirent planes: Gloster Gauntlet, Gloster Gladiator, Fiat G-50, Brewster 239 and Messercshimdt Bf 109G-6 fighter planes. Year 1943 he was in the flightsquadron which escorted Hitlers plane to Finland to Marshal Mannerheims birthday party. Mission was, of course, extremely classified and even the escorters didn't know what they were escorting. When they landed and he saw who stepped out of the escorted plane, he was astonished and didn't beleive his eyes. It was the whole reason why Finland was in war against USSR: Hitler. Granddad often said that if he had known that Hitler was in that plane, he would've shot it down. During next mission he went to Germany to get new planes to Finland. During the landing his front wheel hit a bombhole and it damaged the plane. When he opened the cockpit canopy he saw two German soldiers pointing rifles at him. He was arrested and escorted to main guardpost for interrogation. Obviously they thought he was somekind spy or saboteur. He requested an phone call to Finnish airforce and the mess sorted out. As a compensation he received a bottle of wine and 400 cigarettes.

My fathers father served in Finnish infantry. I don't know much about him as he died when I was too young to speak or understanding anything. There is a diary page of bible though where he had written during a Finnish encirclement: "Russians have begun eating their comrades as they've already eaten their horses. My clothes are full of sharpnel holes but I am fine."

I salute my grandfathers and other veterans for preserving Finnish languange, culture and its people.

PS. War is hell. Anyone who thinks otherwise is an idiot.

[paydirt76]

Reading the messages, it's a shame that family members don't share this kind of story or account out of pride (not wanting to cry) or not wanting to dredge up bad memories. I think people may be more hesitant to go to war if men shared their experiences more...

Anyhow, my grandfather served in army ordinance in WWII and helped out with D-Day, Battle of the Bulge and earned a Bronze Star. My father managed a hospital during Vietnam and I don't think he saw combat action (though my uncle hints that my father once said to him, "you fear the old ladies riding the bikes because they probably have a grenade.").

My grandfather didn't want to talk about it, and my father refuses to talk about it and doesn't want to go to the Vietnam Memorial (wall) in DC.

I have read about Medal of Honor citations and it is amazing what people will do to save the lives of their squadmates.

[TDC_kar98]

My great uncle **** Campbell was in the 101st dropped in on D-Day unfortunatly his plane was hit by some flak http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/16x16_smiley-sad.gifpoor man. Instantly his leg was badly wounded half off, when he hit the ground he never could get a shot off as he was captured by the Germans he was taken to a pow camp and the arses chopped his leg off w\ a gullotine that is all that i know he only has talked to his wife about she let his nephews know about one was my father so he let me know about it when i got intrested in studying WW2.

[TDC_kar98]

It blanked out his nick name it is the same as Richard Winters.

[TDC_kar98]

Well on my mothers side i think my Great Grandfather servered in WW2 not in the aitborne though but the army dont know if he saw action but i never got to meet him http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/16x16_smiley-sad.gif. A few friends of my Grandfather server in the army at the time.

[SGT_2BDE25ID_CT]

Great Grandfather = WW1 (Dont know what he did)
GreatUncle 1 = WW2 Fighter Pilot (Died before I was born
Grandfather 1 moms side = WW2 Ranger (was involved in landings) Died 1 year ago http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_frown.gif
GreatUncle 2 dads side = WW2 Airborne (KIA)
Uncle = Vietnam (Navy Rescue Helicoptor Medic)
Cousin = Marines (Currently SSG)
ME = U.S. Army (Currently SGT deployed)

[Broony]

My great grandfather served in the first world war, I believe in the trenches.

My grandfather ( his son) served in the Bristish parachute regement as a sniper in north africa. He wont talk about his experiences at all, and I can see why, sniping means your going to see some damage in detail through the scope of the rifle.

My great uncle ( grandfather's brother) was a rear gunner in a bomber, I'm not sure if was a lancaster or another type.

My grandfather on my mothers side was part of a tank unit, although he died when I was really young so I have no idea exactly what he did. My mother knows he also served in africa but he talked little about the war.

My grandmother drove military supply trucks apperntly but Im unsure if that was back in england or abroad.

Im really interested in finding out more about how my family served in the wars, but they either dont want to talk about it or they have sadly passed away. None the less Im very proud of them all.

[Rifleman907]

Great grand father was a Sgt. in the 82nd AB division, he 4 or 5 years ago. I was told he made all of his jumps, and lost an arm, I never got to meet him. My uncle was a major in the US Air Force from from '76 til '01. He was discharged do to a cardiac arrest, and now cannot walk or see.

[Praetorian_Elite]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Dat-guy:
I have a relative how was a Jedi in the Old republic, i also had an uncle how was a Republic Commando <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I can see we have some ******* immature people here.

[Oblt.Fonnekold]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Praetorian_Elite:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Dat-guy:
I have a relative how was a Jedi in the Old republic, i also had an uncle how was a Republic Commando <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I can see we have some ******* immature people here. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Some? no, its only that one moron Dat-guy

[Dat-guy]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Praetorian_Elite:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Dat-guy:
I have a relative how was a Jedi in the Old republic, i also had an uncle how was a Republic Commando <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I can see we have some ******* immature people here. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Calling someone a ******* is the mature thing to do, right http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[Tadpole2005]

Drop it before nerd attack turns it into flamewar.

[Kintaro_6969]

i had a GrandFather who was not in the war but decided to help out and all i know was that my grand mother told me that he was one of the people to help make the radar or one of the first people to use it i cannot remember all of the story but i will ask again and get the full story

[thanatosser]

My Grand father was a British Paratroop who made his only jump (i think) of the war into Burma, there he fought as a Chindit, he had the ghurka machette blades tatooed down his arms, with other tatto's related to his service out there. From what i found out from members of my family he was involved with some kind of "special Ops" dont know what though, he talked very little about it, as i can imagine, burma being one HELL of a horrific theatre of war, but i do know he was highly decorated, for what actions im not sure. After the war he became a deeply religious man and dedicated his life to helping others around him and being a model human being.
I always meant to ask him about his expreiences but i felt it may be too painful for him. i regret not knowing him better, i lost touch with him a few years ago as my parents had split up,you always think these people will always be there and you have all the time in the world to pick up the phone, remember YOU DONT! i deeply wish id known him better, he passed away a month before christmas. but my memories of him will always remain as that of a very kind and loving man, with a passion for life that none of us having never been through such hardship can understand!
these men should be honored not forgotten, they will all be gone soon, appreciate them while you can, love them forever.

[Argusius]

My grandpa was a squad leader in WWII in the battle of the bulge. My dad was in nam during the first year it began

[kylef414]

My grandfather was in the US Air Force during vietnam. He doesnt like to talk about his experience so i dont know what he did.

My great uncle was in the Marines during vietnam. He was a loader for a howitzer crew and was in Khe Sanh during the siege by the NVA.

[BiA.HQ_scarface]

Both of my grandfathers fought in the WW2, one of them was on an AA gun FLAK 8,8 near the concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland, he was 16 years old. And he's still alive!

My other Grandfather, which died before I was born, was a Medic of the german Wehrmacht. He was fighting on the eastern front, and after the war, he was for eight years in Russia as a prisoner of war.
He never told a lot of stories about it and about the war.
In the Midseventies he died because of cancer...

[Olivard]

One of my grandfathers was in a tank crew as a commander,he was 19, he was in the first wave on d-day on sword beach.on day+17 he got shot in the **** by a sniper when he was cooking breakfast.after he recovered he went into the infanrty and ended up in japan a few mounths after the bomb was dropped.
My other grandfather was in north africa but i dont know much about he time in service.

[dragoondark]

My great great great grandfather was Maj. Gen. Philip Schuyler, one of the first 6 generals of the newly formed United States of America. My Grandfather was a gunner on a b-24 in the Western European theatre. My other grandfather was a gunner in the pacific theatre, stationed in australia. My last grandfather(family divorce and remarriage) was in the 101st Airborne (west point grad. class of 1950) served 1 tour in Korea, and 2 tours in Vietnam was a base commander in Vietnam and took control of a base after hamburger hill. My dad was in the national guard during the 60s, and served in the N.G. during the riots in Penn.

[Cpt.Stukan]

My grandpa was was in German army (no nazist) In Europe France.

*edit* During WW2

He was in command of a Group of ...20-25 men.

[scsboy35912]

My cousin whom I am proud of is Walter (Smokey) Gordan( grandma's 1st cousin) who was in WWII in the 101st ,506th,E company. He made it through Normandy where he received 3 purple hearts and went on to market garden and Bastogne. While preping his machine gun on a the eve of a German attck he was shot by a German in a tree. The bullet went through one shoulder and out the other. The bullet grazed his spinal cord. He was temporaly paralyzed and was discharged with 20% distyability. He almost completely recovered but still had pains till he died in 1999.

My Uncle was in a ship on the alasken coast in WWII when it was sunk by a japanese submarine. The only thing he took from the ship was a camera and took pictures of the sinking ship. When the life boats were picked up three days later the Amry seized his camera so the enemy wouldn't see the pictures. On jan. 8th,1996 he went to get his mail and found a box that was dated from 1945. It was his camera. The postal service had taken 55 years to find him.

[SpartaThursday]

my great grandfather was a german soldier in the first war. thats all i know of him

my grandfather on my mothers side was on his way over to the japenese theater when the bomb was dropped and saw no action

my grandfather on my dads side was in the 7th core and landed on utah beach in the invasion and fought in the headrows.

All of them have passed away and i miss hearing there wisdom and stories

they had many of them and they were all great
the last time i spoke to my grandfather on my dads side he told me all these stories about the war... we probally talked for at least 6 hours straight

[ryan_v]

One of my grandfathers was 4F because he had a severe wrist injury. My other grandfather joined the Navy immediately after Pearl Harbor. He served on a Fletcher class destroyer at Guadalcanal, and went through the entire war facing a number of the other large battles (he would never talk about his service). He won the Navy Cross and got commissioned as an Ensign late in the war. At the end of the war, he was stationed in Nagasaki, and died of cancer a number of years later as a result.

[II0_percent]

My grandpa fought in the 2nd infantry division in Korea at Pork Chop Hill. I don't know what regiment or battalion he was in, but he said he was in Easy Company (not the paratroopers for you people who might get confused.) and he was an assistant gunner for the recoiless rifle (mainly ment he loaded it for the guy that got to shoot it.) but he was also issued an M2 Carbine, but later traded it in for a Colt .45. he only saw a little combat, from what he told me, but he was a POW guard and on one occasion shot at an American captain, because he yelled out HALT! but the guy wouldn't stop, and he yelled it again, then said the challenge word, but the guy still wouldn't stop, so he shot above his head to get his attention. The Captian didn't punish him either, saying he did is job.

He was a Corporal Acting Sergeant, and was awarded the Silver star, but he says he doesn't know why, and if he does, he wont tell me, cuz i've asked, but he wont say, just shakes his head and claims he can't remember.

My uncle was also in the Air Force in the 70s- late 80s. He was a machinest, because he wore glasses so he couldn't fly, and didn't go to college so he wasn't an officer, but he got to see a bunch of different countries. I think he was stationed in: U.S.(of course) England, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Holland, and I think that's all. Near the end of his service he was on the B2 Test program and was a Sergeant Major(?) and was in charge of the whole metal shop to build the parts for the B2, but he might have retired in the early 90s, not late 80s, but I'm not quite sure. I know he was in the air force long enough that they switched their standard issue pistol half way through his carreer, and he had to qualify for both, as well as the M16. (.38 revolver, then M9 Beretta)

[Krieger1888]

My German grandfather fought in the 2nd Panzer SS Division 'Das Reich' as a Field Artillery Officer. And was killed in Russia in 1943.

and my Irish grandfather fought in the Irish Guards in WW2, aswell as 3 of my great uncles.

[LtBen]

My grandmother's first husband was with the Big Red One in Sicily. He was lucky as hell. While in England he got his foot run over by a tank and it got crushed. He got a Million Dollar Wound, and the rest of his platoon, with the exception of one other man, was killed on Omaha.

My two great-uncles were in the same unit during the ETO. One was infantry and the other was in the attached artillery unit. One shelled an area and the other moved in. One time my uncle was guarding some prisoners, neither of them spoke eachother's language, and anything could of happened. It just so happened one of the Germans spoke Polish, and my uncle also spoke Polish(my great-grandparents came to Massachusetts from Poland. My grandmother, the oldest child, didn't speak English until she was 6)

[Vaes]

in my family from my mothers' side:
my great-grandfather and great-granduncle were with the grenadiers during WWI,
my great-granduncle died in 1916.
my great-grandfather was also an officer at fort Liezele during WWII
(he was a political prisoner in Dachau as well,
nothing "military" but hey...).
My grandfather voulunteerd for the US army during the Korean war.
My uncle used to be with te 2/4th cavalry,
and my other uncle is still serving in the airfield-security forces.

in my family from my fathers' side:
my grandfather was with the "white brigade" (resistance)during WWII,
and my father used to serve in the Karabiniers-regiment.

I myself have joined the the Belgian army as a KBOO,
I hope to transfer to an armour-supporive-infantry regiment or the para-commando brigade within 2-3 years.


I guess we have quite a tradition going on http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[red_dog006]

Grandpa 1 was a P-51 pilot in the Pacific

Uncle was a jet pilot in Vietnam

Grandpa 2 was in the army on the French front and later fought a little bit on the Korean War

Dad was an air force office and almost saw war but didnt

Mom was an Officer and was stationed in Germany most of service

Grandma 1 was a spy for the US during WW2 in China and verious other things.

[xplosiv05]

my grandads bro was in the scottish highlander light infantry. and was on General Montgomerys staff

[ElHadji]

Well, Im from Sweden and we havent been to war as a nation since 1809 (vs Russia) but still I have quite a few ppl with military history in the family:

My granddad fought as a infantryman in Finland (vs the Soviet Union) during WW2... My uncle volunteered to the US Army and fought in the Pacific theater(Guam, Guadalcanal)as a medic. His son (my cousin) did two tours in Vietnam as a Huey door gunner. All three survived eventhough my granddad was pretty badly injured...

[f16cxv]

my Gandpa was in the 87th? infantry, he was on normandy just a few weeks after they took it, he was in aachen the a day or two after that was taken, then he was in the battle of the bulge, where he was useing a handheld radio to call in a few positions, and was sent to make contact with the enemy where he saw a tiger tank pointing at him, but the germans where having their cofee or something, they didn't fire, anyways he took a hit to right shoulder, and was out for the war, but still it's great hearing his stories...http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

*edit* he and his squad found a shack, close to aachen, I think, and heard germans, they threw some smoke grenades down the seller down and out came a bunch (15 or 16) german officers, he got a luger out of the deal, and no one got hurt, ( the germans came out thinking that there were two or three squads of Americans, but there five or six men...sorry to go on, but I love telling his stories...my great gandad, was in the (can't think of the name) "red bull" or "red bison" division, and I don't know to much else, I know that my great,great,great grandad, was in the revalution, and that he helped establish "braintree" Mass. and that his wife, was one of the fist to register at the first bostonian church...

[Broom347]

Most of my family's military History isn't from World War II. My Grandfather and Grandmother from my dads side were both in the Navy (Arial Gunnery Instructors) My Grandfather from my moms side was a C47 Pilot in World War II, One of my Uncle-in-Laws was a Green Beret (Special Forces) in Vietnam, another one of my uncles was in the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne in the 80's...Lets see what else..Another uncle of mine is currently in the Army (He's been in for about 35 years now)

I wish I knew more about my Uncles military career as Special Ops in Vietnam...but he's never really talked about it and seems he doesn't want to.

[bezl]

My Father was a company commander (1st Lt.) in the Airborne Engineers in the Pacific Theatre. He was deployed in May of 1941 and stayed through the first 2 years of occupied Japan. He did see alot of combat and has many many stories of his time in the service of his country. I will share a funny one. My father was stationed on a little island called Owi. Basically it was just a chunk of coral jutting out of the water. I believe is is about 1 square mile...if that. They were building an airstrip there and Tokyo Rose would come on in the evenings on the radio and tell them to get off the island. She threatened a gas attack on the island. She even named the units that were stationed there and called a few out by name...just to show them that they knew exactly what was there. They were given 24 hours to get off the island. 24 hours later....the bombers came. It was a night raid and the bombs hit several buildings. My father says he saw a bomb falling about 50 feet away from where he was standing and he dove into a foxhole. The concussion from the bomb knocked down part of the hospital there. Then the gas started pouring out of the hospital. Large volumes of gas and alot of mist going everywhere. The men had all thrown their gas masks away long ago, as they saw them as useless. Someone yelled "GAS!". There was a mad dash for the supply store, where the door was promptly ripped off the hinges as the men searched for gas masks. In the end, it turned out that the "Gas" was just some tanks of something from the hospital that got ruptured. It was harmless. From that time foreward, my father said that they all got their hands on gas masks and carried them for the rest of the war, although there was never any cause to use them. One of my fathers friends picked up a piece of schrapnel from the bomb and said to my father, "That's gonna make me a million dollars" (referring to the piece of bomb in his hand). My father asked "How?" His friend proceeded to reply, "When I get back home, I'll walk into any bar and plunk that down on the counter and say...I got that in Guadal Canal...everyone will want to buy me drinks!" My dad only laughed. They weren't in Guadal Canal. That story always made me laugh.
There are many more stories, which my father has written down. He is 87 years old this year and still kicking. He also has suitcases full of pictures and letters from the war. I am hoping to put up a website showing some of these pics. Some are of the Japanese land surrender, at which he was front row center snapping away photos.
I hope you enjoyed reading my father's experience as much as I have enjoyed reading experiences of your families.

[steinsoldat]

Hmmm...let's see. I have many family connections with WW2.

When the Nazis took Norway, they set up encampments and armaments all over the fjords. On the island I live on now, the Germans decided that they could basically see the whole island from my great grandparents' new house on top of one of the tallest mountains there....and told my great gradnfather and grandmother they had to move out of their newly-built house. So, they moved them out. However...having such a large vantage point over our island, it of course also involves a long, steep climb to get to the house (no descent road there back then). They decided to build a cable car from the bottom of the mountain to the top (where our house is). But...it was too costly they decided, and they were too lazy to walk up themselves, so.... http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif No house for them! They gave it back.

Also, my other grandparents were in the resistance, and bycicled all over the country with messages sewn in their shirts. If they were found out, of course, they would've been shot. Luckily for me: they came out ok.

[USAC]

My grandfather was in the 82 airborne in Korea. He was awarded numerious medals (Bronze Star, 2 purple hearts, combat infintry badge, expert marksman, just to name a few and is currently up for the big one CMOH). The gov. is investigateing and looking into it. He fought the rear action guard for the main force at the Yalue(sp) River on the boarder of China.
His two brothers who were older fought in the Pacific in WWII. Robert was a division sniper in which he was featured and pictured in the St. Louis Post Dispatch. He made over 28 different beach landings. He was awarded the Silver Star, and a few other medals as well. Charles the other brother was in the Pacific as well with his brother Robert. I'm not too sure what he was involved in, but he was a BAR man.

Their Father, my Great Great grandfather was a Calvery combat medic (Yes he really did ride a horse) in WWI in Hati or somewhere.
My great uncle jack was in the Navy in WWII, my Uncle Tom was in the Navy in WWII. My grandmothers brother was a Tailgunner for a B17 in WWII.

That is a bit of my family history. All of which did their full tour and returned home safely. Nice to see all the patriotic families out there, and to you soldiers of present and past, THANK YOU! http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/11.gif For protecting us. Ultimate Sacrifice (USAC)

[K_Alan]

I have 2 cousins that are Marines. One of them joined the Army after discharge and is joining Special Forces.

I had 2 uncles and one cousin in Intelligence. One uncle was a F-15 mechanic for almost 20 years.

My grandfather was in the Navy for the end of World War II. My other grandfather was in the Army and was in the invasion of Anzio.

My 3rd cousin led raids against the Japanese following Pearl Harbor (Jimmy Doolittle)

My cousin Edward was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross after his jet was shot down in Korea.

My great-great-great grandfather was one of Sherman's Raiders and made the entire march to the sea. He had his rifle shot out of his hands twice, but didn't get a single scratch in battle.

My great-great-great-great uncle graduated second in his class at West Point and served in the Mexican-American war. He was then named commander of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. (Robert Edward Lee)

My great-great-great-great-great grandfather was a cavalry commander in the Revolutionary War (Richard Henry Lee) (also signed the Declaration of Independence http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_redface.gif) )

[K_Alan]

...that was supposed to be a http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif lol

[K_Alan]

...missed one. My uncle served in Vietnam. He rescued pilots who had been shot down.

[El_Core]

My Grandfather was a Paratrooper in a Highland regiment for two years of the war. He served in Europe for those two years being dropped in Glyders. He then joined the Armour/Artillery corps and drove Tanks in Africa.

My Great Grandfather served in the Boer war as an infantryman. He went on to serve under the same role in WW1. I hear he was caught in a snow drift, but managed to escape - I don't know the exact details or truth of this experience but I would appreciate any help.

[SteadyAim]

My great uncle was a fighter pilot over Iwo Jima. That's all I know.

[Sgt.44]

have 4 relatives that were in World War Two 3 of my Grandpa's uncles(the generation gap is close) served one was in Italy i believe repairing B-17s and other planes i believe he was a welder another Served as an Military police officer in D.C. but then went in to Germany
and the Other fought in Africa , Sicily, Normandy, northern france, Battle of the Bulge, and into Germany
i know he was in the 9th he recieved 3 purple hearts and was sent back in each time at the End of the War he drove Brass around in germany i beileive. Then my Grandpa (not the one with the unlces) served in the india china theatre as a guy who found out the weather for planes going over the "Hump" or the Himalayas he was not in combat i dont think but there were bombing raids and Man eating tigers around. thats all for now though my other grandpa the one with unlces served in the Navy in the 50's on carriers. I did get an OSS knife from my grandpa in China its really cool. My Dad has my other Grandpa's navy manual, hat and stripes.

[Faust-1SS]

And Im going to Iraq in a few months.

My father was in Vietnam, 1967-70, 4th Infantry Division. (First gen. American)

His father was a Oberscharführer in the 1.SS Panzergrenadier Leibstandarte-Adolf Hitler, 1935-1945.

His father was in stationed in the Eastern Front during WW1.

And his father was in the Franco-Prussian war.

[jumpmaster82]

My mother's side of the family is related to Napoleon, still makes me sick to think about that. My grandfather was a tanker and somehow got his hands on some of hitlers silverware and state china, their in a museum in New Orleans.

[XyZspineZyX]

I had a great-uncle who served in the AEF on the western front during WWI. Unfortunately I never knew him.

My grandfather was Company G, 109th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division. He served as a rifleman in "George" company during the Battle of Hurtgen Forest, throughout the Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennes, and up until his capture in the Colmar Pocket of France. He had been captured with two other GI's while on a combat patrol. After capture he was taken across the Rhine and into Germany.

As a Prisoner of War he spent time in Stalag 5B near Villingen, and Stalag 5A on the outskirts of Ludwigsburg. He remained at 5A until the Germans evacuated the camp on Easter, 1945. At which time he and his fellow POWs took part in a forced march across southern Germany that lasted nearly a month.

Eventually my grandfather and the other POWs (mostly British and American) were liberated outside the village of Ettringen by Sherman tanks of the 12th Armored Division.

[North_Bound]

My great-grandfather was the Chief Petty Officer of the U.S.S. Arizona. He knew everyone on that ship by name.

My grandfather (dad's side) was a Captain in the U.S. Army during World War II. He operated a radio in a tank and went in on Pointe Du Hoc just after it was secured. He was given the Purple Heart when his tank was struck by a mortar shell. I'm not sure if it was before he earned his Purple Heart, of if it was when he was brought back to active duty, but his tank and the soldiers around it liberated a small Nazi concentration camp. My dad told me a great story about that. A french prisoner walked up to my grandfather after the camp was liberated and told him that the Nazis had taken his prized stallions into a stable in the back. They were going to be given to Hitler, but my grandfather and his buddies released the stallions, and the owner let them run free.

My grandfather (mom's side) was a code breaker in the Korean War.

My great uncle (dad's side) was a fighter pilot in World War II and Vietnam. During Vietnam, however, his plane ran into bad weather, and it went down. All they found were his dog tags.

To this day, we still don't know what his mission was.

My cousin fought in Operation Desert Storm.

My family has a pretty strong military history, and I hope to continue our history by joining the U.S. military when I graduate High School

[Anti444Hero]

I resently sent the government a letter requestiong my grand fathers info. right now all i know is he was mobilized with the canadian active service force on september 3rd 1939, he faught in germany and france, hopefully i will get a reply soon with more info.

Heres a story that my mom told me.
When my grandfather first decided to serve his country he joined the navy, but after a few week of training decided he didnt like it, so he just got up and left to join the army without telling anyone. MP's went to my great grandfathers (who fought in WWI) house to tell him that his son was a traitor. Well my great grandfather told those mp's that his son was no traitor, that they should look in the army or the airforce, and that if they didnt get off his property he'd shoot them. Well the mp's check the army and found my grandfather there, and he was already in england by this time so they never bothered to do anything about it.

[maxlitwin]

my Great Grandfathers served in WW1, one was killed in Belgum, the other survived the war, was blinded by Mustard gas and died of complications in 1921. his son, my mother's father, orphaned after 1921, was an engeneer in WW11, cleared obstacles on Utah Beach (not Omaha luckily). father's father serviced K14 cameras that were mounted in Aerial reconisance planes during WW11. my some of my uncles were drafted during Vietnam, one served got addicted to drugs while in vietnam and died recently under a bridge, one dodged, the other served as a surgeon in Germany. currently i have cousins serving in Kuwait and Iraq. wars are possibly the worst thing to happen to my family.

[tackle74]

I had a distant relative on my Dad's side serve as a surgeon in the American Revolution with the Continental Army.

Also had relatives serve on both sides of the US Civil War but unfortunatly have no units or other history.

One Uncle served with the 27th Inf Regiment, 25th Infantry Division in the Pacific. Uncle Jim was in the Heavy Weapons Company (mortar section), and was at Scholfield Barracks at Pearl harbor when it was attacked. Jim also saw service at Guadacanal and Guam. Uncle Jim was discharges as a Staff Sergeant. Interesting note was that Jim was in the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) during the depression and that serving in the army was just a good steady job before the war.

Uncle Jake was a rifleman in the 95th Infantry Division. With the success of the Allied push across Europe he was reassigned to the Red Ball Express. Uncle Jake had experience as a truck driver before the war.

My dad was lucky he graduated High School in 1945 and recieved his draft notice at the start of August, by the time he went in the Bombs had been dropped. Thank you Truman.

[YanSan]

my grandpa served in the 7th infantry division in korea, i don't know all that much about it...i think my uncle said something about him saving a mortar crew, but i know he got a purple heart for shrapnel is his butt and forearm i believe http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/25.gif

[HeavenDeparts]

i had a garndpal in ww2 he was infantre he died R.I.P i had a nther grandpal in korea he was a morter man he just die not to long ago he cryed this 1 time i ask him about the war so i naver ask him agen R.I.P i had a casein in veitnam he step on a mine and died R.I.P my dad was in the golf war he was in infentre as well he lived thO! and hes cool not all f***ed up by the war.i have 3caseins in this war right now and my bro to hopefullee they will come back safe thx for reading. peace

[JMartin86]

My great uncle Bill Martin was sent in with troops to liberate Auschwitz, though I only hear 3rd party stories, it is said that he saw the prisoners beat the german guards to death with their bare hands once they were released. Sadly, I don't know of any of his other missions/assignments as he committed suicide some years ago when he learned he had cancer. I only wish that I had had the chance to speak with him about it.

[Oblt.Fonnekold]

I don't know how they would. Less than 1000 calories a day doesn't leave you with enough energy to walk very far, much less beat a man to death.

[gerkin666]

hey. my grandad from my fathers side, was in the royal navy during ww2 he was a gunner im not sure what ship tho. my great grandad and my great great grandad were in the indian army one was a major and the other was a colour sergent , i have two of his ( major) medals which are the indian independance medal (15th august 1947)and the other is thelong service and good conduct medal, my grandad served in the british army as a supply officer in the korean war as a captain.
My father served 31 1/2 long years in the royal Navy, and finished service as a leftanant after getting his commission after only 15 years of service. he did many jobs ranging from maintenance in the fleet air arm, did 3 shows in the royal tournament as a field gunner, with the fleet air arm ( the best ) hes been a survival instructor in norway after completing the S.A.S survival course and the s.b.s swimming tests along with other marine tests. he also commanded the flight deck on the RN flagship H.M.S ILLUSTRIOUS, he didnt go to the falklands, and the gulf but he did do some operational work during the malaysian confrontation. My cousin is in the process of getting into dartmouth naval officer academy, and i am waiting to start my phase 1 ( 25th april 2005) going into the british army as an infantry man in the princess of wales royal regiment ( 1st battalion hopefully, the largest infantry battalion in the army, 2nd btn are currently serving a 6month operational tour in iraq get home safe lads! afta 1st btn doing 6mnths early last year, coming home with a victoria cross! and serveral sommendations for bravery and their professionalism. http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/784.gif

[JMartin86]

Fonnekold, I have to say it's pretty rude just claiming that I'm a liar, or that my great uncle is. If you don't beleive then fine, but don't try to discredit him, I know what he did.

[soybighead]

Just about every war since the Civil


Ancestors came over from Germany and France, and one of em fought for the North.

[Firefight700]

I had an uncle who was with Patton, he was wounded when his tank was hit by the Germans. He had shrapnal in his leg that they could not remove at the time. They did however get to remove it about five years before he passed away. He told me that when they first went out into the field, he was a private, and in two days made sarge. He said they lost alot of men in tank battles.
I also had an uncle who served on board the USS DRAYTON around Leyte Island. He was a Seaman2nd Class, and was a gunner on board the ship. He was wounded in March 1944 when they were hit by dive bombers. The gun he was on had the hydrolic lines hit, and he was scaulded by it. He was sent home for R and R for I believe 3 to 6 months. After he was well, they sent him back over to the DRAYTON to man his gun. On Dec. 5th 1944, they were hit again by dive bombers, his gun took a direct hit by one of them, killing and wounding all of the men with the gun. My uncle was one of the men killed by the hit. He was only 19 years old at the time

[jcoquillon]

Great great uncle was first member of RFC to land in France (flew a BE2 over in 1914), shortly after scored first aerial victory, a flight of 3 british recon planes lead by him encountered a lone german plane, he opened fire with a revolver and then they forced the German down to low level with their planes until he eventually landed. He bolted for a nearby wood so they landed and gave chase but were unable to find him and set fire to his plane insetad and flew home.

Grandfather was a gilder pilot in North Africa, Normandy and Holland, won a DFC for his landing in Holland. He walked accross pegasus bridge on d-day and spent most of the day in a foxhole on edge of town under MG and 88 fire. In Holland he took an airburst from a mortar as he was yelling at a Bren gunner to stop wasting ammo firing at a low flying fighter and ended up in hospital and later a PoW until war's end.
http://www.betterhandy.co.uk/misc/NORMANDY04/CAPT_CB_DODWELL_DFC.JPG
Picture of him in normandy 2004 by a Horsa glider

Great uncle was recommended for a military cross after stopping a panzer attack with a PIAT in Normandy '44

Another great great uncle won a george cross in WWI for assaulting an MG nest single handed, his brother was killed on his first time over the top, climbed the ladder and went to blow a hunting horn to call his men on and was killed instantly

[great_Fruitbat]

My great great auntie (I think...) was a nurse on the western front in WW1, and was presumed dead. Her body was never found, so we have no idea what happened to her. One of my great grandparents also served in WW1, and died during the Somme. My grandfather didn't go to WW2 because he was too young, but was a peacekeeper in North Africa and Greece. His only direct action was as a Radio operator in Greece. His unit came under small arms and mortar fire from Greek anti-communist forces, and his best friend died. Shows you how much can go wrong when you give people guns.
Fruitbat

[schutzeh]

one grandad was in burma, and i remember him saying something about north africa, but im unsure, my other one fixed spitfires back home and later was in artillery in north africa for a short while then went back to engineering, i think

jcoquillon

nice story http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[MFFRHadean]

During WW2 my Grandfather on my German side was a mechanic for the Luftwaffe, served with the 54th (or 55th? can't remember) Totenkopf. Wanted to be a pilot, but knew Engines so they made him a mechanic.

My Late Grandfather on my Greek side was a Sniper with the Greek partisans during the occupation of Hellas. The only story he ever told me or my brother was that one day just waking up, his officer brought him out, handing him a rifle, told him to shoot an enemy up in the tree (who my grandfather assumed was unarmed) no questions asked.

My Grandpa had 2 brothers as well, one in the Kreigsmarine and one in the Wehrmacht. One in the Wehrmacht got wounded by a mortar in France got to sit out the war, the other one served on some famous Battleship (no not the Tirpitz or the Bismarck) till he got transferred to a U-boat in 1945. Unfortunately the u-boat was depth-charged by 2 British destroyers and he didn't survive.

[SABU1111]

Grandad and Grandma were radio operators. (Grandad wanted to be in the RAF but his vision was too poor).

Great Uncle was in a Canadian detachment to the RAF, but was shot down in 1940. Probably some more military history in my family, but I don't know it.

[Oblt.Fonnekold]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by JMartin86:
Fonnekold, I have to say it's pretty rude just claiming that I'm a liar, or that my great uncle is. If you don't beleive then fine, but don't try to discredit him, I know what he did. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I didn't claim you were a liar, nor that your uncle is a liar. Since you said they were 3rd Party stories it makes me doubt whether or not they were exagerations. I've seen videos of the holocaust survivors and taken several History classes and I honestly cannot see those malnurished people kill a well fed German soldier with their bare hands. Once the body uses up its fat stores for energy, it turns to what you have left...your muscles. This leaves you very weak. That is why I doubted it. I'm not completely sure its true but I will give you the benefit of the doubt.

[SABU1111]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by JMartin86:
My great uncle Bill Martin was sent in with troops to liberate Auschwitz, though I only hear 3rd party stories, it is said that he saw the prisoners beat the german guards to death with their bare hands once they were released. Sadly, I don't know of any of his other missions/assignments as he committed suicide some years ago when he learned he had cancer. I only wish that I had had the chance to speak with him about it. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Just to add to the other replies about this, I'm fairly sure Soviet troops liberated Auschwitz, not American/Canadian/British.

[Mosin_7.62x54R]

My family, Hysler.

Were basically mobsters in the 1920s and we got int a fight with capone because we basically didnt like him. Had a gun battle on a bridge in Flordia, with thompsons and all.

Thats about it, big navy family; aside from the mobsters.

[bourjois]

my grandad was one of the first people to see a german rocket powered airplane while my other grandad was fighting in russia under the ss.
my grandad fighting in russia still lives heâ´s 87 years old.

[LW_lcarp]

Grandpa on my moms side was told he couldnt join the military during WW2 because he had a farm. Uncle was in the navy during Korea, Half brother in maries during peace time. Brother in NG (peacetime) and Me U.S. Army (86-90, 91-91

[BestKeptSecret6]

my grandfather was shot in Sicily during World War II and my other was a fighter pilot during WWII

[Reddevil0911]

My Grandfather Served in with the British 8th Army, (Desert Rats) Essex Rifles under Field Marshall Montgomery, in North Africa. He fought at the Battle for El Alamein and Tobruk. At the Battle for Tobruk he was wounded and ship back to England, upon his recovery he was resigned (this is where the history is unclear as in not spoken about), to Military Intelligence as an interrogator of POW’s. Perhaps not as exciting and as terrifying as serving on the front lines, but a job which had to be done and a job which saved countless Allied lives, as a result of the information collected.

My Grandfather was a great man and a hero to his Country who served with distinction and honor. As so many did in the face of danger, as all of our relatives did. I think we all can do our part to keep the memories, stories, victories, achievements and tragedies in the minds of the generations to come. As the men who sacrificed so much, deserve to be remembered.

[DaveisBrave]

My Great Grandfather, Kenneth Wickham, attended West Point and was a Colonel in World War II, serving in Anzio and the Battle of the Bulge under Gerneral Frederick in the First Special Service Force, being an instrumental force in it's conception. He also was part of the force that liberated Dachau. He served in Korea and eventually reached the rank of Major General. He was the Adjutant General of the Army from '67-'71 (I believe). He died in June '04 and is buried at West Point.

My other grandfather piloted Higgins Boats in Guadalcanal and Okinawa.

[aubiecat]

My GGG granddad was a major in the Georgia Calvery(CSA) in the civil war. My granddad was in WWI serving under Jack Pershing. He was gassed but had no ill effects.
<-- father - sons--> My dad was marine in the so. pacific in WWII. His two brothers were in the navy in the pacific at the same time. My oldest brother was a medic in Vietnam, served during Tet offensive, hamburger hill.

[techno1976]

my granddad from my dads side was a soldier in the dutch army in 1940 and battled at the grebbeberg and my family from my mothers side where in the dutch resistance

[STUKATEUR]

the brother of my grandma was panzergrenadier...has awarded EK.1,Ek.2,verwundeten abzeichen in schwarz,nahkampfspange in silber,gefrierfleisch orden,krimschild,KIA in romania `44.

my grandpa was fallschirmjäger in russia.42 or 43 himmelfahrtskommando in africa.jumped directly in to an american position(they should destroy an american fuel depot)"hands up"...P.O.W in florida.

[Crushda]

Grandfather Motherside:
Commander of the 111th "Eisbär" Division East Front. Owned the Soviet "Krim" Fortess got the "Knight Cross with Leaves"

Grandfather Fatherside:
normal Soldier in the first Year, served in the West, kicked the French Asses in 3 weeks, "Iron Cross".

Father:
served in the 12th SS Tank Division. "Ardenne" offensive. Killed himself 25 Americans with his guns. himself has NOT seen 1 war crime commited by his Unit, but he has seen 12 Warcrimes commited by americans Units during 44-45. including choping of heads of war prisoners.

Im not saying that german Troops did not commit warcrimes!!!! BUT I tell you, wake up out of your fantasy dreamworld of the american wonder hyper soldiers fighting for the freedom of the world...., there is no clean war and the allies where as bad as the germans, there is NO diffrence in a war.

[PERFEKT-07]

So many nice stories...

The only one I know; my great (I don't know how many greats), grandfather (Mother's side). He was a Manchu imperial offical during the Qin Dynasty (1644-1911 AD), that's all I know. My Grandfather (R.I.P) fled from China to Singapore. No military history, but during WWII, he was captured by the Japanese twice (To be drag away and shot, you know how Japanese hate the Chinese during that time), and amazingly, he survived on both occasion. (That's what I heard anyway)

[Oblt.Fonnekold]

I'm suprised this thread has lasted this long.

[DarkAutumn]

Military history in my family? Where to start...

My mom's side goes back to when the Sweeney clan was first mentioned in Irish history concerning Doe Castle.

From there, ancestors fought for and against the Brits. In India, The Boer War, The First and Second World Wars...

They even fought on both sides of the American Revolution.

My Dad's side is Ukrainian. I don't know anything earlier than the 2nd World War.

Three of my Uncles fought in Europe. Two came home again. One didn't.

A distant relative commanded a Soviet tank regiment.

[MaxImus1303]

Many stories with my family:

My Great-Uncle served with 277 Sqn - Air Sea Rescue, during the Battle of Britain, he was a gunnery sergent on Boulton Paul Defiants, and Walrus's, we were told he was MIA, however my father and I recently found out that his aircraft was jumped by three Focke Wolf 190's and he crashed into the channel, KIA. Sadly his aircraft was the last Defiant to be shot down in the war.
My other Great Uncle, flew various aircraft aboard the HMS Argos, never invloved in any dogfights however, but he did fly Swordfish, Corsairs, etc.
Another Great Uncle was in the Irish Guards, in Tunisia, and was involved in the action in which John Kenneally, also of the Irish guards recieved the Victoria Cross, unfortunately my uncle was also killed there, and is buried in Tunisia.
Another Uncle served with the Army in Palestine and many other Middle Eastern areas during the war, survived, but sadly was killed in a construction accident soon after.
My grandfather was in the REME, serving in Italy 1944-46, he was responsible for repairing truck and jeep tyres, all helped I spose!
My other grandfather was heavily involved in the devleopment of Radar for the services, he narrowly escaped Singapore within days of the Japanese invasion and then spent the work working at Bawdsey Manor, Suffolk maintaing radar installations.

[bullshotz]

(My first post in any gamers forum)...
I was actually a paratrooper in the 101st Airborne from 6/1973 to 11/1974. The 3rd Brigade of the 101st was on active jump status until about April of 1974 before the entire division became "Air Assault/Air Mobile".
Here's a link to a photo I took on my last jump...
101st Airborne Jump (http://www.pbase.com/mhdigifilm/image/13815411)
I hid a pocket camera in my field jacket sleeve and shot a roll of film in just a few seconds. We jumped from about 1000 feet and there wasn't much time to screw around. I risked getting an Article 15 in doing so!!!
Enjoy!!!!
Mike Howdle
101st Airborne MP Company
Omaha, Nebraska USA
Bullshotz@aol.com

[RMaule]

My Great Grandad on my mothers side landed on D-day on the beaches and survived the war but died of TB in the 50's, and thats all i know about him but i have started to research things to see if i can pull any info about him (what regiment, what beach etc).
My Grandad on my dads side was in the Home gaurd as he was to young to join the Army during the war.
My Grandad on my mums side was in the National service for two years after the war.
My dad Lance Corpral P. Maule served in the British infantry for 22 years (phew!!) 1970-1992 in the Royal Anglian regiment has saw service in N. Ireland and Cyprus and he also went all over the world Belize, Malta Canada, US and Germany. The only reason that he left the army was because he had complete his full service, if it were up to him he would still be there. He got four medals for his service.
Out of four uncles that i have got three of them were in the Armed forces:
My first uncle was in the Royal Marines and he fought in the falklands campain in 1982. He then went on to join the SBS (Special Boat Service)- the navy version of the SAS.
Another one of my uncles was in the Army Air corp were he was a Chinook pilot, he then went on to become a drill instructer in the Air corp.
My last uncle was in the Royal engineers and saw service in Bosnia.

Then it comes to me, i've currently got a rubbish office job but i plan to join the Royal anglian regiment to follow my fathers footsteps, and my family tradition.

[Oblt.Fonnekold]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by bullshotz:
(My first post in any gamers forum)...
I was actually a paratrooper in the 101st Airborne from 6/1973 to 11/1974. The 3rd Brigade of the 101st was on active jump status until about April of 1974 before the entire division became "Air Assault/Air Mobile".
Here's a link to a photo I took on my last jump...
http://www.pbase.com/mhdigifilm/image/13815411
I hid a pocket camera in my field jacket sleeve and shot a roll of film in just a few seconds. We jumped from about 1000 feet and there wasn't much time to screw around. I risked getting an Article 15 in doing so!!!
Enjoy!!!!
Mike Howdle
101st Airborne MP Company
Omaha, Nebraska USA
Bullshotz@aol.com <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thats Awesome! Talk about a once in a lifetime shot eh?!

[sgt.jeffray]

my great grampa was a cook and my great uncle was a tank driver and landed on juno beach and help the amaricans 101st airborn (TRUE!!) in OPERATION MARKET GUARDEN!!

[dirt_jumper]

Both my grandfathers were in vietnam (USAF)

[ronaldhough]

My dad fought in New Guinea and the Phillipines during WWII. He caught Malaria while there and used to wake up at night screaming sometimes. He would only tell me funny stories about the war, like when they found a cache of sake (Japanese rice wine) near Manila, and the whole company got drunk.
My uncle (dad's brother) died in the Battle of the Bulge.
Another uncle (my mom's brother) served on a tin can in the Atlantic during WWII.
My brother-in-law just got back from Iraq (1st Cavalry). Was awarded the Bronze Star for valor.
All much braver men than me.

[MajSean]

My Grandpa was in the United States Marine Corps. back in Korea, he drove a truck with 2 50 cals mounted on it.

One time he raided a US Army base (not literally, the USMC gets a lot of equipment by 'borrowing' it from other service branches) and he borrowed a halftrack right out from under their noses! He just went in and hotwired a halftrack when no one was looking and drove it through the front barrier, him and his squad! He used to tell me that he captured it from the enemy but my dad told me the truth, I was laughing for like a half hour! Also my Dad's uncle was the guy who invented the way to put the landing gear on the Corsair but his boss took all the credit. My cousin served on the Aircraft carrier USS Enterprise. And a friend of the family was a spook in Vietnam, Once he was in his bunk in a camp I cant remember where, when the ****s attacked the camp, it was night and no one could see anything so his friend too up a 50 cal and sprayed a tank full of aircraft fuel! That lit up those ****s real good!

[venator76]

My grandfather was in Italy, from June 30 1944 to the end of the war. He was a 1st Lieutenant of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force (FEB in portuguese), who was that time embedded to the US Army (5th Army, commanded by Gen. Mark Clark). He fought the battles of the "Gothic Line", in which the Brazilian Expeditionary Force helped to liberate Masarosa, Bozzano, Camaiore, Pescaglia, Castelnuovo, Montese, Mount Belvedere and the most important battle in the Brazilian history, Mount Castelo.

[Airforce1234]

my uncle is still UN General,
and my grandpa was in the german army in ww2
(SS-Tank division , prisoner of the americans in the year 1944 in normandy)

[Morvior]

Beginning.. Well, since I come from scotland..

Innes Clan - Fought alongside William Wallace until he was killed, then kept fighting until they were told to surrender by the King of Scotland, and I believe they did so, or they were forced to, either way.

O'Connell (Irish) - James O'Connell was one of the people who started the Irish Rebellion against the British and kept fighting. http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

I currently have a photo of the family members that served in the WW's, I'll see if I can scan it and I'll try and dig up some documents on my them to see who actually fought and who didn't, all that I know is that it includes my Great-Great Grandad, who served in WW1, and my Great Grandad, who served in WW2. I don't know if my Grandad served or not, my Great Grandad was almost at the limit of being able to apply. So I think he -might- have.. I'll check though!

[chorba68]

my grandfather served as a pt boat captain in france after the invasion, my other grandfather served in the pacific, stationed in quam, but obviously did a lot of island hopping. I am pretty sure he was in the army. One of my uncles served in vietnam. My dads uncles served in ww2, but don't know specifics.

[Kongo Otto]

My grandfather was a Unteroffizier in the Infanterie Regiment 131,this unit was renamed in Oktober 1942 in Grenadier Regiement 131
and was Part of the 44.Infanterie Division.
The whole Division was destroyed at the Battle of Stalingrad.He is MIA since Dec 42.
My other Grandpa was in the Panzer Regiment 7


Actualisation:The German war Graves Commision(Kriegsgräberfürsorge)located the Grave of my missing Granpa,he will be buried in a War Cemetery nearby

[theodore.eicke]

I have a proud family army history.
2 of my Great Grand fathers served in Italy in ww1 in the Austro-Hungarian Army. One was a sniper and was captured in 1917 and was a POW for 5 Years in Sicily. My other great GFather was also around Isonzo where he got shellshock in 1917, and his left was partially paralized. Many of my relatives served in ww2 but my closest one is my grandfather, who served in the 2nd Hungarian and participated in our tragic Battle of the Bend-of-the-river-Don. He survived this battle and served in the Hungarian millitary until he was captured by the Soviets around Magdeburg in May of 1945.
My father served in the French Foreign Legion for 2 Years.
I guess I have to continue this long tradition

[Kongo Otto]

Originally posted by theodore.eicke:

My father served in the French Foreign Legion for 2 Years.


Where and when did he serve?

[gustave.jany]

I'm sorry Otto I don't know because my father hardly talkes about it. I don't know wheter he was succesful there or not, I don't know why he left. Thats all I know, that he was there for 2 years out of 5 mandatory
(i have changed username)

[Kongo Otto]

Originally posted by gustave.jany:
I'm sorry Otto I don't know because my father hardly talkes about it. I don't know wheter he was succesful there or not, I don't know why he left. Thats all I know, that he was there for 2 years out of 5 mandatory
(i have changed username)
Dosnâ´t really matter,he was there and that makes him one of us.You should be proud of him.
2 years in the legion can show you the hell on earth,if yourâ´e in the wrong place to the wrong time.My best regards to your father.
Un homme très honorable.
Best regards
Kongo Otto

[comedy_watcher]

Alright, part of my family was in the Austro-Hungarian military, not too sure of the details another part fought with the German military in occupied Poland (I think) (all during WW1), then some of my family fought in the Polish resistance near Kraków and Tarnów and a lot of other places (not sure what all were) and on the American side, one of my great uncles was killed during the battle of Monte Cassino and a few more on my dad's side fought in Europe, on the other side of the family one of my great uncles was wounded just after he crossed the Rhine at Remagen (thats what I know, he dosen't talk about it too much) and my grandfather fought in the Pacific (during WW2). then my father fought in the Vietnam war along with my uncle. Now in my family, there are currently two members of my family in the military.

[genrelative]

My Grandfather on my mom's side fought in Okinawa(sp?) and my grandfather who I never knew on my dad's side fought in Monte Cassino. My dad was in the Navy during Vietnam and was deployed in the Pacific I believe.

[Zippis]

My grandfather was a jäger in the first army of independent Finland. He reported on duty in Lockstedter-Lager, December 23rd 1915.
Lockstedter-Lager was the training camp in Germany where voluntary Finns went to be trained by Imperial Prussian Army. This was the time before our independence and the goal was to create an army able to free Finland from Russian oppression. The Finns created "Königlich Preussiches Jägerbataillon Nr. 27" and after training they fought under German command in the Eastern front (Gulf of Riga and Libau).

The battalion shipped out of Libau in February 14th 1918 and arrived in Finland in February 25th. Couple of months earlier the government had declared independence (surprisingly Lenin accepted this). Unfortunately a civil war broke and jägers had to fight against fellow-Finns (socialists, but Finns anyway http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif ). The reds were defeated and independent Finland started to find its way.

November 30th 1939 Soviets attacked, Winter War started. My grandfather was in the trenches as well. He was eventually promoted Staff Sergeant (vääpeli) and awarded Medal of Liberty 2nd and 1st class.
Winter War ended in March 13th 1940. War broke again in summer 1941, but my grandfather was old enough to stay home.

I never knew him though. He died before my time. We would have had many things to talk about..

[Ratcatcher1957]

My grandfather, on my mother's side served on the Western Front in World War 1, I don't know where, and then in Palestine under General Allenby. He rode a camel into Jerusalem he always claimed. In WW2 he was in the Home Guard, he was a captain, and nearly killed his next door neighbour showing off the pistol he had been issued.

One of my great uncles was in the Pioneer Corps and lost both his legs in World War 1.

My father was a Royal Marine Commando in 1945 and just caught the end of the war in Germany.

My mother's uncle was in the Welsh Guards and served in Norther France and Belgium in 1944. His family didn't hear anything of him for many weeks and then got a post card of Manikin Pis statue saying one morning. His brother was captured by the Japanese and was never seen again, believed died in captivity.

My father in law was in the Fleet Air Arm and served on an aircraft carrier in the Med.

[Kongo Otto]

Originally posted by Crushda:
Grandfather Motherside:
Commander of the 111th "Eisbär" Division East Front. Owned the Soviet "Krim" Fortess got the "Knight Cross with Leaves"


The German 111th Inf.Division had no "Eisbär" Symbol,they also didnâ´t fight at the Krim 1941.The Division was destroyed 1944 at Sewastopol.The last CO of the Division wasnâ´t awarded with the "Knights Cross"or with the "Knights Cross with Leaves"he only had the "German Cross in Gold",he was killed at May 12th 1944 at Sewastopol.The Division was destroyed a few Days later on 20th May 1944

<span class="ev_code_RED">There were only two of the COâ´s of the 111th Division with the "Knights Cross"one of them had no "Oak Leaves"
The second one of the Commanders from the 111th Divison had his Knights Cross awarded before he was Commanding General of the 111th Division,and he had been awarded not only the "Oak Leaves"he also was awarded with the "Oak Leaves with Swords" both he became after he was Commanding Officer of the 111th Division.He was KIA 23rd January 1945,tell us his Name!!!!!!!!!!!!</span>

[spartan_070]

My Great Uncle PFC John D. Magrath was in 10th Mountain Division of the 85th Infantry, U.S Army in the Castel d' Aiano in Italy. On the 14th April 1945 he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

When his company was pinned down by heavy artillery, mortar, and small arms fire, near Castel d'Aiano, Italy. Volunteering to act as a scout, armed with only a rifle, he charged headlong into withering fire, killing 2 Germans and wounding 3 in order to capture a machinegun. Carrying this enemy weapon across an open field through heavy fire, he neutralized 2 more machinegun nests; he then circled behind 4 other Germans, killing them with a burst as they were firing on his company. Spotting another dangerous enemy position to this right, he knelt with the machinegun in his arms and exchanged fire with the Germans until he had killed 2 and wounded 3. The enemy now poured increased mortar and artillery fire on the company's newly won position. John fearlessly volunteered again to brave the shelling in order to collect a report of casualties. Heroically carrying out this task, he made the supreme sacrifice.

When my grandfather told me about this I was amazed and felt so proud about what my Great Uncle had done for his Country.

Here is a link to a picture of his grave my father took and has been posted on the home of heroes website:

http://www.homeofheroes.com/gravesites/states/images_go/magrath_john2.jpg

If you want more information on his story then please use this link to the History of the Tenth Mountain Division:

http://www.drum.army.mil/sites/about/hist-10mtn.asp

[Cpt_Raidergun]

my family doesn't really has any military tradition but since I live in Belgium both my grandfathers were resistance members, my father's was pretty young back then so he acted as a scout for the british when then arrived here and my mother's (May he rest in peace) was older and helped crashed pilots get back to England and assisted in one resistance raid against a german patrol, killing them all, 3 wounded on their side, my grandfather got a bullet in the leg, but luckily he survived.
My father also was a memeber of the Belgian "occupation force" in Germany

[Mr_M1Garand]

All my family fought with the British. In WW1 my great great grandad recieved a distinguished service cross, i think (it was 1 below VC)For rescuing his commanding officer in WW1 at Somme I believe. My Great Grandad was a tank commander in Africa and Italy and was the only member of his tank to survive when they were hit by the enemy he was badly wounded and his own daughter walked past him on the street without recognising him. My great uncle John was a rear gunner in Lancasters and my other great grandad was in the infantry in Italy and Nth Africa. My grandad served postwar on an aircraft carrier. I aslo have another relative who saw service in WW1 but unsure of his role

[Americal_164th]

Three of my family were in war. My grandfather mom's side, and an great uncle and uncle on my dads side.

My grandfather fought on Guadacanal, and Bougainville. He was in the Americal Division 164th infantry known as the "Jungle fighters" He was wounded in the leg the war. He was awarded the silver star for actions on Bougainville and the bronze star for actions in Gradacanal. My great uncle was killed when a japenese zero shot down his Ventura near a Russian pennsula. My uncle fought in the first gulf war.

[danvnuk]

New to the forums - 1st post http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

I have a bit of military history in my family - that I'm aware of.

1st World War

My Great Grandfather served in Royal West Kent regiment and was captured by the Germans on the first day of the their spring offensive in 1918.
My mother remembers every xmas, someone he served in the army with would come round and give him a card with a substantial amount of money in, with "Thanks for saving my Life" written in it. He wouldn't talk about what this was for - or the war to anyone.

My Grandfathers older Brother served in the Northamptonshire Regiment (strangely enough he was from East London) - he was killed in action at the age of 19 on the Somme sector in August 1918.

WW2

My Grandfather on my fathers side served in the Royal Engineers - He was in North Africa, Sicily/Italy and finally in Germany at the end of the war.
He was wounded twice - once in North Africa when the half track he was driving was hit by a German shell (Left him deaf in one ear) The other time he was 'creased' across the neck by a bullet at the River Po in Italy - One of his friends was hit in the leg and 2 of his friends were killed in the same incident.

Here's a photo of him and his unit -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/danvnuk/Grandad3.jpg
*he's crouching -front left between the guy with glasses and the other fella*

My Grandfather on my Mothers side served in the Royal Signals in WW2 - also in North Africa, Sicily/Italy and Germany. He wouldn't talk about the war much - but he told my mother that most of his friends he joined up with were killed or wounded - mostly by German mines and booby traps left to catch the signallers when they repaired telephone lines in the forward areas.

My Dads 'Uncle Wol' served as a Chindit behind Japanese lines in Burma and survived both Chindit campaigns - he was mentioned in dispatches twice....here's a photo...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/danvnuk/WeatherlyW800.jpg

*he's inset and also 5th from the left - back row in the group shot*

[hartsox]

my grandfather was a cook for a *mash* in korea(my grandma said it might have benn 4077) and i've got 2 cousins in the army,stationed in iraq
but i havent heard from them hope there ok http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_frown.gif

[sgt.scream]

both my grandfathers served in the Portuguese army in the 40's

My dad was drafted into the Portuguese army in the early 80's and served in a tank battalion,

[Gunst]

My great uncle on my dad's side is Dutch and was hiding from the Germans from the initial occupation of Holland to its liberation. He said he used to sneak out at night and take food from German tanks.

My great uncle on my mom's side was in the 1st Canadian Airborne Battalion. He was hit in the side with flak before he touched the ground, survived the night, and won a ticket home.

[gustave.jany]

Your Great Uncle; "Hell sir I just got here..."

His Officer: "SOn i doubt you could fight 100% with that piece of steel in yer back. ANd any wayz you couldnt do any good for us anywayz" http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[Super_Squaddie]

My grandfather was one of the founder members of the British REME (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) regiment during the war after a stint as a dispatch rider. He was in one of the newsreels made about D-DAY when he was running up a path behind his comrades leading off the beach and up a cliff. The guy in front of him was pushing a bike.

My Dad was in the RRW (Royal Regiment Of Wales), transferred to the RAOC (Royal Army Ordanance Corps) during the late 60's/early 70's as a supply specialist. He did 3 years of that (having served in cyprus, northern ireland etc) when he was attached to the SAS (i kid you not) where he did the training and later joined fully. With them i only know of ONE of the Ops he was on (i shouldnt know about him being ex-SAS :P) which was in Northern Ireland again, but this time in belfast on the day of "bloody sunday". he was in the roofs reconing the trouble makers ( including american mercs he recognized from a previous exercize when they were rangers and british politicians no less).
He left the Army in 1976 after 9 years.

Iam joinging up soon too. yay me http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[El_Core]

Originally posted by danvnuk:
New to the forums - 1st post http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

I have a bit of military history in my family - that I'm aware of.

1st World War

My Great Grandfather served in Royal West Kent regiment and was captured by the Germans on the first day of the their spring offensive in 1918.


I'm from Kent, and a lot of the troops around here are commemorated on a memorial near my house. I've visited the battlefield where the West Kent fought, and was just wondering where you're from, and where your Great Grandfather was from.

Interesting point about the bloke who brought the cards round - I can understand why he might not have wanted to talk about his experiences.

[Mklangelo]

Originally posted by Oblt.Fonnekold:
Whats your families military history?

As far as I know, My great uncle saw the Bismarck sink the Hood and my Great Grampa flew sopwith camels in the first world war.

My Father fought the Japanese in WWII and several of my Uncles fought in the European Theater in WWII (They all survived it). I myself served three years in the U.S. Army in the Field Artillery from 1978-1981.

[Hartsock1982]

my grampap was a T/SGT. in the 3rd infantry division during ww2. unlike other veterans, my grampap always tells me stories of his experiences. the way i see it, my grampap acts as if it was fun or something! he always tells about the patrols he volentered for because he was such a neb****, the one fight he got in, and basic training. he was injured twice but got one purple heart! at anzio he got a chunk of chrapnel in his back and at rhinevally, he was shot in the hand by an mg. he looked down and there was a hole in his hand so he just layed on the ground waiting for someone besides a german to come by for help. now when he walks through metal detecters it always sounds off because he still has a tiny piece of german metal in his back. he always says about how the m1 carbine he had was junk but it always saved him times. "it could go POP,POP,POP!" he says.

[perfekt187]

My grandfather was in the Air Force. Far as I know. I am looking to go to the Navy.

[clean_slate]

My great grandfather fought in the Civil War (for the Union, of course http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif) and I have numerous ancestors who fought in the American revolution.

[Dori1234]

My grandpa was the BAR man of some unit in the ARMY when they were off to Korea while they were coming closer to the port the war ended so he never saw action but after that he was a police officer and he tells me storys of busting in on bar fights with a sawed of shotty 12 guage and going into police competions with a .38 service revolver and a 1911 .45 ACP and other times in a store robbery he would go in with a tommy gun and restore order but he never did get to shoot someone lol

he sure does have a lot of stories

[Azeeze1]

My 4th cousin was in the 82nd airborne during ww2. He defended a bridge at trois points in france. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge was injured twice, both times was by shrapnel from artellery shells. My other relative which i dont no much at all was MIA but then found his unit. My 3rd Cousin was in d-day on the beach landings, infantry man. My grandpa was in the 1st armored after korea, and his brother was a cook in the army during the korean war. My great grandpa was in the navy in ww1, and i had relatives on the Confederate sides in Civil war(were not racist) my great uncle was a commander of a ship for 30 years, and helped in the search of the Titanic.

[Azeeze1]

Oh yeah during the french 100 year Wars i had 2 relatives who fought for the French side.

[alexander_kista]

My brother is actually serving right now in Afghanistan in the Swedish Army. He is a Fänrik (it is like a Seargent) The swedish army are not there to fight. They are there to bring peace. My grandfather was force to join the Italy army in 1940. Eritrea was then ruled by Italy. He saw action but never fired his weapon.

[Dori1234]

Its kinda hard to bring piece to a highly regarded and extremist terrorsit organazantion without fighting and eliminating it totally

[alexander_kista]

He delivers supplies like clothes and food there. And is going on patrols. there was a swedish soldier that died on December i think. And they are not there to kill. The americans do the dirty work. And i dont think they are looking for Usama.

[Hoobler05]

My grandpa never fought in the war, he was a couple of years too young, but during national service he was charged with cleaning up the sh*tty mess left by the Japanese, for which to this day he still detests them. One thing about my grandpa, he is very resentful. My other grandpa who is now dead was in the merchant navy during the war, both wars as far as i know. My 3rd cousin served in the Afrika Korps, i dunno where he went after that, but my grandpa isnt to fond of him, calls him the Hun hehe.

[BfWellington]

My Grandfather fought in WW2 in the eastern stage in Europe. He fought in France, and pushed his way towards Germany and fought in the Battle of the Bulge, and got shot by an Mg42 in the shoulder, and was taken out of combat after that.

My uncle fought in Vietnam in the Army. He was across the border, and fought in Northern Vietnam. Since so many people were dying during the Vietnam war, he was promoted to Sargeant, and led a small platoon when he was 20 or so. One day, he was in front and leading his platoon down a path, when he tripped a delayed mine, which killed his whole platoon except him, and left shrapnel in his heart. He survived the war, but came home and died in a car accident.

[Dori1234]

led a small platoon, so that is about 30 men? i can see him stumbeling over a trip wire setting off many mines but one mine cannot kill 30 or so men

[NJCL43]

great uncle in WW1 died onboard some ship,torpedoed or something

WW2 grandad in welsh guards,was 40 so tad old for service abroad,died in an automobile accident in 1949 i think

[BfWellington]

I was unclear in my post, but I just asked my father on the size of his group, and they were actually a scouting team of 9 people, with one radio man to call in NVA troop positions. By no means they were a platoon...

[Bird1952]

My father was in the Australian Army at Bardia & Tobruk in North Africa.

[Dori1234]

besides the US I respect the aussies and the brits the most.
http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/11.gif
I respect the French http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/touche.gif and the canadians the least though (not to offend everyone) http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/mockface.gif

[Mozzerman]

My Grandfather was 4 years too young to have been in the war.

His father, my Great Grandfather was in the army and studied tropical diseases.

My Great Granfather's brother served on Guadalcanal and died on Tarawa in the 2nd Marine Division. His landing craft got stuck up on the coral ridge before hitting the beach. On his way to the beach he was under extreme fire. When he got the knee level water he was wounded in the arm and shoulder and after just getting out of the water a bullet hit his head and killed him.

His other brother was fighting alongside armor in the the battle of Normandy. He went into a farm house and was spotted by an 88. His platoon leader said that he was looking at the 88 out of a window when the 88 fired into the window. No body was found.

[heyfunboy]

Grandfather fought at Okinawa.

Another grandfather was in working intellegence in the Navy during WWII.

Two uncles in the Navy

One of my great great great uncles was a Yankee during the Civil War

All I currentl know or care to type

[Mistelten]

Great great grandfather in Civil War, two great uncles in WW2 (Pacific), one great uncle in Korea, grandfather, father and all uncles but one in various branches, myself in Iraq.

[drunkrepublican]

One grandfather died at Utah beach, one was in the armored divison, and one was stationed to go to Japan but was injured during basic training.

[Dori1234]

Originally posted by Mistelten:
Great great grandfather in Civil War, two great uncles in WW2 (Pacific), one great uncle in Korea, grandfather, father and all uncles but one in various branches, myself in Iraq.

what unit of what country?

[Mistelten]

Who? The one in the ACW was in a Tennessee regiment, don't remember which. He died at Pea Ridge in the western theater. My and my great uncle were both in the 5th Marines

[Thirty_cal.]

My dad served as a USAF C-130 spectre gunship pilot in vietnam. He flew top secret missions and used infared, night vision, and lazer designation equipment. (which at that time was top secret equipment, he couldn't even tell his wife in his letters home what he was doing) He even piloted the famous C-130 "Herculese" for several years. the C-130 gunships had 2 20mm gattling guns, 2 40mm automatic guns, and a deadly 105mm howitzer. he bombed mostly convoys along the Ho Chi Min Trail, but also bombed enemy bunkers, bases, and provided close air support for ground troops. He once told me "You could be 7 miles high and shoot that 105 at a target and hit within a few feet of acurracy." He said "When we targeted a convoy we first took out the lead automobile, then the last one. the trails were so narrow that the poor bastards would get trapped and the drivers were hand-cuffed to the steering wheels of the truck they drove so they couldn't abandon it. When we aimed a specific truck, we wouldn't say aim for the truck, we'd say aim for the engine or the front right wheel. thats how accurate the damn thing was!"

My Mother served as an USAF recruiter and was stationed in Germany during the Gulf war, as was my dad. After Vietnam my Dad joined the pararescue team, or P.J.s, and flew on rescue missions in the pacific ocean and bering sea. He even participated in a large scale rescue/aid mission in Russia during a recent huge flood in the 80s. he and my mom are both retired now.

My Grand dad was a glider pilot just like the ones in BIA during Operation overlord. But right before he was to shipped off to England to serve in D-Day, he was held back because they wanted him to help train more glider pilots.

My Great Grand Dad was one of Teddy Roosevelt's Rough riders. He served during the Spanish-American war and for sometime after. He charged with Teddy himself and all of the other Rough Riders up San Juan hill in that war, and was a personal friend of Teddy himself.

[pvt_allen]

My grandpa was also a paratrooper for the 101st during the night drop.He's still alive.He also got a brother but unlucky he died in Carentan cuz he was too wounded.He never talks about how his bro died.I can wait this summer to go at him to wear again the paratrooper helmet.He also showed me the letters who wrote to my grandma.He offered volunteer for the paratroopers.Basicly his story is similar to Cpl.Doyle's story.He is also Irish.He told me:
"During the night drop I was lucky.I didn't lost my legbag and i didn't landed in a tree.I found myself alone in dark.I walked and heard someone.I thought he was a german.I reloaded my M1 Garand but that"german" was a guy from my squad.He landed in a tree.I found my brother there helping the paratrooper.After that we decided to regroup with our squad at the rally point."

[Tatshua]

As of what I know I have had no relatives in any war, but my dad is trained to send messages by morse code. He is to old for the army now and chose another profession so he havent had much use of it. I love in Sweden, and it was many hundred years ago that we had our last war. And I don't know about any relatives from that time.

[TBL-Sqn]

Not sure about my Grandfather but my Dad served in Berlin for his National Service, Whilst i commanded a Tank Squadron during Operation Granby.
Later had to leave army service due to medical conditions. Spend a lot of my spare time running folks around Normandy from my place near Caen to see the History that is slowly disapearing.

[Jus228]

I'm a descendant of Ethan Allen from the American revolutionary war. he lead the Green Mountain boys who captured Ft. Ticonderoga from the British without firing a shot. He didn't have any children so it is his brother Ira Allen whom part of my family comes from.

My grandfather was a top turret gunner in a B-17 in 1943. His whole crew survived and they flew a complete 25 mission tour. They were lucky. he stayed in England for about a year after that training men gunnery tactics with the twin .50 BMG's.

My dad enlisted in the Army in 1967 and tried to become a Cobra pilot, he missed the exam qualification by one or two points. He transfered to the National Guard in 1968 and was in an engineering outfit. He never went overseas thank the Lord and stayed close to home until he got out two years later.

[Mozzerman]

Originally posted by RMC.SBS:
My Grandad(RIP) was with the Royal Artillery (SGT),and was at Dunkirk at the time of the Evacuation,and brought back a couple of howitzer shells,which he passed on to his son (my dad,RIP) along with his medals.
And my older Brother is god knows where!

Holy ****in ****! I saw your sig and went ballistic. It's amazing to find another person who likes Morrissey, let alone knows who he is! I am assuming you do listen to him, correct?

To steer back on topic...
My grandfathers and great grandfathers all served in the US army and Marines during WWII together. One was on Guadalcanal and died on Tarawa. Another was killed in Normandy, and the other (my great grandfather) was a scientist for the army and he eventually went on to invent styrofoam while working for General Electric. My Grandfather got out of basic training the day hitler shot himself, but I am not 100% sure on that.

[BlueHawk_1]

Well, being I'm Canadian, so was the military history. All of my Grandfather's uncles were in the the Second World War. My grandfather's uncle, Pat, was a Sergeant, I believe. He had a grenade go off in his face in Italy, but, he still survived. The only one who didn't return was a tank commander, ran over a mine, caught the bottom of the tank on fire, and died. Pretty sad. http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_frown.gif My friend has this great picture of his grandfather in the war. I shouldn't say great, but it was neat. The picture was of his grandfather, standing next to a knocked-out Sherman, with 2 Fallschirmjagers standing beside him; as he was taken prisoner.

[SergeantFury]

During World War II, my dad served in the 8th Air Force, 92nd Bombardment Group as a staff sergeant, aerial gunner and armorer aboard a B-17 heavy bomber over Europe in campaigns involving the Rhineland, Ardennes and central Europe. He received the European-African-Middle Eastern campaign medal with 3 bronze stars, good conduct medal, and air medal with three oak leaf clusters.

Between missions, he contracted hepatitis and while he was in the base hospital, his crew was shot down over Germany. I'm not sure if anyone survived. Most of the time, these crews went down with the ship. After VE Day, he was to be shipped off the the Pacific to fly in a B-29. Fortunately for him, the Japanese surrendered and he was sent home.

Although my dad never spoke much about the war, he had an ulcer that stayed with him his entire life. He passed away in 1969. To me, he's the only hero I ever knew and truly was one of the 'greatest generation'.

Footnote: There were more than 8,000 bombers lost during the strategic bombing campaign over Europe. Prior to the war, air power advocates had seen strategic bombing as a way to secure victory on the cheap. They were wrong. The air campaign to subdue Germany alone cost the U.S. more than $40 billion and the lives of more than 29,000 airmen. Statistically, it was safer to make an assault landing on a Pacific Island as a Marine than to be a member of a bomber crew over occupied Europe.

[suicidebomber12]

Well im not entirely sure but my dad's side of the family can be traced back to the paiges who I know served with the union during the civil war.

I also have a great uncle who was a Colonel in Vietnam and flew helicopters and was shot down once but survived.

Lastly I have a cousin who a is a lance corporal in the marine engineers who served in afghanistan earlier this year and found the largest explosives cache in Afghanistan in the last 5 years. Shortly afterword the guys who ahd recently left to go somewhere came back and they ran into each. A firefight then began in which no marines were killed or wounded and in the end there were 20 taliban casualties.

Thats all I know of.

[Hernando1990]

I have an uncle who died with the marines in WW II, two uncles who fought in vietnam with the Army, one of who was killed, my grandpa was at the Watts riots with the National Gaurd, My dad was a paratrooper in the Army for nine years, was shot, and just recently became eligible for his CIB and Korean defense medals. Plus, I have a cousin who was airborne who returned from Iraq, and in two years, I hope to be in west point and become a ranger.

[Orezai856]

my dad is afghan went to college in russia and Was forced in Russian military when they invaded Afghanistan

[FTsuper]

My Great Great Uncle died at Vimy Ridge. Not sure how, or when, or exactly where in the battle.

[hartsox]

Wheres Vimy ridge?

[TBL-Sqn]

Originally posted by hartsox:
Wheres Vimy ridge?

Belgium i beleive as i am not to hot on the WW1 battlefields

[hartsox]

oh, ty

[kewlnick12]

A lot of my family served in WWII.One of the storys ive heard is about my grandmas uncle Rod.He was near germany and he saw a deer in the woods and so he shot it and brought it back to the tent and started to cook it up and while it was cooking General Patton came in and said "That smells good what are you cooking soldier?" then Rod said "Some deer.You want to have some?" "No I got to go sorry." None of my family was ever in a major battle i think but i havnt studied a lot of my family so i dont know.But that was my favorite story right there.

[Stahlgeist]

It's always interesting reading stories from people's family members who participated in the war (Especially the relatives who fought for the Axis Powers, because it gives insight into who the real people fighting the wars were instead of the stereotypes.)

The only relative I know of that supposedly participated in combat was my grandfather on my father's side (Me and Dad share his name. My Dad worked in the USAF, in an undisclosable capacity.). He apparently fought in the Korean War, but we don't know much about how it affected him or how much combat he saw and participated in. Either way, he wasn't the good man that most relatives mentioned here seem to be - he had alcoholism problems, was abusive, and was shot by his girlfriend's brother (In self-defense, if I recall.) when he threatened them both.
It's not a pleasant story, but it shows that some men who participated in combat certainly weren't as honorable as many others.

[BTOG46]

My father was in the Home Guard, he was on anti aircraft guns during the war and ended up with a score of one and a half kills (he had to share 1 kill with another AA gun).
My uncle Cecil was with the Army in Burma and ended up as a prisoner on the Burma Railway, he wouldn`t talk about the war and never forgave the Japanese till the day he died.
My cousin Bill was in the RAF as a Tornado pilot, he was killed when his plane went down over the North Sea during a shakedown flight prior to shipping to the Gulf after Sadam invaded Kuwait.
My father in law was in the Royal Marine Commandos and was in the Normandy landings and fought through the liberation and on to the final victory in Europe, he always seemed to have a great deal of respect for the Wermacht and the Waffen SS as fighting troops.<div class="ev_tpc_signature">

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[marrsz]

my granddad fought in north Africa in the Australian 9th div as infantry.he pushed the Italians back
he was captured when germans forced the commonwealth forces to retreat 2 tobruk and egypt he was ship 2 Italy

he saw his mates try 2 escape the line onto the prison boats so he did the same but was found and put on the second pow boat.the first boat was sunk by the Raf good old pommy's bombing their own men,anyway as the war continued he was sent 2 east germany or poland and worked in the death camps pulling out dead jews froms the gas chambers

i remember my mum saying he had 2 march west as the Russians advanced,he told her that he was carrying childing and women in his arms then the germans made the women n childing march behind the men

the 1's that dropped tired got shoot he told her that he heard thousands of gun shots each 1 a child or a lady.

he always told her that the Italians could not fight at all.he hated
the germans and the japs the most,never forgave them

this info of my granddad is second hand

[PutTheFire-onEM]

My grandfather rushed the beach at juno, june 6th. hes still alive, i was talking to him a couple days ago.

[Spartiatem8]

One of my Greek ancestors fought in the Crimean war. Had a grandfather and four uncles in WWII. Of the uncles one Marine, one Army in Burma, one Army in Europe (fought in the bulge), and one Army Air Corp in Europe. My Grandfather built the Missouri then joined the Air Corp but the war ended before he finished training.
Dad served in the Navy during Vietnam, only cruise he went on was to the Med on the carrier FDR

[GotGame_Blood]

haha<div class="ev_tpc_signature">

http://www.Custom-pc-gaming.co.uk/sig.jpg (http://www.Custom-pc-gaming.co.uk/)

[Perry688]

i dont know mutch becouse over the years ive only been told scraps
well my great granfather on my mothers side was irish he came from a town which i cant remember let allone spell any way after family issues and war brakeing out in 1914 he joined the british army i know as mutch as him makeing it to the somme him and others were addvanceing to a german trench and the massive artilary baradge was supposed to have knocked them out they were carrying a lot off ecipment to there trench when suddonly rifle and mashine gun fire opend up the 2 guys infrount off him both got hit 1 through the chest from a rifle the other peppered with bullets he jumped to the floor and attemped to crawl past the germans in the trench ahead of him he dropped the heavy pack on the floor and slipped into the trench at the back of it was a horse he threw a bomb into were 2 germans were on there knees 1 feeding a long strap off bullets to the gunner well my mother told me he climed on to the german horse ran back to his men under fire he was orderd to take the wounded men back to his lines thats as mutch as i know i hear he won a few meddles from it but after the war troubles with the IRA pushed him to astralia and finaly england he met my great grandmother and they settleddown in littlehampton.

[Hornet5000]

My Great Grandfather was a Lt. and a Sherman Tank Commander.

[Sgt.Cherry11]

Let's see...
I had a grandfather(I can't excactly say how many "greats") that was in the American Civil War who faught for the Union. Another was in World War I. We had no family in World War II.

[PutTheFire-onEM]

one of my grandfathers was on a vesel at sea in the atlantic, his ship was hit but he survived.

my other grandfather stormed the beaches on d-day, i think it was the 5th or 6th wave, not sure http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/blink.gif anyways he made it, and then was assigned for transporting men accross france.

both of them are still alive and doin real well today. the one who stormed the beach is just starting to open up and tell stories about it.
last i heard he was talkin about how they transported the fuel in these metal bags that didnt have any openings and could be folded just like paper.
just thought i would tell in a little more detail http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/16x16_smiley-wink.gif

[ltdog]

I heard from my uncle that his father survived the death march by FAINTING. After he collapsed he was kicked by his companions to a nearby ditch. That was all I can remember, i still cant find his journal.

Also my grandmother tells me that sidewalk vendors during peacetime were Japanese officers in wartime.(The halo-halo vendors myth seems true) http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/blink.gif

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc253/sprigiding158/bvnbv.jpg

[merkowaty]

One of my greatfathers fought in Warsaw Uprising [1944] as an AK soldier. Far as I know he never made it.

My greatgreat uncle fought with Russians [I think it was 1920, not entarly sure]. I remember that he was telling everybody stories about the war. He manage to kill Russian cavalary man - he used saber to cut off his leg [sic!]. Far as I know he was proud of his self cos he manage to - well... kill that guy when he was wounded himself.

[mopar1990]

My dad was a m-60 door gunner on a huey gunship in Vietnam he served his country from 1969 til 1975.

[Battlefieldfox]

My dad just came back from Afghanistan and he also went to Yugoslavia.

He's a lieutenant colonel.

Not sure is this is a U.S army rank cause my dad is in the Dutch army

[LtMarcos]

My great grandparents(dad's side) came over from Poland so I had a great uncle (not sure how many greats) who fought in WW1 in the Austro-Hungarian army. My Mom's dad (who just recently past away at the age of 90) was a staff sergeant in the Army he fought in New Guinea where he got some tropical disease or illness don't remember which one, Then rejoined his unit before they went to the Philippines, where he was shot in the leg and was out of the war, the bullet actually went into his thigh and broke the bone so that leg was always a little shorter than the other. The craziest thing was a story he told about being in a foxhole when a Japanese mortar(which had no fins to keep it from tumbling) landed sideways or upside down in his foxhole and didn't go off. My dad's dad was a gunner on a b17.

My younger sister just recently graduated from West Point and is stationed in Japan

[SamKiller2507]

My grandfather was a United States Air Force Colonel during the 2nd WW, he flew planes in Europe against the Axis. Thank god he is still alive http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif RIP to the ones that are not here anymore

[Finn1939]

My Granddad was in charge of a motor torpedo boat during WW2. He saw action in quite a few battles I think,but his most memorable experience was seeing German sailors in the freezing waters of the North Sea (I think), many were dying or already dead and he wasn't allowed to help any of them. He won a medal (Not sure what it was though, I think he was cremated with it).


Also, two of my great uncles served on merchant vessels during WW2 (not military I know) but one of them died. He was on a ship bringing supplies to Russia and was hit by German Subs. The crew then surrendered and the Germans lead the crew onto their boats. However, unfortunitly the boats were attacked by American planes, sinking them and killing many of the British prisoners. Apparently after that, german crews were ordered to leave any prisoners to die in case of a repeat incident. The other was also on a sinking ship bringing supplies from America but survived.

[whoofhearted]

none of my great grandfathers were in the great war, my great uncle was on the western front fighting with the Anzac contingent (he did not partake in Gallipoli as he was too young, mind you he was only 16 and a half when drafted). He was seriously wounded in Paeschendaele and got shipped back to New Zealand.
On my fathers side:
His dad was in the NZ engineers, so mainly building briges etc but afer Anzio he was transfered (on own request) into Military intelligence and was stationed in London. We still have all the pictures at home with the special glasses. After the war he was drafed back into the engineers and was stationed in Florence, Italy. He became one of NZs most prominent civil engineers after the war.

My Mothers side:
Her Dad was drafed with 18 years of age and was in Egypt, Tunisia and Italy.
He was deployed in the special services division of the NZ army. he had the privilege of watching the first charge of the maori battallion at al alamein afer manipulating the large german guns in the hills of the area.
He went on in this kind of work throughout the war including liasons with Italian resistance in Monte Cassino. Unfortunately he was a good example of how War will affect the rest of your life.
Colin and John, I hope youre doing well.. Rip.

[DxFlame]

My Great Granddad served in Dunkirk, i belive his name was Clive Ponting.
He died in 1990,
By May 1940 the British contribution to the Allied forces was minuscule - just seven per cent of the total. The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in northern France totalled nine divisions (less than the Dutch army and only forty per cent of the size of the Belgian) compared with the French army of eighty-eight divisions, raised from a population smaller than Britain's. The discrepancy confirmed long-standing French suspicions that Britain expected its allies to bear the brunt of the fighting and made for strained relations even before the events of May 1940. Under the pressure of war and the sudden prospect of defeat, conflicting national interests came rapidly to the fore. The French, quite naturally, regarded the battle in northern France as the decisive moment of the war and took the view that every effort should be made first to contain and then defeat the Germans. For the British this was not the crucial battle and they believed it was more important to preserve their forces so that they could continue the war on their own. During the last three weeks of May the inter-Allied conflicts centred on two key issues: the involvement of the RAF in the defence of France and the British evacuation of their forces from Dunkirk at the end of the month...

On 19 May Gort rejected a French request to fight alongside the 1st French army and the BEF retreat continued. The British did not have to fight their way back to the coast (they sustained only 500 casualties in the first eleven days of the campaign), leaving the bulk of the fighting to the Belgians and French. On 20 May the war cabinet ordered Gort to attack southwards to disrupt the Germans moving towards the coast and link up with the French armies on the other side of the German salient. This led to the limited British attack around Arras on 21 May (the only BEF offensive action of the campaign), but when this failed Gort placed all the emphasis on evacuation through the Channel ports. The withdrawal from around Arras was made without consulting the French and it convinced them that the British were interested only in saving themselves. This view was reinforced by events at Boulogne. The British occupied the port on 22 May but were evacuated by sea within twenty-four hours (when armed sailors had to stop drunken troops rushing the ships) and left the French to defend the port against the Germans for another thirty hours. The British, on leaving, sank a ship in the harbour, which stopped the French evacuating any of their troops before the port finally fell. On 24 May there were similar scenes at Calais. British stevedores refused to work under sporadic German shelling and had to be dragged out of hiding by armed troops. But with the British about to abandon the port after holding it for forty-eight hours, the French formally protested. The British commander was ordered not to surrender `for the sake of Allied solidarity' and received a message full of Churchillian rhetoric and designed primarily for publication. In private Churchill was scathing about the performance of the British army and telegraphed to Gort: `Of course if one side fights and the other does not, the war is apt to become somewhat unequal.' Churchill omitted this sentence when he published the text of the message in his war memoirs.

British interest in withdrawing the BEF from the continent began very early in the campaign. On return from his 16 May visit to Paris Churchill asked Chamberlain to start planning for evacuation and the military were also instructed to begin preparations. Gort had his first plans ready by 19 May and a week later, before the start of the Dunkirk evacuation, the British had already brought 28,000 troops back to the UK. As the surrounded Allied armies retreated into a pocket around the port of Dunkirk, the British relied on their Allies to hold the Germans without offering to evacuate their partners. The Belgians were encouraged to keep fighting and on three occasions held positions to enable the British to retreat, though from 24-26 May the British rejected five appeals from the Belgians to counter-attack. The British showed little respect for Belgian military prowess and still less interest in their fate. General Pownall, Gort's chief of staff, described them in his diary as "rotten to the core and in the end we shall have to look after ourselves".

When asked about the possible evacuation of the Belgians, Pownall replied, "We don't care a bugger what happens to the Belgians." Early on the evening of 25 May Gort told Eden, Secretary of State for War, that he was moving the BEF back to the coast for evacuation. Eden replied, "It is obvious that you should not discuss the possibility of the move with the French or the Belgians." The next day Gort ignored a French order to attack southwards and break out of the pocket, relying instead on the strong resistance put up by the 1st French army around Lille, which lasted until 1 June, to hold off the encircling Germans. On the evening of 26 May Gort asked for the Canadian division in Britain to be sent to France to hold the bridgehead while the British were evacuated. This move was rejected after strong Canadian pressure against the sacrifice of their only trained troops.

The large-scale evacuation of troops from Dunkirk began on 27 May. The British were given only a small part of the bridgehead to hold because the French did not expect them to fight. When the Belgians surrendered late that evening the French took over their part of the front. The senior Royal Navy officer at Dunkirk, Captain Tennant, commented on 29 May: "The French staff at Dunkirk feel strongly that they are defending Dunkirk for us to evacuate, which is largely true." On that day French troops were manhandled off British ships and soldiers from the two armies came close to shooting each other. By 29 May 73,000 troops had been evacuated but only 655 were French. One of the reasons for this was that the French had not been informed about the evacuation. Churchill had not told Reynaud of the decision when he visited London on 26 May and did not do so until 29 May. On the next two days another 83,000 British troops left Dunkirk but only 23,000 French. At the Supreme War Council meeting in Paris on 31 May, Churchill, after French protests about the situation, offered them half the future evacuation places. Since at that stage there were only 50,000 British troops left compared with 200,000 French, this was a less generous offer than it appeared. Only in the last few days, when virtually all the British troops had been evacuated, did the French numbers exceed the British. At the 31 May meeting in Paris Churchill had insisted that the British should act as the rearguard for as long as possible. However, at Dunkirk the British commander, General Alexander (who had taken over after Gort left), though nominally under French command, agreed with Eden that evening that the British should not be left behind and would pull out within twenty-four hours. The French held the bridgehead for another two days after the final British withdrawal, until they surrendered on 4 June.

One of the myths of Dunkirk is that the troops were evacuated from the beaches by an armada of small boats manned by volunteers from all over England. In fact two-thirds of those evacuated were lifted directly on to Royal Navy ships from the east mole of Dunkirk harbour. No public information about the evacuation was given until the evening of 30 May when nearly three-quarters of the BEF had already been rescued. Only then could volunteers come forward and play a part in the operation. Over the last four days of the operation the small boats helped lift 26,000 troops from the beaches, about eight per cent of the total evacuated from Dunkirk.

As part of the myth surrounding the operation it also came to be represented as an heroic episode in British military history. Like that of other armies in retreat, the morale and cohesion of the BEF was poor as it moved through France and Belgium towards the coast. The problems began on 10 May when the German attack caught the BEF by surprise and with many key personnel on leave. This confusion was compounded by Gort's decision to move his headquarters near to Lille while leaving his operational and intelligence staffs at Arras. This confusion was made worse by the almost total collapse of communications during the retreat: the wireless system broke down and the telephones did not work. Within ten days there were only three days' rations left (although plenty of ammunition because of the lack of fighting) and the troops looted what they required from the locals. In the panic about 'fifth columnists' there were a large number of shootings of 'suspicious' characters, many of whom had done nothing worse than possess fair hair. British troops were also using dumdum bullets, banned under the Geneva convention, and had orders not to take prisoners except for interrogation. The Germans replied with two massacres by the SS of a total of 170 British prisoners. When the first troops arrived at Dunkirk discipline nearly broke down altogether and for the first two days of the evacuation order had to be kept by armed naval personnel until more disciplined regiments arrived on 29 May. Even then men were rushing the boats in their anxiety to get away and General Alexander was shocked by the behaviour of the soldiers. Later in the year, during a secret session of the House of Commons, several MPs told how a large number of officers had run away and deserted their troops so as to get on to the earliest boat. Privately, the War Office was alarmed at the state of the army. As the Director of Statistics later told one newspaper editor: "The Dunkirk episode was far worse than was ever realized in Fleet Street. The men on getting back to England were so demoralized they threw their rifles and equipment out of railway-carriage windows. Some sent for their wives with their civilian clothes, changed into these, and walked home." In private, Churchill told his junior ministers that Dunkirk was "the greatest British military defeat for many centuries'".

None of this, the government and military decided, could be told to the public. They were able to enforce this decision because no journalists were present at Dunkirk. Once it was clear that the BEF was being evacuated, General Mason-Macfarlane, the head of military intelligence, summoned journalists on 28 May and told them: "I'm afraid there is going to be a considerable shock for the British public. It is your duty to act as shock-absorbers, so I have prepared ... a statement that can be published, subject to censorship." The journalists were also told to blame the French for not fighting and to say that the BEF was undefeated; both statements were travesties of the truth. No news of the events at Dunkirk was released to the public until the 6 p.m. BBC news on 30 May, five days after the evacuation had started and when nearly three-quarters of the BEF were already back in Britain. The public were then told, in a statement approved by the Ministry of Information, that "men of the undefeated British Expeditionary Force have been coming home from France. They have not come back in triumph, they have come back in glory."

[Jay2o2008]

my great uncle was one of the first operators of the SBS during ww2 ive got special forces blood in me =)

[deadfish2008]

There is some very neat military history in my fsmfily.During the Franco-Prussian war at least one ancestor fought for Bismark(there is a very nice photo of a great grandfather posing as part of a calvary regiment).during the ACW most of my dads and mothers family had immigrated south,but fought for the north.Which i find strange.I don't know if any fought in WWI but in WWII one great uncle died fighting in the Pacific,and my dad fought through at least one tour in Vietnam with the USMC and earned two bronze stars(one was for valor) and the same number of purple hearts.

[jdabomb1993]

my grandfather who is still alive today fought in vietnam in the coast guard and was injured with a stab in the arm and 2 shots in both of his legs. Also a bomb exploded next to his ear so sometimes he has trouble hearing.

[Kloppstock90]

my grandpa(Ruhe in Frieden) was a Bf-109-F4 pilot in africa.

the otherone was hauptmann in the 6th army in stalingrad.

[jdabomb1993]

also i forgot to say my uncle was an engineer in the marine corp, and i want to be a marine too ooooorayyyyy!!!!!! Semper Fi!!

[chicknisgood]

My Great Great Great Grandpa fought for the union in the civil war (and lived). And my grandpa tought radio school during ww2.

[dannyyeh6]

My great grandad was a radio operator in ww2 and went to normandy and saw action on sword beach i think.My other grandad had two brothers who both served as pilots in the Raf they where both killed in 1945,one flew a lancaster and im not sure what the other one flew but he was and engineer onboard. and my grandad himself wasnt old enoguh to joni but joined after the war and was nearly sent to korea,he was in the artillery

[m1carbine13]

wellboth of my grandfathers fought in the 101st airborne, and they fought in : normandy, holland, and the battle of the bulge, during the battle of the bulge one of my grandfathers was hit by incoming artillery, he survived but then was shiped back to england, i think he got hit by a motar if i can reecall

[dannyyeh6]

really what unit where they in m1carbine? like what regiment?

[Tanner_160]

my grandpa was part of a recon group during WWII im not sure for what tho...he had a stroke so he dont remember much back then but there were a few pictures if anyone wants to see and if you can tell what unit and stuff yall are more than welcome.

my myspace name is Big Red. or my e-mail is truechampion22@yahoo.com

[Finn1939]

Why don't you post them on here? I am sure most people here would love to see them.

[sgt.st0ne]

my grandpa sgt.stone was in the 3rd armored divison 36th armored infantry saw combat in the bulge and saw a tiger get knocked out by a p-38
and before that was shot in the shin in st.lo

and also his brother pvt.stone was in the 82nd airborne he died just a couple of days after my grandpa had meet up with him in town he aslo seen d-day and market garden

[stan2.0]

during world war 2 the continental civil war my moms great uncle was a waffen SS sniper.On my dads side my grandfather was in the airborne like Matt baker but he was a corporal.I went into iraq in march,20 2003 and i came out alive but with 2 purple hearts on december 26, 2006 and thats my birthday.

[Reddisback]

Originally posted by stan2.0:
during world war 2 the continental civil war my moms great uncle was a waffen SS sniper.On my dads side my grandfather was in the airborne like Matt baker but he was a corporal.I went into iraq in march,20 2003 and i came out alive but with 2 purple hearts on december 26, 2006 and thats my birthday.

what are a where you in? i was shipped in November 4 and left January 2oo5.
USMC Major S.R. Barton.

[mattfro]

My grandfather was a Sergent in World War 2, but I'm not too sure about much of my family history. And because my last name is Freeman(like his)and I love World War 2, my Xbox Gamertag is Sgt Freeman.

[wakey1971]

hello all my grandfather was 28 years old, and a private in the 9th Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry, British Army during the Second World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Herbert_Wakenshaw this is his link http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/theartofwar/img/pics/works/INF3_0455.jpg

[GiantTriangle]

My great grandad was a british rifleman in the early days of WW2. He met his tragic end at the Dieppe landing. I'm not sure about the rest of my familly though. Chances are we had a lot of soldiers in the familly.

[watercolor1936]

Hey, This may be too long. Hope not. My GGGG Grandfather was at Yorktown when Cornwallis surrendered to Washington (DAR records).My GG Grandfather was a 4th Sergeant with Co.K 22nd REG VA CAL. Also know as Bowen's Regiment VA Mounted Riflemen. His son was a Pvt in Co H of the 29th Reg.VA Infantry. My Father was at the battle of Okinawa during WWII. My brother was in the 82nd AB during Korea and I served in the USAF for 4 years in Europe. Again, hope this is not too long.

[watercolor1936]

Originally posted by Oblt.Fonnekold:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by JMartin86:
Fonnekold, I have to say it's pretty rude just claiming that I'm a liar, or that my great uncle is. If you don't beleive then fine, but don't try to discredit him, I know what he did.

I didn't claim you were a liar, nor that your uncle is a liar. Since you said they were 3rd Party stories it makes me doubt whether or not they were exagerations. I've seen videos of the holocaust survivors and taken several History classes and I honestly cannot see those malnurished people kill a well fed German soldier with their bare hands. Once the body uses up its fat stores for energy, it turns to what you have left...your muscles. This leaves you very weak. That is why I doubted it. I'm not completely sure its true but I will give you the benefit of the doubt. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
You have to remember that all the prisoners did not arrive at the same time. Some of them were in better shape than others. I have a webshot of Patton and other American officers at one of the camps and some of the prisoners look in good shape. Also, my Father was in the war in the Pacific (Okinawa) and told me stories of the prisoners taking on the guards with whatever they could find. Needless to say, one guard could not take on a dozen prisoners