They're some WW2 buffs-Added something I want to show you.

[hang&rattle]

There are some WW2 buffs on this site that share interest in trikes, and WW2 history. This is one of the 3 ships my Grampa served on that was sank in his quest from the battle of midway (his battleship was sank there too) across the wide Pacific. This was the USS Liscome Bay. It was sunk in the Gilbert Islands off the Makin Atoll on November 25th 1943 (born on Dec. 12th, 1942). After only being 11 mo. old. Nearly all perished. My Grampa, who was a corpsman survived. Again. Dewey B. Smith (my Grandpa) passed yesterday at 12:00 high noon. This shook me to the core, being a WW2 buff my hero is gone. My hero has passed on. He was my reason for researching and learning for countless years and hours the honor of our WW2 soldiers. My hero has passed. Anyone else have a WW2 hero? ADDED: I just today recieved my Grampa's 1943 WW2 Navy Corpsman uniform. This means a bundle to me. Have to clean it up a bit, had pet hair all over it when I got it, but feels really neat to have this uniform over 67 years old.

[Vealmonkey]

As a veteran myself, I salute and honor the passing of your grandfather. A regular guy who was called to duty to do an irregular job. And being a corpsman, he was actually paid less than a regular GI who toted a gun, pretty amazing eh? And for what those corpsman had to do. Your grandfather has gone to a better place and is once again reunited with his buddies and with his family. His war is now over. Attention. Hand Salute. Ready....To. Rest in Peace sailor.

[Eric250R]

I too am a huge WW2 buff. My Great uncle, Hobert Banks, fought in the Battle of the Bulge. Another Great uncle, James Breeding, was captured by the Germans in France and sent to a concentration camp. He weighed 72 pounds when the camp was liberated. Both have passed. My Great cousin, Sanford Collins, was stationed in the pacific and helped prep the Enola Gay for it's mission. Thou at the time he was unaware of what the mission was. He is still alive. You have our deepest sympathy and condolences on your loss.

[hang&rattle]

Thank you kindly Vealmonkey, you obviously know the repect and honor I feel for our WW2 folk. The surrender of Japan pushed a certain aircraft company to switch modes to civilian contracts. The latter of this company was called 'Honda'. Any one feelin' this? The trikes we ride came about by the ending of the war. Other wise honda would be producing fighter jets. Thanks to you once again Vealmonkey, and yeah, my grampa pulled alot of Marine off little Islands and back to the ships. He was a decorated soldier for saving so many burning/drowning soldier. And left quite the family legacy.

[jeswinehart]

yep, I will watch nearly any documentary on the subject.
Especially miss the series "VICTORY at Sea" and "WINGS over the Pacific", both old black and white documentaries.

[RIDE-RED 250r]

another WWII buff here. It never ceases to amaze me the things that generation accomplished and the humble attitude they had about it. Its always a treat on the once in a while occasion i am honored by meeting a WWII Vet. One can only imagine what kind of world we would all be living in if those patriots hadnt done what they did back then. An unbelievable debt of gratitude is owed them each and every one. And that goes for ALL of our Vets!

So sorry for your loss, I just lost my Grandfather on June 2nd this year, and i still struggle with it. He was a Korean War Vet, serving in the USAF. Grandparents are very special people, especially those who gave so much for their familes and country

[hang&rattle]

Thank you Eric250r. We are special kin to these heros, huh?

[hang&rattle]

Thank you REDRIDE and jeswinehart. And I have hundreds of $ of documentary. Hundreds of hours. Many books. My generation was a bunch of heartless losers compared the greatest of any generation.

[leviblue]

I'd like to thank your grandfather for a job well done. With out him I would of not been here today.My grandfather, a Jew, was liberated from the camps. He met his wife on a ship while he was on his way to meet-up with his family that escaped Poland. The 1st tattoo I ever saw was 9 numbers etched on his arm. To repay what the service men did for him he joined the Army and went to Korea. My Grandmother was liberated from a Russian camp, same tattoo. Without men like your grandfather the world would be a much different place to live. Your grandfather was a True American Hero.

[Vealmonkey]

My father was in the navy before he married my mom back in the late 50s' early 60s'. He served on the aircraft carrier USS Randolph CVA15, which itself was hit by kamikaze planes during WWII. My great uncle was a bombardier in Europe and was transferred over to the Pacific theater after VE Day. My father sold Saabs and Volvos and some other exotic foriegn cars when I was in grade school in the late 60s and he worked with 2 gentleman, one English and one German, who ended up finding out that they fought against each other at the Battle of El Alamein! The german man, in a tank and the englishman, in an artillery battery. So it never ceases to amaze me how many people were touched in some way by the Hostilities of WWII. My parents knew people whose parents were survivors of the Holocaust and who bore the mark of the oppressors. I met a WWII veteran who flew on bombers in the pacific and they told of how they tried to bomb some of the islands. He said their most effective episode was when they would load a single bomber full of trash in the bombay and drop the trash from several thousand feet in the air. They said the commotion the trash made as it dropped drew soldiers out of their hiding holes to see what all the noise was about and about that time other planes flew over this island strafing japanese soldiers who exposed themselves! I remember reading a statistic, that less than a third of all soldiers overseas where actual gun toting ground troops, yet they suffered over 90% of the wounds and casualties! The equipment and supplies need tens of thousands of men and woman to do thier parts as well to keep everything moving and soldiers mended and equipment cataloged and sorted and sent to their respective areas of the war. The logistics are staggering. And that was what really helped win the war. I read where there was somewhere in the neighborhood of 5500 Tiger tanks produced and over 55,000 Sherman tanks and ever more Russian T-34s. The Axis in alot of cases, was just simply outnumbered. And all the American supplies had to be shipped by boat.

[hang&rattle]

I love it when you type Vealmonkey. This could be the longest thead on 3WW if we were allowed to swap information. Both my Grampa's were from Bremerton WA. Grampa Dewey in the navy. And my Grampa Onnie worked in the Bremerton ship yards. My Grampa Onnie I believe, actually repaired some of the damaged ships my Grampa Dewey was on. To think that several years later there children would be married is crazy. Onnie repaired and worked on all the ships from Pearl Harbor. The amount of production produced by the woman, and elderly of this country was staggering to say the least. In one month over 2000 10,000 ton battleships were produced. And the U.S. fed almost the entire world for nearly 4 years. In a week the army corp of engineers could build a tent city, with every aminity for 30,000 troops or better. The Japanese alone sunk over 300 of our ships and it didn't put a dent in it. I think I go to a different time when I get lost in all of it. It was the spirit of these people in the WW2 era. The moral, ethics, and honor they had. I crave that, because it is no longer. This is not the same country now, and I'm a dreamer when I see the Americans back then. Even if you see old post war clips. The campers and vacationing. The hunting and sports. Everything was truly pure. Really truly free. And the world was changed from this generation, and it was because of my hero, Dewey Smith. Oh, Post script: My Mom married a gentleman from New Hampshire, who spoke polish and came to America from there, post war. Andy Warzynowics. His family was ruduced conciderably because of the holocaust. His family is still scared from the ordeal.

[Vealmonkey]

Great stories Hang&Rattle. It was hard to believe that the rantings and ravings of 3 or 4 individuals rained havoc on most of the world, but it happened. So many things that effect us today came from WWII, good and bad. All of japans big manufacturers contributed to their war effort much the same way american factories did. It wasn't thier fault. To me, the mobilization of the american industrial might is way more interesting than the battles themselves. The american worker was just as much the hero as the man in the trench or on the sea or in the air. Without people making all the bits for the weapons of war, victory would have never been possible. The US supplied many countries with the supplies and weapons to survive as well as manpower. The US had merchant marines involved with the war way before December 7th. Americans were dying in 1939 and 1940 supplying the british and europeans with supplies. There were very few early convoy escorts. Canadian merchant marines were perishing along with americans. Dark times.

[fabiodriven]

My grandfather served in the army aircore during "The Big One". He was a waist-gunner in a B-17. He was shot down twice over enemy lines and is still alive today to tell the story.

My father served in the air force in Vietnam. He was a mechanic on the SR-71 when it was a top-secret project. He was stationed mainly in Okinawa Thailand.

My twin sister is on her third tour in the Middle East. She has been based in Iraq and Kuwait, and this tour she is in Kuwait. She is serving with the army in aviation.

I served in Iraq with the army for the entire year of 2003. I was an 88M truck driver. We hauled fuel all over Iraq and Kuwait, but our main mission was hauling fuel from southern Iraq to Baghdad International Airport for the air force.

[hang&rattle]

Knew there was a reason I liked you Fabiodriven (other than your almost as cocky as me [that's to be taken as a compliment]). Searched more information; the show Pearl Harbor, the black cook that manned the 50 cal. aboard the bombed USS W. Virginia (played by Cuba Gooding JR.), was recommisioned to the USS Liscom(b)e Bay, was killed in the sinking. His name was Dorie Miller, and was given 5 medals and in 1973 had the Knox-class frigate named after him the USS Miller. He fed my Grandpa, and shot down a Zero, cool. Pictures of him and the ship, Grampa & Grandma, and the book written about the highest casualty ship-sinking in WW2.

[HuffieVA]

My Uncle Russell W. Hoffman (sfc) was killed in Exercise Tiger aboard LST (Landing Ship Tank) 507 during a practice exercise on the beaches of Slapton Sands in the English Chanel, I proudly display his Purple Heart, various medals and his casket flag in my dining room for all to see and remember the sacrifices made by our ancestors so that we have what remains of our freedoms today.
I also have two uncles that served in Korea, my father served after Korea and was discharged prior to the start of Viet Nam. My brother in law has completed one tour in Iraq and is on his third in Afghanistan.

I have the upmost respect for anybody that has served in our military, especially those who served during times of conflict, and I offer my heartfelt condolences to you for the loss of your grandfather.
I regrettably did not serve in the military, coincidently due to a trike related incident that left me with a shattered ankle about a week before my entrance physical for the Marines. I have to admit that I feel a bit of guilt each and every time I hear about a veteran’s passing or one of our boys being lost in battle, and I have been to the D-Day Memorial, The WWII Memorial and the wall and have never left any of them with dry eyes…

God Bless you Grandfather, and hopefully he is able to (as was said above) reunite with his long lost buddies and heal the burdens of war which he has carried with him all these years.