Thank you WWII Veterans

[SCI_OTR]

On this 65th anniversary of the invasion of Normandy, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to any WWII veterans who happen to read this post.

I am the primary seating/wheeled therapist for the SCI Service at the Cleveland VAMC. While I'm not sure how many WWII veterans living with an SCI are still around, I currently follow two veterans through my SCI Center who became paraplegic during combat operations in Europe in 1944. One sustained his injury during the Anzio campaign, while the other was injured in Normandy on D Day + 4. While I am amazed that they survived their initial injuries, I'm even more amazed that they were able to lead independent productive lives afterward during a time where life in a wheelchair was much more difficult than it is today. While they might require more assistance than they used to, both are still living at home and still regularly get out in the community.

While I was not even born for another 20 years after the liberation of Paris, I want those of you who served during WWII to know that I will not forget the sacrifices of your generation, and I will do my best to ensure that subsequent generations appreciate the contributions you have made to secure our future. In light of what you have done, that is the least I can do.

Thank you.

[Freedom92]

Just watched the memorial service on CNN and you can't help the feeling of admiration and the sense of "American pride" when you see the faces of our veterans. We should always take a few moments out of our daily routines and rememeber those who made the sacrafice to ensure our freedom. Get out there and thank a veteren.

[SCI-Nurse]

My dad arrived in England from the USA (with the Army Air Corps) on D-Day and was amazed at all the activity, and the brand new AAC symbols on the planes (rolled out for the invasion). Of course none in his group knew about the invasion until they got to base because it had been secret. He served in England, France and Germany for the duration of the war. He was a supply staff sgt. so was fortunate to never see combat, but he did his bit to keep planes repaired and in the sky, and of course lost a lot of friends.

I too have been honored to care for a number of SCI veterans from WWII. Several of them served as extras in the movie "The Men" with Marlon Brando about the early days of SCI rehab for WWII veterans. I have learned more from them than they ever got from me. Unfortunately US WWII veterans are now dying at the rate of over 1,000 daily (my own father died last fall), so we have very few SCI WWII veterans left, but their stories of what they did to survive (and often thrive) are amazing.

This would be a good day to pull out my copy of "The Men" and watch it again.

(KLD)

[wazabiker]

I too am extending my heart felt thank you to those noble Veterans and those who gave their lives 65 years ago today.

I volunteer at my local VA hospital in the nursing home/hospice and thank the men and women for their service each time I meet with them.

I encountered a poster on the Politics forum who labeled those who serve in our military and "murderers". Pretty disgusting, seeing as how their service bought that individual the freedom to utter such hate speech.

[rdf]

I have many uncles who served in the Pacific, and in Italy and France. A couple crossed the channel for operation Overlord. Like many others, they gave their all to preserve freedom in the world. To me, these men and women truly were the greatest generation. It's our time now in this 21st Century to do what needs to be done to keep those freedoms viable for everyone.

wazabiker, don't bring the politics forum into this thread please. It's not appropriate.

[rdf]

My dad arrived in England from the USA (with the Army Air Corps) on D-Day and was amazed at all the activity, and the brand new AAC symbols on the planes (rolled out for the invasion). Of course none in his group knew about the invasion until they got to base because it had been secret. He served in England, France and Germany for the duration of the war. He was a supply staff sgt. so was fortunate to never see combat, but he did his bit to keep planes repaired and in the sky, and of course lost a lot of friends.

I too have been honored to care for a number of SCI veterans from WWII. Several of them served as extras in the movie "The Men" with Marlon Brando about the early days of SCI rehab for WWII veterans. I have learned more from them than they ever got from me. Unfortunately US WWII veterans are now dying at the rate of over 1,000 daily (my own father died last fall), so we have very few SCI WWII veterans left, but their stories of what they did to survive (and often thrive) are amazing.

This would be a good day to pull out my copy of "The Men" and watch it again.

(KLD)Sorry about your dad KLD. It's sad that in a decade or two there will be no living WWII veterans. But as you said, their stories will survive forever.

[RAFS]

I also salute Veterans from WWII "The Greatest Generation" that ever lived. It's to bad that an awful lof of our WWII Heroes are no longer with us. If it wasn't for them we wouldn't have the free country that we have today. I'm proud and honored to say that I live with with a WWII Navy Veteran "MY FATHER". He will be 84 in July. He served in the Pacific during the war on the USS Cogswell (destroyer or a.k.a tin can) as an Electricians mate.

I'm sorry to hear of the loss of your WWII hero KLD.

[Liz321]

Thanks!!!

[Van Quad]

This day always reminds me of my dad. His birthday is June 5. I remember him telling me he celebrated his birthday not knowing whether he'd live to celebrate another. He knew he was landing on Juno Beach the next day.

[Handsome Wheeler]

This is the second D Day anniversary that my father won't be here to reflect on with me.He turned 18 on 12/15/43. He landed on Normandy Beach 6/6/44. I often wonder how frightened he must have been. He was shot through the mouth near Dueseldorf,Germany and rec'd 157 penicillin shots while hospitalized in an old maternity ward.He was on his way to Japan when the War ended. I've seen several attempts at revisionist history on this board. Lots of worry about the innocent Japanese citizens who died,yet seemingly no concern for the innocent American lives that were spared by the Atomic Bomb. The average American soldier had never heard of Pearl Harbor until it was cowardly attacked.
Not only did my father's generation win the war,they rebuit the countries they had defeated. No other country in history has ever done such a deed.

I wonder how many potential medical researchers lie in those graves in Normandy? Who knows,one of those guys may have found the cure for SCI. They gave up their future families and joys of life for us. I hope my father knows how much I respected him for landing on that cold beach and undergoing the hell that he and thousands of others with him endured. After 65 yrs,D Day doesn't seem like much anymore. It's a shame the greatest military campaign in history,Operation Overlord,is barely remembered anymore.

[Eileen]

All of my uncles and one aunt were involved in serving in the military during WWII. My favorite uncle stormed the beach at Iwo Jima, and then also served in the Korean war. They are hero's all, and saved us from the tyrany of fascism. Thank you!

[Foolish Old]

It's humbling when you think of that generation of kids answering the call. Remember that international vacation travel was not nearly so common at that time. Many of these kids had never been off the farm or far from their block, Europe was a place from history books. Japan was a place from legends.

Among the boys who went was a young Sargent who fathered a fool.

:salute:

[PN]

Written on 06-22-2006:

Last Sunday (Father's Day), we gathered at my brother's for a barbeque and my parents were there with our good friends, the Hansens. While at the barbeque Ed asked me (after I took out my laptop) to find the 100TH BOMB GROUP (http://www.100thbg.com/index.htm). He was pleasantly surprised when I found the pictures (http://www.100thbg.com/mainpages/crews/crews5/hensen.htm) of his crew, along with the plane (B-17 The Flying Fortress). My Dad also was there as a flight navigator with the Army Air Corps stationed in England. It's sad to see that there are less and less World War II Veterans alive.

Fast forward to present day:

Ed and his wife Virginia were in California about two months ago for their annual reunion with my parents (longtime family friend). I was glad to see them before they left to go back to New York. A few weeks ago, I got a call from Virginia because Ed now needs to use a wheelchair. His knees just buckle when he is walking and this has resulted in him falling down. With Ed's health failing, I realize that there will be no more family reunions. This was their last visit.

http://www.100thbg.com/mainpages/crews/crews5/images/hensen66_2.jpg

[Oldtimer]

All the Veterans that served in WWII were hero's, Thank you all. I know of several still alive and well, one still lives on his home place at 85 and lets me hunt deer. The American flag flies there on every holiday, AMEN!