Some thoughts on Veteran's ages!!!

JD Seller · May 28, 2013

I was just thinking about how the time is passing many of the WWW II and Korean War Veterans. Here are just some numbers to think about.

If you would have been 18 years old in 1945 you would now be 86 years old. So the time where we have many living WWW II Vets left is shrinking.

If you where 18 in 1953 you would now be 78 years old. So the Korean Vets are getting older too.

IF you where 18 in 1973 you would be 58 now. So even the "Young" Vietnam Vets are getting to where the majority of them are retirement age.

So think about any Vets you know and try to make a personal contact with them that shows your Thanks and support.

88-1175 · May 28, 2013

my dad was in korea,never heard him say a word till 9-11,he talked a few days,then never another word since.only thing that he says is there is no rice allowed in his home.

Royse · May 28, 2013

My Dad was a WWII veteran.
Every generation of my family served in some branch of the
services. Myself included.
My family will never forget the service and sacrifices by others
and their families.
Thank you, each and every one.
And thanks to you JD, for reminding folks to remember.

Tony in Mass. · May 28, 2013

My father turned 18 in 1937. Went on 5 north atlantic convoys up the coast of Canada his first hitch, on a ship made in 1909. Then was in the first wave of liberation of the Philipines, then Iwo Jima, where his LST was hit with a mortar round of all things, then Okanawa, then back to the PI to load for the invasion of Japan, ended up unloading telephone supplies on a beach outside Hiroshima, and they rode around in open deuce and halves thru the radioactive ash. There are 2 other LST sailors around here, still alive, were in the same place same time, different duty. He got out of the coast guard in '47. He couldn't care less anymore. He said there has been a dozen wars since, people should play more attention to the kids who will die in the next one.
In the city of Springfield, Mass, a proper stone marker was just placed this weekend on the grave of a yankee sailor who received a medal of honor in 1864 for saving shipmates during a rebel naval attack. He lived to be an old man, the family never had money for a stone, and he was forgotten for 100 years.
A kid up in the hilltowns of western Mass turned 18 in 2007, stepped on a mine in Afganistan 2 weeks ago. His funeral was yesterday, he will be buried in Idaho. 100 years from now, maybe someone will put a flower on his grave. Time travels on...

JMS/.MN · May 28, 2013

Yesterday, a friend, and former landlord of about 16 years, received his 60 year Legion membership pin. He served in Korea as an EM, so he was 20 years old when he came back. Stayed in the reserves, retired as a full bird colonel. He told me years ago that he is likely the only colonel in the US Army that never graduated from high school! Yes, went to Command College, etc, but doesn"t have a HS degree, much less college degree.

JerryS · May 29, 2013

Growing up, just about every younger man I knew was a WWII vet. Some of the old timers were WWI vets. But the years have passed and now I personally know only two of the WWII vet, both of whom are members of my church.

Last year I had the privilege of escorting Mr. Lafitte to a display of WWII aircraft, including the B-17 and B-24 on which he flew over 30 missions as a turret gunner. Two of his planes were shot down. He's in his late 80s; may be 90 now.

Mr. Sanders was in the water at 0630 at Utah Beach on D-Day, a member of the 294th Combat Engineers. He survived five major battles in France, Belgium and Germany. He has told me some of his experiences. He was interviewed for a private oral history program, but he declined to give a newspaper interview.

Shown here at his 70th wedding anniversary, Mr. Frank is about 94 now.

Bret4207 · May 29, 2013

When I was a kid it seemed like most of the older men my grandfathers age were WW1 vets. The really old vets were Spanish American War vets! Our fathers were WW2 and Korea and I missed VN by only a couple years. I did serve during the "Cold War" but I don't consider that anything like serving in War Time, although the American legion changed their opinion some years back and says I'm eligible now.

So some genealogy work. I found out that unlike I thought, my family has been in the US forever and a day and my wifes family got here on the 2nd ship after the Mayflower. The thing that really surprised me was finding that some of my ancestors were Minute Men at Concord, fought throughout the Revolution, various rebellions, War of 1812, some indian wars, Civil War, etc.

Pitch · May 29, 2013

Last Sunday we buried my wifes Aunt. Born in 1920. I did not know her real well, she was the "other" side of the family.
At the funeral parlor there was a display of military awards and a picture of her in uniform.
She was a captain in the Polish army,after the army collapsed she continued serving in the underground resistance movement. She also had citations from the British and United States government. Never would I have thought that this sweet little grandmother would have something like this in her background.
The only thing I knew that the family came here as refugees after the war.
If you know some of these old warriors please..talk to them keep their stories alive.

ericlb · May 29, 2013

it is hard to think of, my dad was a torpedo bomber pilot during wwll, to me, he just never seemed all that old, it seems like just the other day i was helping him with something, he died at 78, and that was back in 2001

BAnNC · May 29, 2013

Dad is 84. Was carrier based aircraft with United States Marine Corps.
Starting to show his age.

Hammer house · May 29, 2013

We lost our last WW2 Vet in our Church A few months ago. Now I am the last Korean Vet in our Church, I am 84. I am thinking who is next. I was 22 when I was drafted.
Thanks to all the Vets.

Hammer Man

onefarmer · May 29, 2013

I visit a WW2 vet nearly every other day. My wife sees him every day. He's my FIL. He'll be 90 on Sat was born on his mothers b-day. He sleeps most of the time and not very coherent when awake. But it will be a great loss when he passes.

ben there · May 29, 2013

my dad landed at Normandy on second day,he wouldnt allow pinto beans or spam in our house.

El Toro · May 29, 2013

I was drafted 60 years ago during the Korean War and I married my wife. I was rehired back with the US Government after completing my tour of duty
with the 82nd Airborne as a returning vet. Our daughter was born at Ft Bragg NC. I turned 80 in Feb. My older brother joined the Air Force in 1951, 3 days after we graduated from High School, both of us could had a deferment by staying on the farm. My dad wasn't too happy. Hal

ss55 · May 29, 2013

Don't our armed services discharged around 1 million new veterans every year? To me these younger veterans count just as much as the older vets do. There are still plenty of young and middle aged veterans amoung us.

I know what you are saying though, the older generations that preceded us are now gone and now we are now the "elders".

Anonymous-0 · May 29, 2013

Two brothers and I all served during war time. None of us would talk about it. Still wouldn't watch a war movie. Neighbor down the road, was a DAV from WWII. Was shot up bad, and the last 5 years of his life, I went down morning and night, did his chores, (he had a few sheep and some cows,) usually got his groceries, sometimes a meal from town and what ever he needed. He was single and had no close relatives. The last few years, sometimes at night he would talk about his years in WWII. Couldn't believe what some of the things he went thru. Came home with a box of medals, which he gave away. Spent the last years of his life in a wheel chair. Passed away 6 years ago, and I still miss him.

Anonymous-0 · May 29, 2013

I'm a Canadian, I'll be 57 years old this year, I have never served or went to war.

My father and grandfather never went to war either simply because when wartime help was needed they were either too young or too old to be accepted into the army, Gramp was too young for WW1 and too old for WWII, Dad was to young for WWII, and was too old for Korea. They both tried to join but were refused due to age so they worked the family farm to provide as much help as they could.

I have great respect for those who served our countries in their time of greatest need.

Thanks to all who serve, past and present.

May we never forget.

El Toro · May 29, 2013

My wife's older sisters were married to veterans of WW2 and they stayed in the active reserves. One was in the Air Force and the other was a Chief Warrant Officer in the Army reserves. Both were recalled to active duty in 1950 and both stayed in until they retired. Both of them died and her sisters are still living in Florida, the older sister will be 96 in Dec 2013 and the other is 86. Hal

blueridge · May 29, 2013

my friend and part of our band plays fiddle, has 3 hrs of tunes in his head, and leads the other 4 guys in our group, he is 91 and a world war ll
Navy vet, was a cook on ship. very seldom talks about it, he is a caregiver for his 91 year old wife also, he has so much to do it keeps him going, always looking for a new fiddle tune, we can't keep up with him. has tapes from years ago of square dances and such, and now he got a new burner and is putting all that old stuff onto cd, also record albums. i hope he goes to 100.
Gene

allisanddodge · May 29, 2013

My dad was in 101st inf. in Pattons 3rd army. He landed at Omaha beach in the 7th wave. Fought across France and was in Bastogne in the Battle of the Bulge. Received a battlefield to 1st Lt. from Patton. Said Patton came in tent and said-so you SOB"s think you deserve promotion? As he was leaving said-by the way I"m the biggest SOB of all-you guys are heroes. Dad died in 1999 at 77. Had a hard time buying a Krone disc mower. I was 19 in Jan. 1973-classified 1-A but we pulled out of Vietnam and was never called up.
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js305 · May 29, 2013

My dad was born in 1919. He spent his wartime in north Africa and on into Italy and Southern Germany, mostly behind the enemy lines. He wouldn't talk about what he did, only to say "I did what was necessary..." and left it at that. I learned after his death in 1998 that he was one of nine who survived the war out of 146 who were in his group. He was part of a recon outfit. He was decorated but I never saw his medals. As I said, he did his job, was wounded, and came home and went to work. No counseling or any other special treatment.

We have good people in the service now, but nothing like that generation.

cannonball · May 30, 2013

check out this, my mother sent in for my fathers years ago..
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Some thoughts on Veteran's ages!!!

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