Veterans Day

USMC 1968-1989 Viet Nam as a grunt, then MCAS El Toro, MCRD Parris Island, Camp Butler Okinawa, MCAGCC 29 Palms, Lackland Air Force Base and retired out of MCLSB Barstow
 
USAF 1961-1986, Chief Master Sergeant
Vietnam Nam 1967-68 , 40th Air Rescue and Recovery out of Nakom Phanom, Thailand and "other places".
Retired: Chief Air Traffic Controller, Dover AFB, Delaware 1986
 
Am I the only WWII veteran on fordbarn?

I listed on page 1 of this topic.

Veteran US Army Infantry and Army Air Corps, both in WWII,
 
barnstuf,

I believe you are our senior vet and applaud your service. I think I speak for most of us if I was to ask you to tell us more about your WWII experience. Veterans like yourself are now very rare and can give us a perspective of history which can never come from a book.

Thanks again for your service.
 
Barnstuf - Thank you for your service; my Uncle, no longer able to play with toys or drive at 97 years of age, is now relegated to an "armchair" status, but avidly reads about all the new cars plus hot rods plus anything else automotive related. He served as a Navigator and Communications Officer, 1340th US Army Air Force, Kunming, China and regularly flew the "hump." Incredible when you realize aircraft of the day were unable to fly over the Himalayan Mountains, but were required to navigate and fly the valleys, fog and adverse weather notwithstanding!
You and my Uncle, plus all the other WWII vets, quietly did your dangerous jobs, returned to the USA and built this country. May God continue to bless you, all other Veterans, and the USA. You have my undying gratitude!
 
USMC 1968-1969 Vietnam machine gunner


Someone paid tribute to "The Man in the doorway"


I wish to pay tribute to "God's Own Lunatics" by Joe Galloway although the Marines didn't use slicks but used CH34s, 46s and 53s those guys who kept us in ammo, delivering it through the green tracers are my heroes, and the only reason I am alive to be on the barn.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqYOAqxlL_Y


a great Veterans Day to all my fellow Vets and especially to Barnstuf our senior vet who served with the guys from Bedford VA on the invasion
 
Doctor Mark Garrison recorded a whole series of fascinating interviews that tells you why Joe Galloway refers to pilots, door-gunners and crew-chiefs as "God's own lunatics".

There are 8 or 10 of these interviews.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfrMoGd0d0g

See post #71 and #16...


Additional youtube:
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=mark+garrison+vietnam


The crew chief was responsible for being sure the aircraft was safe to fly ... so much dedication that they rode along as one of the door-gunners!!



"The Man in the Doorway" was ALWAYS there when the **** hit the fan! You could always count on them to show up!

This kind of thing was going on EVERY day and sometimes at night also!
 
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Am I the only WWII veteran on fordbarn?

I listed on page 1 of this topic.

Veteran US Army Infantry and Army Air Corps, both in WWII,

I missed WW2 by about 3 months.
Joined USAF later. 50 to 54. Alaska. Communications maint. and M2HB repair.
 
USMC, 1954 to 57. Camp Pendleton after MCRD San Diego. Worked in the Test and Experimental Unit, Schools Regiment, Camp Delmar, Oceanside. Took part in testing a development of the P5 Series Amphibious Tractor, with high surf testing in Monterey/Seaside and San Clemente Island. Our Colonel had a girl friend Carmel and when her husband (Navy) was at sea, Monterey would suddenly develop high surf and we could go there for a couple of weeks to run our tractor through the surf. We all wanted the Husband in law to put int Hawaii for a transfer so we could test in the Hawaiian surf, but it didn't happen during my enlistment.
 
I guess I'm one of the youngsters here. USAF '81 to '96. ATC & WX Radar Tech.
 
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USMC 82-86, best thing I did to break me out of the "high school" mode. You new things were about to change when your standing on those yellow foot prints and a D.A. yellin in your face:D

Happy Birthday today to all the "Jar Heads"
 
During WW2 my Dad designed mid ranger bombers. After the war he designed Lincolns and Mercury's.

As for me: U.S.Army - 4 Inf - Viet Nam - Central Highlands - 68'-69'
 

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