Who do you remember today?

[techweenie]

I remember "Bink" Wall.

Two years ahead of me in Army ROTC. Married with a baby on the way. KIA, IIRC, 1970.

A gentle giant of a guy. I lost a fair number of friends and classmates in Vietnam, but Bink is the one whose loss affected me the most.

For some mysterious reason, his name is not included in the Vietnam wall memorial, but my college dedicated its athletic building to him.

Who do you remember?

[jester911]

Well he is still alive but I think of my father. He fought and was wounded in WWII in the Battle of the Bulge. All of this before his 19th birthday.

He is still my inspiration.

[joehahn]

Grandfather. WWII

[Mulhollanddose]

1. Grandfather...Normandy.

2. The Vietnam soldiers spit on by the anti-war left.

[HardDrive]

Great uncle.

Fought in the Battle of the Bulge under Patton. He picked up a Mauser off a dead German and sent it home to my grandfather. We still have the rifle.

[fastpat]

Three people.

First, is my late father. World War Two; volunteered for the draft in 1940, accepted into Aviation Cadet Navigator training weeks before Pearl Harbor, then on to the full Bombardier school, then pilot training. One of a handful of men with all three sets of wings. B-25 bomber instructor pilot, P-38 photo recconaisance pilot with 65 combat missions over France, Germany, a few of which were over Yugoslavia in 1945, to look at Tito's forces. Distinquished Flying Cross for photographing an important target on one engine after one of his engines was shot up by anti-aircraft gun fire. Charter member of a state Air National Guard unit, first flying P-51's, then transitioned to jets and flew the F-86 for 3-4 years. We lost him in 1988.

Then there's my mother, World War Two; Army nurse, Pacific campaign; New Guinea, then landed in the Phillipines five days after MacArthur, Bronze Star with combat device for entering Manila during the seige to relieve POW nurses held by the Japanese in Santo Tomas Hospital. She had dinner with my wife and I today, she's doing quite well.

And last, there was a guy I went to Junior High School with; volunteered for the Army, and for Vietnam. KIA during one of those endless "take the objective" then leave it. Found his body two weeks after his death due to enemy fire, he had a closed casket funeral. Only son of an only son, last of the family line to bear their name. His is on the monument in Washinton.

This is why we must insure that this inauspicious beginning of the 21st century does not repeat the bloodiest century in the history of man.

We can stop the warfare/welfare state, for the most part, by simply teling our government no, not any more.

[Mulhollanddose]

[pwd72s]

The above cartoon says it well. Of course, special thoughts for relatives who served. But mostly, my gratitude to all...

[pwd72s]

Double post...May Colonel Watts rest in peace. I was honored to have known him. He flew P-38's in the Pacific, and also was able to fly an F-4 before he retired...many planes in between. One hell of a man!

Lebanon veteran honored at funeral

By Jennifer Moody
Albany Democrat-Herald


Mark Ylen/Democrat-Herald
Air Force Lt. Tyler McClung presents an American flag to Minnie Watts during the graveside service Friday for her husband, Col. Ralph Watts. An audio slide show of the service, including memories of Ralph Watts, appears on the photo gallery at democratherald.com.


LEBANON — Col. Ralph Watts of Lebanon never missed a Memorial Day observance until this one.

Watts, a veteran of the U.S. Army Air Corps and later the Air Force, died May 21 at the age of 86. He and his wife, Minnie, volunteered each Memorial Day to lay wreaths to honor mid-valley veterans.

On Thursday, at the I.O.O.F. Cemetery in Lebanon, close to 100 friends and family members gathered for their own memorial.

With flowers gathered from Watts’ own garden, they honored a man who they said never stopped giving, either to his country or his community.

They talked about his war service, the mission that earned him the Silver Star, and the assignment as commander of the Minuteman Missile squadron that left him with his finger on the nuclear button during the Cuban missile crisis of 1962.

They spoke of his dedication to the Masons and the First Christian Church, his love for his wife and family, and his respect for everyone he met.

Sherrill Wallace, whose parents, Jim and Lois Abrell, were longtime friends, never forgot the day Watts brought his uniforms to Punkin Seed Preschool in Lebanon for the children to see.

“He’d bring different pilot uniforms that he had, for the jungle, and for the arctic, and the kids would be able to try on all of these pilot outfits for the different temperatures throughout the world,” she said. “He was just that kind of a person.”

An honor guard from McChord Air Force Base in Washington joined members of American Legion Post 51 in performing military honors for Watts’ service. The Rev. Linda Gearhart presided over the ceremony.

Watts’ son Ray, of Albany, said he didn’t know how his mother would mark this year’s Memorial Day after laying wreaths with his father for so many years.

“We’re going to attend (a ceremony),” he said, “but I don’t think she’s going to have a part in it.”

An audio slide show from the service for Col. Watt appears on our online photo gallery at

http://www.democratherald.com/photo_galleries/index.php?paper=dh

[DaveE]

I think about my dad, who served in the Army in Europe and Africa during WWII, and my older brother, who served in Viet Nam. My father survived WWII but my brother has unfortunately had a drug addiction since he came home from Nam. I hated that war but would never have a bad word to say of the soldiers. Johnson or Nixon however, I would spit on them.

[pwd72s]

He was getting old and paunchy, and his hair was falling fast
And he sat around the Legion, telling stories of his past.
Of a war that he had fought in and the deeds that he had done
In his exploits with his buddies--they were heroes, every one.
And though sometimes to neighbors, his tales became a joke
All his Legion buddies listened, for they knew whereof he spoke.
But we'll hear his tales no longer for old Sam has passed away
And the world's a little poorer; for a Soldier died today.
He'll not be mourned by many, just his children and his wife
For he lived an ordinary and quite uneventful life.
Held a job and raised a family while going his own way
And the world won't note his passing, though a Soldier died today.
When politicians leave this earth, their bodies lie in state
And thousands note their passing, and proclaim that they were great.
Newspapers tell their stories, from the time that they were young,
But the passing of a Soldier goes unnoticed and unsung.
Is the greatest contribution to the welfare of our land
A person who breaks promises and cons his fellow man?
Or the ordinary fellow who, in times of war and strife
Goes off to serve his country and offers up his life.
It's easy to forget them, for it was so long ago
That the "Old Sam's" of our country went to battle, but we know
It was not the politicians with their promises and ploys
Who won for us the freedoms that our country now enjoys.
He was just a "common Soldier" and his ranks are growing thin
But his presence should remind us--we may need his like again.
For when countries are in conflict, then we find the Soldier's part
Is to clean up all the trouble that others often start.
If we cannot give him honor while he's alive to hear the praise,
Then at least let's pay him homage at the ending of his days.
Perhaps a simple notice, in a paper, that would say:

"OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING BECAUSE A SOLDIER PASSED AWAY."

Anonymous

[Wrecked944]

Hard not to think about the people overseas right now. Regardless of what you think, thought, or didn't think about the war in Iraq, the people doing the heavy lifting over there are carrying a mighty load.

[Seahawk]

I remember the families of those who have served or are serving...it is often harder than the fight.

Nice thread, Tech.

[Jims5543]

Wow, I was almost in tears today with my uncle describing the huge loss I feel wit his dad gone. (My grandfather)

He walked me into his den and showed me these pics.

39th Infantry 9th Div. Fort Bragg 3/14/1942:





His medals:

[abisel]

Some of us have someone close that we remember on Memorial Day. Be they family or friend, veteran or not, we remember them. My father helped to repair the ships at Pearl Harbor and I remember him the most.

However, some of us only think of the unofficial begininning to summer and don't even know why the holiday is named Memorial Day... and that is sad.

It must be kept alive that it is this day, Memorial Day, May 30, as well as 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month that we remember those that gave their all so that we may be free.

Here are a couple pictures a friend took while on vacation to Normandy a year ago.




One last picture that speaks volumes. Not mine, but an archive from the Old Guard, 1964

[jester911]

Jim, those are men from the generation that showed what this country is all about. Chokes me up seeing those pics.

My dad has very similar ones. The sacrifices they made are the reason we are here today with the freedoms we have.

Abisel, I was in Normandy last year at this time as well. I have some of the same pics. That place really has an effect.

It is the same one I felt at the Arizona memorial in Hawaii

Hats off the to all the men and women that served and are now serving
I hope they will never be forgotten.

[azasadny]

My grandfather Stan, WWII veteran, especially this year and we lost him on 2/24/06...

My dad and brother.