Something that just brought a tear to my eye...

[BigToque]

Yesterday there was a an atricle in the newspaper and it was talking about world war 2.

There was a picture of an old man, walking on Omaha beach for the first time since D-day.

It immediately brought flashbacks of Saving Private Ryan (I don't watch many war movies and this is the most realistic depiction I have ever seen).

I can't imagine what it would be like for that man to return to that beach.

 

[Scarpozzi]

The saddest thing about that war is that people today seem to have already forgotten the evils of war. Then we send our troops to Iraq. I hate that those young guys have to see what they have to see. 🙁

 

[meltdown75]

it's good to recognize their sacrifices. it's ok to feel emotion for that, actually it is proper in my opinion.

wear your poppy proudly Stefan :thumbsup:

my great grandfather fought in WWI and made it home, he lost one son in WWII (my great uncle). i have a ton of respect for war veterans, and modern-day soldiers as well.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

I once saw a show where they brought a couple american/british and a german vetran that were all on the same beach and had them meet and discuss what they did. It was nice to see that none of them had hard feelings, even though 60 years ago they were shooting at eachother and likely shot eachother's friends. The conversation was surprisingly upbeat.

 

[Pocahontas]

It send chills up and down you spine. It is war, never right or wrong because you always lose someone or somehow........

 

[overst33r]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
I once saw a show where they brought a couple american/british and a german vetran that were all on the same beach and had them meet and discuss what they did. It was nice to see that none of them had hard feelings, even though 60 years ago they were shooting at eachother and likely shot eachother's friends. The conversation was surprisingly upbeat.

I also saw that show...truly touching.

 

[Jon855]

Originally posted by: mariok2006

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
I once saw a show where they brought a couple american/british and a german vetran that were all on the same beach and had them meet and discuss what they did. It was nice to see that none of them had hard feelings, even though 60 years ago they were shooting at eachother and likely shot eachother's friends. The conversation was surprisingly upbeat.

I also saw that show...truly touching.

Same here I saw that one as well.

 

[Banana]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
I once saw a show where they brought a couple american/british and a german vetran that were all on the same beach and had them meet and discuss what they did. It was nice to see that none of them had hard feelings, even though 60 years ago they were shooting at eachother and likely shot eachother's friends. The conversation was surprisingly upbeat.

Unlike the reunion between concentration camp guards and prisoners . . .

 

[iroast]

Originally posted by: Banana

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
I once saw a show where they brought a couple american/british and a german vetran that were all on the same beach and had them meet and discuss what they did. It was nice to see that none of them had hard feelings, even though 60 years ago they were shooting at eachother and likely shot eachother's friends. The conversation was surprisingly upbeat.

Unlike the reunion between concentration camp guards and prisoners . . .

:-S

 

[Modeps]

My grandfather fought in WWII... He never liked to talk about it, but one day he opened up and just told us stories about his time from the war. I wish I could remember the details more, but I remember that it was very hard for him.

The only detail I really remember was my naive question of "Did you ever kill anyone?" to which he replied "Maybe. Everything was so hectic you never stopped to look."

He was an amazing man... I would have gotten misty at the same thing OP. Hell, I cried like a baby at the end of Band of Brothers and was close to it at the end of SPR.

 

[jadinolf]

Stefan, I wonder if the man you saw in that picture was identified? A friend of mine who fought at Normandy had his picture taken as you described and it made several newspapers at the time.

 

[meltdown75]

when i was in highschool doing a co-op placement for the local newspaper, i got to use the editor's camera and got a great shot of a veteran kneeling down and putting a poppy on a wreath. i'll have to find it and post it sometime.

(i didn't have a zoom lens for my Yashica)

 

[Martin]

Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
The saddest thing about that war is that people today seem to have already forgotten the evils of war. Then we send our troops to Iraq. I hate that those young guys have to see what they have to see. 🙁

don't feel too bad, most of them don't mind being there.

 

[halik]

Originally posted by: Martin

Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
The saddest thing about that war is that people today seem to have already forgotten the evils of war. Then we send our troops to Iraq. I hate that those young guys have to see what they have to see. 🙁

don't feel too bad, most of them don't mind being there.

:roll:

Have you actually read any blogs of the guys out there??

 

[Ausm]

Actually the part that makes me sad is people who bash Vets AND SAY THEY DON'T DESERVE any RESPECT.

aUSM

 

[loic2003]

Yeah, I live on an island off the coast of Normady. I took a flight in a light aircraft around the landing beaches/cliffs (poor canadians went up bloody cliffs). You can still see the holes from the shelling, and we flew over the graveyards with countless white crosses.
You can really only appreciate the scale of things when you're flying a plane over it all and imagining covering that distance under fire.

Harrowing.

 

[Martin]

Originally posted by: halik

Originally posted by: Martin

Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
The saddest thing about that war is that people today seem to have already forgotten the evils of war. Then we send our troops to Iraq. I hate that those young guys have to see what they have to see. 🙁

don't feel too bad, most of them don't mind being there.

:roll:

Have you actually read any blogs of the guys out there??

do 2 things for me:
1. check out the Bush-Kerry breakdown in voting
2. post a thread asking Gulf War vets if they would have rather stayed at home.

 

[CaptnKirk]

I have considered going to Viet Nam and taking my wife and kisd to show them where I was back in '66 - '67 . . .

however the places I spent the most time are off-limits to visitors from abroad, as they are current Military Bases of the Veit-Commies.

Camp Radcliffe, An Khe - Central Highlands, home of the 1st Cav.
(Click on the orange dot just below the 'y' in Ray Smith for some details)

Cam Rahn Bay AB - huge multi-purpose deep water port and largest runway complex in 'Nam.

Since I cannot return to see the area - why bother ?

 

[schleppy]

Lest we forget, thank a veteran next time you come across 1. I do everytime I go see my Gramps.

 

[Linflas]

Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
The saddest thing about that war is that people today seem to have already forgotten the evils of war. Then we send our troops to Iraq. I hate that those young guys have to see what they have to see. 🙁

Actually the saddest thing in my opinion would be to ignore the the lessons of the end results of appeasement that took place in the 1930's. That is what ended up necessitating those young men having to endure Normandy and all the other horrors of WWII.

 

[sic wil]

Originally posted by: Martin

Originally posted by: halik

Originally posted by: Martin

Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
The saddest thing about that war is that people today seem to have already forgotten the evils of war. Then we send our troops to Iraq. I hate that those young guys have to see what they have to see. 🙁

don't feel too bad, most of them don't mind being there.

:roll:

Have you actually read any blogs of the guys out there??

do 2 things for me:
1. check out the Bush-Kerry breakdown in voting
2. post a thread asking Gulf War vets if they would have rather stayed at home.

Do ME a favor, and stfu. I was in Iraq, and I know about 800 people that don't want to go back. Over there, I didn't meet one person that didn't want to go back and be with his/her family and friends instead of getting shot at or mortar'd on. There's your f'ing poll jackass.

 

[ColdFusion718]

No one honestly wants to be at war, at least not the sane, responsible, mature members of society. The soldiers are there because they are fulfilling their duty. I am sure 99.99% of them would much rather be at home instead of getting shot at.

 

[DarkKnight69]

The men did not hate each other personally, they hated the idea of each other.

My grandfather fought for Germany in WW2 against the russians. All his friends were veterans of britian and russian and none had hard feelings. Everyone fought because it was their duty.

I respect him more then any other man I have ever met.

 

[CaptnKirk]

Originally posted by: ColdFusion718
No one honestly wants to be at war, at least not the sane, responsible, mature members of society. The soldiers are there because they are fulfilling their duty. I am sure 99.99% of them would much rather be at home instead of getting shot at.

You have a job to do, and you simply do the job to the best of your ability.
Do is sloppy or on the cheap and it gets you and those with you killed or injured.

Some really like the 'Power Trip' of being in charge and pushing others around, easy to spot them, they make themselves targets.

Then there are the 'Thrill of the Kill' Psychodramists, useless in the home society -
they keep re-upping or extending so they can find the pleasure of ultimate power of decision and mayhem.
They eventually fail to dodge the bullet or the bomb, and go out with a self imposed 'Martyrs Death' -
you don't really want them walking the streets in your home town -
if not for a War to channel their energy they could have become serial killers.
It's a consequence of PTSD for those who cannot emotionally cope.

 

[OdiN]

Originally posted by: sic wil

Originally posted by: Martin

Originally posted by: halik

Originally posted by: Martin

Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
The saddest thing about that war is that people today seem to have already forgotten the evils of war. Then we send our troops to Iraq. I hate that those young guys have to see what they have to see. 🙁

don't feel too bad, most of them don't mind being there.

:roll:

Have you actually read any blogs of the guys out there??

do 2 things for me:
1. check out the Bush-Kerry breakdown in voting
2. post a thread asking Gulf War vets if they would have rather stayed at home.

Do ME a favor, and stfu. I was in Iraq, and I know about 800 people that don't want to go back. Over there, I didn't meet one person that didn't want to go back and be with his/her family and friends instead of getting shot at or mortar'd on. There's your f'ing poll jackass.

Oh....well I know a good friend of mine who signed on for more time with the Army because they were going to send him home as his time was up. He did not want to leave as he has seen all the good that we are doing there. He as well as others that I KNOW and have actually talked to have said they would stay over there longer if they could.

All you see is crap on the news stations that just show all the bad sh!t that goes on over there.

They don't show the children and families who's faces are beaming with happiness at seeing American Soldiers. I have pictures from actual soldiers over there...not some stupid news service. So many of the people over there were and still are so glad that we came and helped them in their time of need. No...we can't fix everything, but we've done a LOT of good for those people no matter what the damned media says.

Oh...and I'm sorry you got stationed with 800 people like that. They obviously are not dedicated and do not understand what they are doing there....sure...everyone wants to be home with family, but the true heros stay and fight the good fight. The true heros, like several friends of mine, give their lives so that the people of Iraq can have better lives for their families.