I Am Interested In Ww1 and Ww2

@DogMan

I never fail to be impressed by what members of the Greatest Generation did. ♥️

@Thinkerbell I wrote a story about his service in WWII after he passed away. It is based on
the letters and documentation, and also the stories I pried out of him after I went into the
USAF. As far as I know he didn't talk to anyone else about it. Many of the stories were good,
some were terrible, and he had to stop. Here is one good one for you. One night while
patrolling over enemy lines during the winter of 1944, they found a farm and went into
the barn to get some shut eye, they were cold and wet, and there were cows laying in the
hay. They slept on top of them to warm up, and dry out.

@DogMan they were very brave soldiers

@DogMan

Great story.
Did they have to get up early, while it was still dark, so that the farmer wouldn't find them?

@Thinkerbell Hmm, I don't know. But here is another patrol story if you liked that one. He told
me that he and two others were walking down a little dirt road at night across the lines when
they heard someone coming, they laid down by a little structure about 5ft off the path. As the
people got closer they could hear people speaking German, they stayed put, and realized it
was an entire German Infantry Regiment. He said that he was sure they would feel his heart
pounding against the ground. They all thought this was the end. They finally past, and the
guys got out of there to report the enemy movements. Again, this is one of the good stories.

@DogMan

A whole regiment?!
No wonder his heart was pounding ! 😳

@Thinkerbell I would have just had a heart attack and died right there. 😲

@DogMan My neighbour in PLymouth was at Monte Casino - yes - held up at that orange grove. When we took an RV to Italy, we parked near the bototm of the hill to wild camp overnight and see the MOnestry (very nice) in the morning first thing. We didnt realise until we woke up that we'd pulled over in the gun emplacement above that Orange Grove. Dick went back every summer to holiday in Monte Casino - its lovely there, and the poeple are wonderful, but he never talked about th fighting. Th eview of the Poilsh cemetry form the monestry is amazing. They never forgave the brits for bombing the monestry bu tthen thats where we thought the guns were - and that's war isnt it ?

@Captain One of the first places my dad fought was near Monte Casino. The 88th Infantry
"Blue Devils" Went from North Africa to Naples. I believe Monte Casino was part of the front
line at that time. The 88th became the tip of the spear in Italy. I'm very fortunate to have
received two scrap books after Dad passed. They had every letter he wrote home that
his mom saved, also all his military records, newspaper clippings etc. I did not know about
them until after he passed away. Mom said that Dad knew I would ask too many questions.

I did coerce a few good stories out of him, and a few bad ones. I wrote a story based on
his letters, and a lot of research, right down to his regiment and company. With the scrap
books were dozens of pictures of him and the guys. Mostly guys from his squad, with names
on the back. Also a few pictures of the Italian Muleteers that hauled supplies in the mountains
where trucks could not go. Dad said they were forever in his debt. They saved his life many
times by delivering ammo and supplies. They also carried the wounded.

@DogMan '''yes at the end of the day I think that's why Dick always went back. good wine. good weather, good people. I'e got my dad's story as well. He went to Cyprus during the troubles. Wasn't acutally driing that day but for whatever reason they were going up the big mountain and the resistance blew the trck off the road. He got a shoulder injury and spent a lot of time in hsopital before being sent home. He did fully recover. He was back there a few years ago and was in a taverna and someone got talking to him about it - a local. Next thing you know he was sharing a drink a drink and a chat with the reistance figther who had exploded the bomb. Its a small world. Im only 5 peole away form DJT on linked in - I hope Ive been inoculated

@Captain I love reading about that stuff. Let me know if you are interested in reading the
story. I would be happy to email it to you.

@DogMan Most defintiely.