Meeting Pearl Harbor vets

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DevilsFan
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Meeting Pearl Harbor vets

Post by DevilsFan »

When I first moved to Zhills a few years ago I went to the Military Museum and met 4 Pearl Harbor vets. I listened to them tell their stories and was amazed at how humble they all were.
Hadn't been back until today. Sadly, Mr. Kaas, who was a charm to talk to had passed away about a year after I had met him.
Needless to say, today I got to the ceremony late but was able to chat with Mr. Earl, who is 94 ears old and a hoot!!! He was on the USS Curtiss and described that day like it was yesterday!

Surprisingly, he told me (of the many tales...some involving "alcohol and women" :evil: ) that his biggest battle was in the Panama Canal. He said his ship there, as well as many others, took a severe beating as the "Japs" (his words!) would strafe their boats parallel and cause some pretty horrific damage.

Another surprise was when he told me, out of everything he's been through, his most feared near-death experience was stateside, coming back from a night of drinking with the crew. He had just bought a 1931 Chevy and, after tying one on, he let his friend drive them back to base. He said he had opened his eyes to see his friend passing a truck, on a hill, into a curve, on a two-lane, and a bus coming right at them! He said he closed his eyes and when he opened them, the bus was in the rearview! :lmao:

Anyway, I didn't get a photo op as he had to go and I was jawing with him as we walked out to his car. But what a nice man! Sad to know there's so very few left in this world. They were, literally, world-changers!

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Re: Meeting Pearl Harbor vets

Post by Tbeck »

There little doubt that the WWII vets contributed much good to the world. However to be objective we also need to weigh in the bad contributions. Many of the international laws, policies, etc aimed at prevention of future conflict have resulted in exactly what caused WWII to begin with, appeasement. It failed in 1938, and still failing in 2017.
The problem is that their good intentions promoted exactly what they were trying to prevent because they failed to consider that future generations hadn't paid the price.

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Re: Meeting Pearl Harbor vets

Post by SuzyRidr2 »

Good story. Made my morning. Thanks!

There's a (little known) national D-Day Memorial and museum, about 90 miles from me, in Bedford, VA that I like to visit. It's been a while and I need to go back. Maybe this spring or summer and on the bike this time before I get too old. There's always a few vets around to gab with. Sadly, they're mostly Viet Nam era vets these days. We've nearly lost all our WWII vets. Jaw boning with one about WWII would truly be an honor.

https://www.dday.org/

If you've never been, it's well worth the time to visit, even if it's a little out of the way, especially if you're a history buff. The story behind why Bedford was chosen for the memorial site is interesting in itself. I could stay there all day reading the history on all the walls.
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Re: Meeting Pearl Harbor vets

Post by Designer »

SuzyRidr2 wrote:Good story. Made my morning. Thanks!

There's a (little known) national D-Day Memorial and museum, about 90 miles from me, in Bedford, VA that I like to visit. It's been a while and I need to go back. Maybe this spring or summer and on the bike this time before I get too old. There's always a few vets around to gab with. Sadly, they're mostly Viet Nam era vets these days. We've nearly lost all our WWII vets. Jaw boning with one about WWII would truly be an honor.

https://www.dday.org/

If you've never been, it's well worth the time to visit, even if it's a little out of the way, especially if you're a history buff. The story behind why Bedford was chosen for the memorial site is interesting in itself. I could stay there all day reading the history on all the walls.
SuzyRidr2, My best Buddy's Dad was a Vet of the Italian Theater and went to this Memorial on a Trip to the Gulf Of Mexico. When he got back, it was just about all he could talk about! His meeting other Veterans, and talking with them was the Highlight of his trip!

Gosh,....I realize now,... that was some 3 decades ago. :blink:

Thanks for posting this and reminding me of it. [emoji106]
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Re: Meeting Pearl Harbor vets

Post by old time rider »

My dad loved going back to Texas every year for around 20years to meet with his combat Texas 36 T-Patchers. They started in N.A.. then were took to South Italy and first in with so heavy a loss. They then went up through France and Dad was hit at German border. I knew he was hit bad by the real bad big scar on his leg but he never talked about it till night mares in his late 60s.Then he told me things one on one that made you see why some went crazy. His friends after he died at 89 told me he was shell shocked some what the first years back.He loved his Texas out fit. :HatTip:

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Re: Meeting Pearl Harbor vets

Post by DevilsFan »

DevilsFan wrote:When I first moved to Zhills a few years ago I went to the Military Museum and met 4 Pearl Harbor vets. I listened to them tell their stories and was amazed at how humble they all were.
Hadn't been back until today. Sadly, Mr. Kaas, who was a charm to talk to had passed away about a year after I had met him.
Needless to say, today I got to the ceremony late but was able to chat with Mr. Earl, who is 94 ears old and a hoot!!! He was on the USS Curtiss and described that day like it was yesterday!

Surprisingly, he told me (of the many tales...some involving "alcohol and women" :evil: ) that his biggest battle was in the Guadalcanal. He said his ship there, as well as many others, took a severe beating as the "Japs" (his words!) would strafe their boats parallel and cause some pretty horrific damage.

Another surprise was when he told me, out of everything he's been through, his most feared near-death experience was stateside, coming back from a night of drinking with the crew. He had just bought a 1931 Chevy and, after tying one on, he let his friend drive them back to base. He said he had opened his eyes to see his friend passing a truck, on a hill, into a curve, on a two-lane, and a bus coming right at them! He said he closed his eyes and when he opened them, the bus was in the rearview! :lmao:

Anyway, I didn't get a photo op as he had to go and I was jawing with him as we walked out to his car. But what a nice man! Sad to know there's so very few left in this world. They were, literally, world-changers!

Image


Image
There will be a time where you will no longer be able to use, "But...I didn't know!", as an excuse. And if you're exiled from society, well, you were warned.

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Re: Meeting Pearl Harbor vets

Post by DevilsFan »

DevilsFan wrote:
DevilsFan wrote:When I first moved to Zhills a few years ago I went to the Military Museum and met 4 Pearl Harbor vets. I listened to them tell their stories and was amazed at how humble they all were.
Hadn't been back until today. Sadly, Mr. Kaas, who was a charm to talk to had passed away about a year after I had met him.
Needless to say, today I got to the ceremony late but was able to chat with Mr. Earl, who is 94 ears old and a hoot!!! He was on the USS Curtiss and described that day like it was yesterday!

Surprisingly, he told me (of the many tales...some involving "alcohol and women" :evil: ) that his biggest battle was in the Guadalcanal. He said his ship there, as well as many others, took a severe beating as the "Japs" (his words!) would strafe their boats parallel and cause some pretty horrific damage.

Another surprise was when he told me, out of everything he's been through, his most feared near-death experience was stateside, coming back from a night of drinking with the crew. He had just bought a 1931 Chevy and, after tying one on, he let his friend drive them back to base. He said he had opened his eyes to see his friend passing a truck, on a hill, into a curve, on a two-lane, and a bus coming right at them! He said he closed his eyes and when he opened them, the bus was in the rearview! :lmao:

Anyway, I didn't get a photo op as he had to go and I was jawing with him as we walked out to his car. But what a nice man! Sad to know there's so very few left in this world. They were, literally, world-changers!

Image


Image

Sorry...it was Guadalcanal!
There will be a time where you will no longer be able to use, "But...I didn't know!", as an excuse. And if you're exiled from society, well, you were warned.

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