V E day anyone?

[czuch]

Got the Flag out at Casa de Chaos.
Also on the Valk.
Again, the only one on the block.
Totally realize the articals of surrender were signed yesterday, but today was the official announcement.
Have a bourbon and a hamburger.

[BF]

How soon they forget.   

[J.Mencalice]

On PBS last night was a one hour "Frontline" documentary of the roll call of concentration camps in 1945.  Footage that should be viewed by anyone with a strong stomach and spirit can tolerate; less we forget.

While filming at one of the camps, a British soldier stared into the lens and spoke into microphone about knowing now "what we are fighting for".  I'm sure that he spoke for all those present.

God bless those boys, men, and women who recognized their responsibilities and saw them through to the end.

They have all but left us now; say thank you to one before they are all gone.  My father-in-law was a F6F Hellcat pilot in the Pacific (shot down twice); we buried he and my mother-in-law almost a year ago with full military honors.  We shall never forget them and visit their resting site in the Veteran's Memorial Cemetery of Western Colorado whenever we can to acknowledge his valor and her sacrifice at home.

We view other headstones as well knowing that those who rest there were in the fight and did their duty for the country.

Amen.

[pais]

    Every year when May roles around. I always try to imagine the excitement and the great relief my Mom felt, as well as her sisters and parents. My Dad, his brothers and his parents.
    VE day meant for all of them(Dad and all my Uncles) that they all would be coming home from Europe! Unfortunately my Uncle Louie, Dad's brother and Uncle Ray, Mom's brother were not so fortunate. Dad and his brothers, Uncle Paul, Jeep, Joe and Santos came home. Mom's brothers, Uncle Buster and Jerry made it back.
     I remember Mom telling me she was in the kitchen fixing my brother Eddie his lunch. (Ed was born in March of '44. Pop's came home in June of '43 for a, I believe 2 week leave. Pop's then went to New York and on to England where he trained for the invasion of Europe. Dad held Ed for the first time Thanksgiving '45). When she heard the news on the radio. She sat and held Ed and just cried. When she was able to stand, she walked down the street to tell her Mom and her sisters. My Aunt Tiny, Margaret and Fern all had husbands in the fight. Uncle Jack, Aunt Margaret's husband came as close to dying as anyone could. He told me, he was just plain stupid for sticking his head out of the tank that day. He was in those hedge rows that I've read so much about. He said it was very slow going and he just had to stretch out and get some fresh air. He took a German round off the right side of his temple as soon as he took a look! At some point he was removed from the tank and left for dead. He was put in a body bag and taken back to the beach. He laid for two days before guys realized he was alive! Lost his right ear and had hearing, eye and sinus issues the rest of his life.
    Pop's never talked about the war nor did any of my uncle's other than Uncle Jack. If you have never watched "Band of Brother's", make sure you do. After watching and listening to the actual men that the show was about. It was then that I truly understood my Father. He was affected by what he did and what he saw for the rest of his life. I asked Pop's one time how he did it. He told me, "what the hell was I gonna do"? "Once I saw what that bastard was doing". "We had to help those people". "We figured we'd be next". Unfortunately he was gone by then. What I wouldn't do, to be able to sit and have a cup of coffee with him in the morning at that old kitchen table. Very hard to imagine what all those young men (kids) went through. That includes every Veteran of every war ever fought!
    So, I for one and my two children will never forget what May 8th means! Thank you gentleman for listening/reading. Thank you to ALL the Men that have served this country!

[Oss]

we remember in my family

Everyone of military age was in.  

Uncle Dave was in Marines  now 90 He would not talk about the pacific war except to
say he had to go thru 4 b24's to find one that wouldnt crash

My dad was too young but joined in 48 when he came of age

We owe them EVERYTHING