Family and WW2

[Lord_Slayer]

So I knew my Grandfathers had served during WW2.

My father's dad join the Army Air Corps in the 30s, was nearly lost in a B-10 when the pilot lost control, and last served on Guam servicing B-52s in 1968. Unfortunately, much of his history is lost. I did have a conversation with him and recorded it on a cassette as I wrote a paper in college, but both have gone missing.

My mother's father trained as a Navigator in B-24s. He also gave out a printed copy of what his experience was. I can share if people wish.

One of my Uncle's who married my Aunt (mom's sister), his father served in the USMC as a B-25 pilot. I know very little as he passed away in the mid 90s, and currently that particular Aunt has not spoken to me since 'disowning' my mother.
 

An interesting fact I did not know came to light earlier today. My Uncle's Mother successfully reached the age of 100. Sadly, due to the non-communication of my Aunt, I have found that his Mother had passed in 2022. Taking note of a recent FB post on her page, I looked and found her Obit.

This is where it becomes interesting: My Uncle's Mother was a Secretary in the War Department at the University of Chicago, ordering materials for scientists on the Manhattan Project!


So I wonder, what mysteries or things have others found in their family's history.

[Snargfargle]

This was my great-great-grandpa's unit during the Civil War.

Here is my grandpa's cousin with a bunch of US Marshall's during Prohibition.

My cousin was indirectly involved in this operation. He said that they were flying their C-47 over Greenland when some Germans at a weather station shot at them so they radioed in their position.

 

Edited April 11 by Snargfargle

[PrairiePlayer]

My Dad was a Machinery Repairman on a sub tender in the Pacific.  Surrending Japanese submarines were directed to his ship where all ammunition and torpedoes were offloaded before continuing on to other bases (many were simply sunk to dispose of them).  He had some interesting photos of about six Japanese subs tied up along side of his ship.  

[Snargfargle]

This guy isn't family. He was just the mild-mannered grocer in my town when I was growing up. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge.

 

[Efros]

Most of my family were involved in shipbuilding in WWII in the UK and so only one of my relatives from that era served. He spent much of his time in the RAF in Burma as a part of ground crew servicing fighters and ground attack aircraft. My grandfather spent his war years as a member of the Fire Brigade in SUnderland in the NE of England covering the dockyard and shipbuilding facilities there that were a constant target for the Luftwaffe. My Dad's school was flattened during one of these raids, the kids were very disappointed that the teaching staff hadn't been in the building at the time.

[Asym]

My Grandfathers:  One fought in WW1 as an Artillery man and came home and went back to work a Bethlehem Steel; as did, my other Grandfather what couldn't go to WW1 because he was making the steel that created:

These turrets and guns.   These are from 1914 and they were for the USS Texas.

And, a little later on, that same Steel Plant made:

These little beauties:  the 16" guns for the Iowa Class ships +.....  Look at that monster and imagine the "cast" that came from and the amount of machining that took !!!

And, a lot of the Citadel armor and sheet armor for CA/CB & BB's....

My Dad's generation all served in WW2.  One uncle with the 8th Air Force as a bombardier (well over 50 missions no less!);  My Dad was a Marine; and, his younger brothers were in the service in the last days of WW2 and both of them were in Korea...  All my Uncles served in the military or worked at Bethlehem Steel.

My generation missed Viet Nam by a year;  and I was teaching so I wasn't allowed to deploy to Desert Storm because I was teaching at the armor school.  My brother was a sub guy and a plank owner of an AS class ship....

My son, in the other hand, spent a lot of time in the desert and other places...

My grand daughter is currently serving in the Navy's SW aviation....

We have seven generations of soldiers or steel makers that weren't allow to serve.....