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solo1
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« on: June 25, 2015, 03:03:18 PM » |
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The current 'Graybeards' magazine published a full page story about my tour in Korea, written by me, complete with pics. 'Graybeards' is the official magazine of the KWVA, Korean War Veterans Association. Yesterday and today, i have, so far, received four calls from Korean Vets who like the story even though it was about the 618th medical clearing company, a support outfit that i was in. It was so nice to hear from vets who had it tougher than I. Last night, I also received a call from the Honor Flight wanting to know if I wanted to go in October. I said that I would go next Spring (personal reasons.) Altogether, a very nice happening. My former neighbor, Bill, is older than I and served in WWII as a paratrooper in the Pacific. He saw action but I don't ask. He told me that Harry Truman saved his life when he dropped the atomic bomb. Bill was in Okinawa waiting for his group to invade Japan. He was told that there would be horrific American casualties and he didn't think that he would come home. I had the highest honor when Bill came back from Honor Flight and told me he wished that I would've been there with him. Here's a pic of Bill boarding the flight in Ft. Wayne, his daughter is behind him. He truly deserved to be on the Honor flight. I still call him up and we talk.  |
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Karen
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« Reply #1 on: June 25, 2015, 03:29:19 PM » |
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Wayne, you are simply stunning. What a gift you are to all of us. I've done the flag detail for the Honor Flights, and am hard pressed to not tear up. Bill was right about Harry Truman; it remains a Pandora's Box, but we would have lost even more of the Greatest Generation at that time without that trump card. We are still losing them, but at least they are home, hopefully comfortable, and aware of the debt of gratitude the rest of us owe them. Thank you again for sharing the wonderful experience that is your life.
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The emperor has no clothes
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« Reply #2 on: June 25, 2015, 03:40:08 PM » |
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Wayne, you are simply stunning. What a gift you are to all of us. I've done the flag detail for the Honor Flights, and am hard pressed to not tear up. Bill was right about Harry Truman; it remains a Pandora's Box, but we would have lost even more of the Greatest Generation at that time without that trump card. We are still losing them, but at least they are home, hopefully comfortable, and aware of the debt of gratitude the rest of us owe them. Thank you again for sharing the wonderful experience that is your life.
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Hooter
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« Reply #3 on: June 25, 2015, 05:07:24 PM » |
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Congrats man, that is great stuff! Thank You... |
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You are never lost if you don't care where you are!
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Serk
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« Reply #4 on: June 25, 2015, 05:45:18 PM » |
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I had the highest honor when Bill came back from Honor Flight and told me he wished that I would've been there with him.
Many of us feel that way about having you among us sir... |
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Never ask a geek 'Why?',just nod your head and slowly back away...  IBA# 22107 VRCC# 7976 VRCCDS# 226 1998 Valkyrie Standard 2008 Gold Wing Taxation is theft. μολὼν λαβέ |
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The emperor has no clothes
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« Reply #5 on: June 25, 2015, 05:49:23 PM » |
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I had the highest honor when Bill came back from Honor Flight and told me he wished that I would've been there with him.
Many of us feel that way about having you among us sir... ABSOLUTELY ! |
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Leatherman
Member
Posts: 30
Jeff & Deb
Oklahoma
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« Reply #6 on: June 25, 2015, 06:03:59 PM » |
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How many of us would not even be here if the war had not been ended that way ?
My father is a WWII vet and saw a lot of action as well. He's 92 now. Had he not returned, I would have never been.
Everyone owes the Greatest generation something. Some of us more than others.
Thank you Wayne.
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A lone individual built the Ark while a group of "Professionals" built the Titanic. Hmmmm.
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slider
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« Reply #7 on: June 25, 2015, 06:35:21 PM » |
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you sir are a hero!!!
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a proud navy veteran
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8Track
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« Reply #8 on: June 25, 2015, 06:40:24 PM » |
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Hi Wayne,
That's a wonderful honour - congratulations! Can you tell me what the Honour Flight is? Down here in Australia I haven't heard of it before.
We all have wartime twist of fate stories to which we owe our current existence. You might appreciate mine!
My Grandad was a WW2 Australian Army infantryman. During his training, he and other soldiers (both Aussies and Yanks) attended a local dance. He went outside for a smoke and was set upon by a group of unsavoury types. He got beat up very badly and was sure he was going to get beaten to death. Lucky for him a group of soldiers came around the corner and saved him.
After training was finished he was marching to the train to begin the journey to New Guinea where he was off to fight the Japanese. His knee gave out on him (a result of the beating) and he got sidelined. He was declared unfit for combat and was allocated a job as a guard at a POW camp in Queensland. He says that everyone in his unit was killed in New Guinea.
So it seems that if he didn't go outside for that smoke at the country dance, I might not have ever been created!
Cheers,
Mark
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« Last Edit: June 25, 2015, 06:42:34 PM by 8Track »
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MAD6Gun
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« Reply #9 on: June 25, 2015, 07:24:53 PM » |
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8-track. In a nutshell the honor flight is a organization the takes WWII and Korean vets to Washington DC for a day. So they get a chance to see their memorials and such. A family member can go with the vet if they want. The only cost is 400 dollars payed by the family member for their flight cost. The vet goes for FREE. That's it in a nutshell.....
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Xtracho
Member
Posts: 1303
The Bosses
Florida's Emerald Coast
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« Reply #10 on: June 25, 2015, 07:50:21 PM » |
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An honor to even reply to this thread started by a true American hero. True, without the decision by Truman many would simply have never been. My father landed at Anzio, was separated from his unit & survived. All our vets deserve the best we can provide....of everything. To have served this country is an honor. To know those that have served is a great honor as well.. R E S P E C T to you sir. The photo of Mr. Bill says it all. Thanks for posting.
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Mark
"To live you must be willing to die" - Amir Vahedi
My father gets smarter each day he is gone.
In the stable:
'84 GW Aspencade
'47 Indian Chief
'98 Valkyrie
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nogrey
Member
Posts: 939
Live every day as if it were your last
Nampa, Idaho
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« Reply #11 on: June 25, 2015, 08:23:02 PM » |
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No words can express my gratitude for the greatest generation. My deepest respect.
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solo1
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« Reply #12 on: June 26, 2015, 03:43:19 AM » |
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Thanks to all but I'm not a hero, not even close.
As a combat veteran once said "The real heroes are the ones that didn't come back"
Let's not forget, the KIAs and the MIAs of all wars.
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Serk
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« Reply #13 on: June 26, 2015, 06:36:19 AM » |
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Thanks to all but I'm not a hero, not even close.
As a combat veteran once said "The real heroes are the ones that didn't come back"
Let's not forget, the KIAs and the MIAs of all wars.
On the surface I agree, and definitely honor those who didn't come back, but there's a special honor due to those who worked to make sure as many came back as possibly could. Thank you Wayne. And thank you for putting words down to help us all remember and know what you saw and did. |
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Never ask a geek 'Why?',just nod your head and slowly back away... IBA# 22107 VRCC# 7976 VRCCDS# 226 1998 Valkyrie Standard 2008 Gold Wing Taxation is theft. μολὼν λαβέ |
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Xtracho
Member
Posts: 1303
The Bosses
Florida's Emerald Coast
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« Reply #14 on: June 26, 2015, 09:40:31 AM » |
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Thanks to all but I'm not a hero, not even close.
As a combat veteran once said "The real heroes are the ones that didn't come back"
Let's not forget, the KIAs and the MIAs of all wars.
On the surface I agree, and definitely honor those who didn't come back, but there's a special honor due to those who worked to make sure as many came back as possibly could. Thank you Wayne. And thank you for putting words down to help us all remember and know what you saw and did. |
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Mark
"To live you must be willing to die" - Amir Vahedi
My father gets smarter each day he is gone.
In the stable:
'84 GW Aspencade
'47 Indian Chief
'98 Valkyrie
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Whooray
Member
Posts: 656
Idaho State Rep
Kuna, Idaho
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« Reply #15 on: June 26, 2015, 10:13:47 AM » |
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"No words can express my gratitude for the greatest generation. My deepest respect."
Thank you from the bottom of my heart , Raymond
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Vietnam Vet 6/68 - 1/70 919th Combat Engineers 11th ACR (Blackhorse)  |
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