November 11, 2002 - Veterans Day

Here's to our veterans on their special day.

If you and/or your father or mother served in the US Armed Forces, please take a minute and tell us a little about that service.

I volunteered in Feb 1967 to avoid the draft. By volunteering in the Army, I could choose the school I would go to. I did basic training at Fort Knox KY for 8 weeks, then on to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville Alabama for 32 weeks of training as a Ballistic Missile Test Station Repairman, Pershing (21K20). After some leave time, I was assigned to the 579th Ord Company in Germany where I served out the remainder of my three years.

I signed up for the Navy early January 1958. Went to Great Lakes Naval training Center for Boot Camp and received an assignment with the SEABEES (Construction Battalion). Went to Port Hueneme, California for training and then spent 2 years in Naples, Italy in charge of the Pipe and Metal shop. I was then assigned to Amphibious Contruction Battalion 2 out of Little Creek, VIrginia where I finished up my 4 years of active duty. During my 4 years, I also spent time in North Africa, Puerto Rico and was off the coast of Cuba during the Bay of Pigs Invasion. Fortunately, none of us had to see action. My hats off to those who did see action. Not a day goes by that I don't remember those who served our country and kept us free. God bless each and everyone of our Military men anb women!

Bert

I tried to enlist in the Army and the Air Force but failed the physical both times.

I'd like to add my thanks to John, Bert and all of the others on the Forums and off the forums who served in all of the branches of the US Military.

I did not serve, but my two brothers did- one in the Navy on the USS Lake Champlain and the other who served with the Army with Pershing Missles in Germany and then stayed in the Reserves for 28 years.

Dennis

My father was a career soldier. He was originally commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Cavalry (yep, the one with horses) which evolved into the Armor Branch. He served from 1939 to his retirement in 1969. He fought in many WWII battles, including North Africa, D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge. He also served in Korea during the Korean War. He is buried at Arlington, where he was interred with full military rights including a caparisoned horse .

My mother was a Red Cross staffer who spent most of WWII in England and then was transferred to Korea where she met my father.

I served in the Navy as a crypie (aka spy) and retired from the Naval Reserve in 1994. After a year of school in Pensacola I spent a year in the Aleutians (Adak Island). My reserve duty took me primarily to Imperial Beach (San Diego), Chesapeake Virginia (the Dismal Swamp) and NSA at Fort Meade.

What is now known as Veteran's Day began as Armistice Day . This is a Day of Rememberance held in many countries around the world.

Now for a little trivia - who knows the origin and significance of the number 21 as it relates to the military and military honors?

Dave

Veteran's Day is over, but please don't let that keep you from posting your story of service -- or that of your parent and/or child.

I know there are others who have served and we'd like to hear about that service too.

My Father was in the navy. He was a Seabee. He served in WWII. I can't tell you much about his time in service, because I don't know. It was years before I was born, and he won't talk about it! I think the memories are just too painful for him. I know that he was very young at the time; I think he enlisted at the age of 19. I don't know where he was at, or the date. But he was working on some kind of dock or wharf when it and the ships there were bombed by the Japes. The dock was latterly blown out from under him and he was thrown up against the side of a ship.

All I can really tell you is that he came home in a FULL BODY CAST and it took almost a year or maybe longer to get him home. He was transferred form one Hospital Ship to another several times, and I think keep at a Navy Hospital in Nova Scotia for a while? As I said he won't talk to me about it.

I do know that when I was a little girl he was in and out of the VA Hospital several times with back surgery. And I wasn't born until he was 33.

He is now, (will be on Dec.2.) 80 yrs old.

Stephanie

I enlisted in the Coast Guard in Nov. 1951 for a 3 year enlistment. At that time the Coast Guard only had 2 training centers one at Cape May NJ and the other in Alameda Calif. Cape May was filled up at that time so I was sent to Alameda Calif. After training which was at the end of Feb. 1952 I was sent to the 3rd Coast Guard district which was in New York and sent to St. George base which was on Staten Island. After a week there I was notified that I was assigned to the Scotland Lightship. At first when I heard that I thought I was going to Scotland but they told me that is was a lightship that was stationed just off of Atlantic Highlands near Sandy Hook NJ. I did not know what a lightship was until I got there. The way I got there was by a buoy tender from St. George base. It was really good duty there as you spent 2 weeks on and 1 week off. Friday was the day that the duty buoy tender would come out to the lightship to bring water and supplys and the crew coming back from a week off. The crew that was getting their week off would go back with the buoy tender. You had hope for good weather so the lightships 23 foot motor boat could be lowered to make the transfer to and from the buoy tender. If the weather and water conditions was bad you had to wait until the next good day to make the transfer but you still had to be back the following Friday. Sometimes you would lose a day or so but it would even out as sometimes you would get a extra day or so when you were returning. Anyway after a year and a half I put in for a transfer to the Overfalls Lightship which was at the Delaware Breakwater off of Lewes De. and finished up my time left there. The Overfalls WAL 605 was a new lightship that was built in 1950 and had much more up to date equipment. There you spent 20 days on a 10 days off. I enjoyed the 3 years that I spent in the Coast Guard. Hal

I originally tried to enlist in the Coast Guard in June 1961 after graduation from high school. I failed the physical for high BP. I waited a year and joined the Navy in May 1962. I went to boot camp and electronics school in Great Lakes, got stationed at NAS Jacksonville FL, got a 6 month involuntary Viet Nam extension and got out of the Navy from Jax Fla in November 1966. I stayed out till April 1967 and FINALLY got into the Coast Guard. Got stationed at Mayport FL and 3 months later was on a "Big White Cutter"(Androscoggin) going to Viet Nam. A year in Nam, 2 1/2 years at 7th District(Miami) Office, 2 1/2 years at Norfolk VA on another "Big White One"(Ingham), 2 1/2 years at CG Station Ponce De Leon Inlet, a year in Alaska(Yakatat LORAN A), 1 1/2 years at the Oceanographic Unit(Washington DC) and 6 1/2 years at CG Headquarter(G-EEE Shipboard Electronics) and retired in 1985 as a Chief Warrant Officer Electronics(CWO-3). That's my career and I loved every minute of it and only sorry that I retired at 23 years and didn't stay for 30 years.

Rich

And still another Coastie. I enlisted in May 74 did 10 weeks in Cape May for Bootcamp and then to a Bouy tender(WLB-306)Buttonwood in Honoluu Hawaii. It was a great 2 years. After that Base Gloucester in Gloucester City NJ (now moved to Phila)for my last 2 years. I had a great time and would do it all over again.

I enlisted in the Air Force in Dec. '66, became a jet aircraft mechanic, served in Selma, Ala.- Phoenix,Az.- Viet-Nam- Alexandria, La.- Dayton, Ohio untill I decided to leave in '75. Spent a while in the Reserve in Columbus. It was quite a growing up experience for a young guy from a small town in Southeast Ohio, but I really enjoyed serving, and still feel a great deal of pride that I have the honor of being a veteran of the greatest nation the earth has ever seen!! My son Brian was born while I was in 'Nam, and he was 10 months old before I ever saw him. I had quite a home-coming!! :p