Just a few of 'em left.

[Ladder7]

If you see one., Please thank a WWII vet today!

http://image42.webshots.com/42/1/7/82/377010782PEUwZF_ph.jpg

[bbcard1]

I was involved in the opening of the D-Day Memorial ten years ago or so in Bedford County. Pretty awesome.

[J.McMurry]

There is a Pearl Harbor survivor living down the street from my shop.
I've spoken with him and his lovely wife many times and thanked him for his service.

Sadly, most people today dont realize the importance of WW2 and how it was the genesis for changes which are still affecting the world today.

My thanks goes out to all veterans.

[tbob]

My dad is approaching 88 and a WW2 vet. It is sad how so few WW2 vets are around anymore. They really were an incredible generation.

[Jacklitsch]

Having dinner with my father-in-law tomorrow night. I'll be sure to thank him for his service.

[canjond]

I've posted this before on the memorabilia side, but felt it was appropriate to re-tell the story here.

My grandfather piloted a landing craft (think opening seen of Saving Private Ryan) on Utah Beach during the the battle of Normandy. As he was making one of his runs to shore, enemy fire struck and disabled a landing craft next to his which was being piloted by his bunk mate and good friend. After dropping his troops off, my grandfather turned back to the disabled craft and pulled off the troops, including the dead and wounded. Upon returning to the ship, his bunk mate would succumb to his injuries and his possessions were given to my grandfather to ensure the family received them. One of those possessions was his landing map. A few hours into the battle, the maps were then collected and destroyed, as key information was contained on the maps (such as subsequent strike points). My grandfather turned in the second map he received with his bunk mates possessions, but kept his own. Before he passed away, my grandfather passed the map along to me. While I'm not a collector of military items, I have been told it is one of only a handful surviving maps from the Battle of Normandy.

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j263/jon_canfield/DSCN0088.jpg
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j263/jon_canfield/DSCN0089.jpg
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j263/jon_canfield/DSCN0090.jpg
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j263/jon_canfield/DSCN0094.jpg

[emmygirl]

My wife and I visited Bedford, Va. this past October and had the privilage of visiting the D Day Memorial there. My son and daughter-in-law live in Bedford and we all went to this most amazing and humbling tribute to our living world war 2 veterans as well as the many who died on the beachs of Normandy. I was born on July 21, 1945 and have a family of WW2 veterans. My father, my uncles and my aunts all served with great patrotism and courage,two of whom died in the Pacific arena. My father in law is now 88 years old and was on the Yorktown. Oh how he loves to tell the stories of courageous young Americans fighting for the freedoms we now many times take for granted. God bless all the remaining WW2 veterans and their service to our great country..

[ethicsprof]

great thread, steve.
the generation of true giants.
my father,who died some 21 years ago, was one of the WWII vets with a purple heart,2
bronze stars, and more.

to the few left, my highest admiration.

best,
barry

[ChiefBenderForever]

My father inlaw is a WWII vet, on the baseball tip he grew up a Yankees fan and saw Ruth, Gehrig, ect ect but doesn't like to talk about the war at all but every now and then will tell a story. The one he told that I always think about is one day overseas he got a telegram that informed him that his father had passed away six months earlier. It's hard to fathom that it took six months for him to get word on his father when these days people get texts and emails from friends and family letting them know they are being shot at up on a mountain side as it is happening.

[joeadcock]

Jon, thanks for the view of the map. Have been interested in D day since I was a kid.

I am fortunate to see WWII veterans almost every day in my career. I have seen many die also. It is terrible. I do try and thank then whenever I can.

As Archie Bunker called it:the big one.

Thanks for the thread.

[bbcard1]

If you ever get a chance to read The Bedford Boys, it is highly recommended. It is the story of one town where virtually all their young men were killed in the first wave. I got a chance to meet Ray Nance, who died a few years back at 94.