landing barges at Okinawa and Iwo Jima. I wasn't old enough
and mature enough to appreciate what he must have done. I have only
heard bits and pieces of stories and there are days I wish I
could go back and sit with him and ask him all kinds of
questions. He was older than most of the other guys so
he got the nickname "Papa Joe". We called him that his whole life.
I have wished the same thing countless times myself bud.
ReplyDeleteTwo great-uncles, one Army in Europe, one Navy in Pacific; neither one of them EVER talked about it.
ReplyDeleteI hope we never forget.
ReplyDeleteMy uncle Charlie was there and I have pictures though they are happy ones with smiling faces with much food and drink.:)
ReplyDeleteMy great-uncle lost his leg in France. Got hepatitis from all the blood transfusions. Never talked about it once, but once when I was little there was a war movie on tv, the soldiers had dug fox holes and the tanks rolled right over them. I thought it was silly and unrealistic... until he started talking about what it was like to have a tank roll right over your fucking army helmet! Still can't imagine it.
ReplyDelete