RE: O/T: June 6, 1944

[Lew Hodgett]

There numbers are dwindling fast, but they are not forgotten.

Lew

[Larry Blanchard]

Amen! All I knew are dead and gone, but they really were the greatest generation.

[Lew Hodgett]

----------------------------------------------------------- I was in grade school when FDR died, VE and VJ days happened, so there are still a couple of folks around (Mid 80's) that I know, but when you start seeing your high school classmates start showing up in the obits on a rather frequent basis, you know time is marching on.

Lew

[Alfred E. Newman]

You should really learn the English language. The correct spelling in the above instance would be "Their," not "There."

[Lew Hodgett]

Got your attention I see.

That's known as a "Gotcha".

Lew

[Ed Pawlowski]

Like the lyrics of that song

Over their, over their, Send the word, send the word over their That the Yanks are coming, the Yanks are coming The drums rum-tumming everywhere. So prepare, say a prayer, Send the word, send the word to bewear - We'll be over, we're coming over, And we won't come back till it's over, over their.

[Leon]

You really should use your own name.

[Dave in Texas]

And my entire life I thought the word was "they're!" How do you like them apples?

Dave in Texas

[Greg Guarino]

My Dad is 92 and doesn't go out very often these days. That's a recent development, and he doesn't like it very much. He worked as an attorney until just a couple of years ago. When he does go out (usually with me accompanying him on an errand) he often wears his WWII Veteran cap. People notice; As you say, WWII vets are getting more scarce.

He served in the U.S. Army in the Italy campaign. Like many, he never talked a great deal about the war, excepting some humorous bits. I'll have to ask him what his rank was at the end of the war. It was at least Lieutenant, perhaps Captain. He remembers things like that a good bit better than more recent events.

After Italy had surrendered, my Dad had been promised a trip to Switzerland before heading home. He was all packed to go when he got a set of last-minute orders. Switzerland would have to wait.

A proclamation had been prepared, memorializing the fallen on both sides and announcing a new era of friendship and cooperation between Italians and Americans. It was written in very formal Italian and the Army needed an officer who spoke some Italian to read it in each of many towns and cities in northern Italy.

My dad led a unit of (I believe) a couple of hundred and read the proclamation in the town square of each new location. Sometimes on the city hall steps, sometimes even in the window of the cathedral bell tower. And the whole town would be there. He felt "like 'Il Duce'", he would remark.

He never got to Switzerland, and owing to a busy practice, never got back to Europe at all until he was 70 or so.

He stayed in the Reserve until his 30 years were up, going to monthly meetings and attending two weeks a year of training. By then he was a Colonel, so our family got to with him several times on those summer training trips.

My Dad had a tough time getting away, so a couple of weeks at Indiantown Gap (PA) or Fort Devens (MA) would be our vacation. The accommodations were pretty spartan, but there was usually a lake or a pool and - away from his office - my Dad had his evenings free. We'd go for a drive to the local ice cream parlor or to a movie, or perhaps just a spin through the countryside on the middle weekend.

His Reserve outfit was a Civil Affairs unit; he was the Commander of a bright bunch of officers trained to take over the operation of an occupied city in wartime, or an American city if the war was at home. Luckily none of that ever came to pass, but my Dad did get to do an overnight stint as Mayor of New York City once for training purposes.

I'm sorry to go on for this long, but I've been slowly gathering my thoughts about such things lately. My Dad only became "old" very, very late in life, but the time is coming when I may need to compose something in his honor. There will be no way to make it adequate, but I hope to come up with something fitting.

[-MIKE-]

Great story. Thanks for sharing.

[Keith Nuttle]

This is your last chance to get those stories, but most important write them down. While at this point you children probably have absolutely no interest in their family history, when it is too late they will become interested.

Don't worry about writing the stories down in a polished form, ie properly punctuate, perfectly spelled, or what your high school English teacher would expect. Just write them down as you father told, so the data is recorded.

The polishing can be done later by you or your child if they become that interested in their history.

[Greg Guarino]

My daughter likes family stories, and knows a lot of My Dad's already, having heard some in person, others from me. But your point is well taken.

[phorbin]

Isn't that 'everyware'

[Ed Pawlowski]

Over hear it is.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Nothing to be sorry about. Nice story.

[Lew Hodgett]

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"Sorry", HELL, you have nothing to be sorry about except if you don't take the time to document your father's tales while you still can.

Time is not on your side, don't waste it.

I lost my mother at 103 in 2008.

I got a lot of it, but could have gotten more.

Good luck.

Lew