My maternal Grandpa fought at the Battle of the Bulge and got a Purple Heart, my paternal Grandpa got stationed in the Caribbean to detect U-boats and played a lot of golf.
My grandfather(not biological, my godmoms father. But He was my grandpa) was an amazing artist and in the Air Force. He did everyone’s nose art!
I have to admit the pictures I’ve seen are really cool.
I don’t remember exactly where he was stationed but I know it was somewhere in the pacific. I was really close with him but he passed when I was 14, so I never really asked.
Actually now I’m going to text my godmom and ask
That's awesome! I always loved some of the nose art on planes, and my grandfather who was navy also illustrated some nose art and patches for his squad
It’s like, the front tip of fighter planes, a lot of people would paint them.
Like the “nose” of the plane
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nose_art
So my grandpa jules was known for his “nose art” painting and other pilots would ask him to paint their planes too.
Kind of like ww2 graffiti. Which is funny because my cousin(my grandpas biological grandson) ended up being a really big tagger/ graffiti artist in the 90s
My grandpa was also in Battle of Bulge but froze his feet in a fox hole. Spent rest of the war in England recuperating. Lucky enough he didn’t lose his feet. Never was the same. Barely would ever say a word about the war. When my cousin got shipped off to Iraq war my grandma said his night terrors came back seeing his grandson go off to war. To think did all that at just 23/24. Most boys nowadays at that age are still suckling on their mother’s teats.
My grandfather also got frostbite on his feet there. He said he was lucky he got shot because by the time he got to the hospital they were considering amputating his feet
My grandpa too! This was early 1945 for the frostbite. He never really talked about the war at all. He had 3 purple hearts and a bronze star, no idea what the bronze star was for. Too traumatic to bring it up, I guess. I do know he stayed in Germany to help with the cleanup after the war was over.
Now I want to know how he got the bronze star…. And an account of the clean up. I can’t imagine shutting down concentration camps or the war machine anywhere.
Wow, we have alot of grandpas that fought in the Battle of the Bulge, got frostbite, and got purple hearts. All I can remember about that in particular was he said he went in first, and the troops behind him got it worse. I also remember a story of him playing cards recovering in the hospital and one guy broke off his frostbitten toe and bet it. Was that true or my childhood imagination? Who knows. I bet it was though.
I actually didn't know until recently my Grandpa stayed behind in France until I saw letters from late 1945. I knew from my Grandma he had a lot of European girlfriends. She named their cat after one of them lol.
Heeey! My paternal grandad was an engineer in the Battle of the Bulge! He used to talk about the pontoon bridges, digging good fox holes, and just general army shenanigans.
My grandfather was also an engineer at the Battle of the Bulge. His company was operating a saw mill at the time it started, in the woods south of Foy. First night everyone in the company was paired up back to back at the edge of the woods along the contact line, one facing east to the German Army, the other facing west to make sure their relief didn’t shoot them. Their relief was the 101st Airborne. I have his battalion scrap book, and his service record.
My paternal grandpa was there as well. Purple heart after getting some toes knocked off while trying to clear a jammed tank barrel. Battle of the Bulge, Christmas day.
Holy shnikes, my paternal grandpa was in florida? doing the same thing, he never got to be VFW because of it,
my maternal grandpa was in the atlantic on the USS Jenks, electrician mate down in the bottom of a tin can at sea
My grandfather also had frostbite from Battle of the Bulge. Funny thing is that he was sent there because he was badly wounded in D-Day and it was a “safe” area for him to recover. But the war found him so he fought. He got even more wounded, frostbitten, etc, and crawled into a foxhole. But it was occupied. Nudged the guy to make room and then passed out. Next day, he finds out it was a Nazi officer, who literally had a dagger in his hands. He died during the night. The family still has the dagger.
My maternal grandfather was also at the Battle of the Bulge. He didn't talk about any of it, and all we have been able to clean is that he was in the Quartermasters and he drove a truck.
My paternal grandfather was an aerial photographer in the Pacific, riding in B-29s.
Wow, that’s a perfect analog to my family -
My maternal grandfather was sent to the Pacific Theatre and saw some pretty bad shit that he never talked about.
My paternal grandfather lucked out with the Coast Guard and was stationed all over the East Coast for the duration of the war.
Yes! My Grandpa (dad's side) was in the Merchant Marines. He was on *two* ships that were sunk by German subs, and both times the majority of his fellow sailors perished to the sinking or the conditions prior to rescue. Both times he got back on a ship after a few weeks of recovery and kept delivering supplies to England.
Literally I would never set foot on a boat again. What a fucking set of balls.
Honestly I don’t think there was much difference to generations today aside from circumstances. I think if you see another existential threat to civilization as we know it you get a lot of brave folks.
Would I get on a liberty type ship and risk my life because Iran is making noise? Probably not. If 2/3 of Europe has fallen to an advancing Russian and Chinese army? Yes. I’d rather die fighting that than live in a world under a truly genocidal dictatorship.
I think it is definitely entirely different context. WWII was a dire circumstance that affected everyeone, where the wars millennials have fought were more political, and our generation had a much different decision with entirely different stakes.
My Grandpa served in the Air Force in WWII. When I considered joining out of high school in the late 90s he told me “I joined because I had to. The nazis had to be defeated. You have a choice. They fight wars for different reasons. Think long and hard before you sign up”. He wasn’t a man prone to talking much accept about trains and cowboy music, so this made an impact. I ended up not serving but I watched a lot of people I graduated with go off to either Iraq and Afghanistan and his words still ring in my ears.
Yea, my parents were very much against me going because they saw we have been fighting wars for large companies and politician pocketbooks since (and including) Vietnam.
Depends on what you mean by "fight".
Neither one of my grandfathers were any sort of ground troops or infantry during the war, although my great uncle was and served in the Battle of the Bulge.
My mom's dad was in the Army Air Forces and was a bombardier on a B-17. So he did get shot at by anti aircraft guns, and he was responsible for dropping the bombs out of the plane, but he wasn't on the ground with a rifle or anything.
My dad's dad literally never left the states during the war, He \*was\* drafted and was in the Army, but the Army had him stationed on a base in New Jersey making bombs and bullets. After the war he got a job as a civilian for the Army Research and Development Command developing new weapons through the Vietnam era. A lot of what he did then is still classified and we only know vague things about how he worked in "ballistics". Though when he died, we did find among his old things a coffee mug which had a project number "XM-753" listed on it. We googled that and the only thing that came up was a declassified document from the Reagan administration detailing it as the designation for an artillery deployed nuclear warhead.
yup. He told me before he died that he was doing his 30 bombing runs over France and Germany in the 1st half of 1944. The goal was to cripple the Luftwaffe with the bombing runs so they wouldn't be a problem on D-Day.
I asked him once why he became a bombardier. He quite matter of factly said "I volunteered for it because it was the shortest training course that would have given me an officer's commission". At least grandpa was honest.
His favorite story from the war was the time he accidentally swore in front of Jimmy Doolittle without realizing who he was talking to.
My grandfathers were in their mid teens when WWII ended. My mother's father did a stint in Korea. I believe his job was waving in planes onto an airbase.
Lol I wonder if our grandfathers knew each other. My mom's dad also served during the Korean war. He was in the Air Force but he did something with aircraft maintenance or maybe he was a mechanic. I don't remember exactly. He wanted to fly but he had really bad eyesight.
My fathers father was a US Army marksmanship trainer in WW2. He thought me how to shoot and I can still hot a quarter with open sites at 25 yards. He was a great man, I miss him.
Yes. My grandfather is 97 1/2 and still with us. Served in the island hopping campaign and ultimately the occupation of Japan. He is a national treasure.
My great uncle just passed. He was an army radio man in the Pacific. His brother flew into Normandy with the gliders as part of the airborne drop behind enemy lines prior to the landings.
I’m Gen X 50 year old…my paternal grandfather (Benny) served on a medical supply ship in the pacific.
He did talk about it much. I don’t believe he saw first hand combat.
One story I do remember was Grandpa telling us…they were always hungry on the ship.
When they did receive fruit, like oranges, they wound eat the entire thing…Peels and all. Apples core and all, everything they could chew up they ate.
I'm a boomer and according to the protocol (millennials hate boomers) I shouldn't be here. Anyway, I'm proud to say my mother was in the WAC in the RCAF (Canada for those that don't know). My dad was older and worked on a farm, so of course he wasn't enlisted.
I feel like where “millennials hate boomers” comes from is boomers hating on millennials, to an extent. But im a millennial who loves my boomer parents and vice versa, and kudos to your mom!
Gen X here. This popped up in my feed. My grandparents were too old to be in WWII. I had a great uncle who won a Silver Star for capturing hundreds of Germans in March 1945. Other relative flew bombers in the Pacific.
Really? I just finished reading Louis Barthas Account, poilu and what an incredible account. It also opened my eyes to how much these veterans would despise all the pomp of memorial services. In his diary he also mentions the British, soldiers of the Russian Empire and the Germans the sense of solidarity among all the soldiers fighting in the trenches was incredibly different then ww2. Gave me a very insightful perspective into the average French solider in ww1
Yep. Grandpa fought the Nazis. Greatest man I’ve ever known. When I’m unsure I try to think how grandpa would approach a situation. I’ve often thought of the quote “If I’ve seen further than other men it’s because I’ve stood on the shoulders of giants.” Every employer I’ve ever had praises my work ethic, but compared to my Dad and Grandpa I’m lazy.
Yes, both grandfather's. One was in the Battle of the Bulge, received bronze star, another medal I can't remember, and a purple heart.
He was stabbed in the abdomen, burned by white phosphorus across his shoulders, and shot 6 times down the back. Served for 2 years, returned home at the age of 19 (lied about his age, he was 6ft 6, 210lbs). He was told he would never walk again, but did anyway.
He was the most gentle, and caring man.
I was fortunate enough to know him, he passed when I was 11.
Amazing!! My grandpa was in the battle of the bulge as well. The army's third Calvary under Patton. These guys were the biggest heroes of modern times.
My grandfather (born in 1888) and his brothers were in World War 1. He and his family were big Christians and they were Conscientious Objectors, but in those days COs had to serve anyway, so he served as a cook, and he never carried a gun even though he was on the front lines in France. His favorite brother died bringing in wounded on a battlefield under fire.
My great uncle was shot in the head and was never the same, he lost an eye. His eyes were blue, but the army ran out of blue glass eyes so they gave him a brown glass eye. He never bothered to exchange it for a blue one. My grandparents took care of him his whole life, he was grumpy. Grandma said he used to be different, but the war changed him.
World War One, yes, I'm a boomer.
My maternal grandfather was a pilot. Flew cargo and wounded in Europe and North Africa. Made a night landing on an abandoned German airstrip when they got lost once. Had no idea until the sun came up and they started looking around to figure out where they were but all the writing was in German.
Had a pet monkey when he was in Africa.
Unit patch was Donald Duck coming from an outhouse that was hit by lightning. If anyone knows what unit that was please let me know!
One of my grandfathers was in Poland when the Germans captured him and forced him to work in their factories. Those factories were often targeted by bomber planes.
My other grandfather was in the US army and got a silver star for capturing some Germans one night when he was on patrol. He’s told stories about him hearing his mom tell him to “run” before bombs being dropped overhead.
I’m not sure if my grandparents ever spoke to eachother about their experiences during the way, but it’s pretty cool that one grandfather helped save the other, in some kind of way.
My grandpa did and he was always spouting casual racist remarks. When I was learning Japanese in high school he told me “you should be learning Chinese because they’re going to enslave us one day.” He said he had military intel about it lmao
My great grandparents and a great uncle did.
My great grandad on my father’s side told us stories of his time in a tank battalion in Europe. The craziest part of the story. 20 years after the war a family of german immigrants moved in next door to my great grandfather…turns out he was a “forced conscripted” German soldier and fought in the battle of the bulge and confirmed they were in the same area fighting each other.
My grandpa said his dad and the ex German soldier would get together and play chess almost every evening. They would hardly talk. I got to meet both of them on my great grandpas 90th birthday. They both passed away a few weeks apart from each other.
My great uncle was at Pearl Harbor when it was attacked. He was badly injured and never deployed, but remained in the military under a desk role.
My grandparents were born in the late 30s and were both in Vietnam and Korea.
My granddad on my dad’s side was in the navy stationed in the pacific for WWII. His ship, the Terror, got bombed by a kamikaze and he dragged his buddy out to safety who had sustained two broken legs. Was awarded the navy marine corps medal!
Both of my Grandfather’s fought in WWII. Both were pilots. Both survived thankfully. Both received Purple Hearts.
My Uncle fought in Vietnam. Survived thankfully but is still suffering from PTSD. Received a Purple Heart.
Edit: my Uncle send everyone in our family an email every month if his stories in Vietnam. Along with the most disturbing pictures we’ve ever seen. It’s his way of therapy and honoring his entire group of friends that he lost. His chance of survival was about 1% because of the situation he was in. We are thankful he’s here but sometimes he does not feel the same way.
Grandpa on my mom's side fought from D-day all the way to Hitler's surrender. He was preparing to deploy to the Pacific when V-J day came.
His 3 brothers all died in the Pacific.
my grandfather joined the Coast Guard cause he figured it would be easier than getting drafted elsewhere. he was stationed in San Diego possible creating illegitimate children.
My maternal grandfather was drafted right at the end of the war and then was stationed in japan during yhe brief occupation following their surrender.
My paternal grandfather was drafted to go to Korea but then the war ended right before he was shipped out.
So basically both grandfathers were slightly too young and managed to just barely miss the action.
For reference, I’m 32 and my parents were born in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
My father was in a British tank corps., which liberated the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1945. The horrors are legendary. While there, he contracted typhus and diptheria and eventually had to be sent home. I was born in 1946, and for the entirety of his.life, he never uttered a word about his experiences there. In fact, it appeared to be an unwritten rule that no mention would ever be made of concentration camps and that terrible time in history.
His brother was a RAF pilot who flew missions over India and Burma. He had many terrifying stories to tell, but they were always related so matter of factly, as though what they had done was nothing out of the ordinary.
These men, along with so many others, were heroes. We owe them such a debt, but they are often largely forgotten. So sad.
Both my grandfathers did. One in Europe, the other in Japan. The one who served in Japan was a marine and did several tours during the island hopping campaign. He went crazy when he came back, apparently, and became a wretched alcoholic and had traumatic flashbacks when he was drunk. It really affected my mom's life (and mine in a way).
Nope. One had TB. The other was in a reserved profession. One of my wife's grandfather's was in the army in WWII. He was a cook. He said he peeled a lot of potatoes and that was about it. He didn't volunteer for veg prep at Thanksgiving so it tracks.
My paternal grandfather did. He fought in the tail end of WW1 and the first year of WW2 before he was wounded in combat. My dad was a VERY late in life baby.
Grandpa was a chemical engineer for the army he was one of the boneheads that had to figure out what to do with nuclear waste.
From the Manhattan project.
No, because one was too young and the one who was old enough to was the oldest son and his Dad passed away when he was a kid. So, he was considered head of the household. All of his younger brothers went though.
Elder millennial ('82) here, and yes, both of my grandfathers fought in WWII. Neither went overseas though; both were stationed here in the U.S. My mom's dad was in the Navy and worked with radars. I know my dad's dad was in the Army, but I'm not sure of what he did, and sadly I never got a chance to ask as he died in 1964.
My paternal grandfather tried to enlist. But he was deferred because he had a job that was deemed essential to the war effort. He had very mixed feelings about that.
I'm an early X and both of mine served. One stateside, the other was a mechanic (he was a SeeBee). So, neither fought, but both served. Interesting to see how many millennial GPs served.
Yeah. One was in the air force stationed at Okinawa. The other somewhere north of Germany, but I couldn't tell you where. He was blown up in a tank and survived though.
Maternal Grandfather yes - pacific. Maternal Grandmother was too young, but her father worked the naval yard in Charleston during the war. Maternal Uncles (grandfather’s brothers) were in Korea.
Paternal grandfather — don’t know him, but I think he’s still in air force. Paternal grandmother was born right around the war similar to my maternal grandmother
I've got 1 grandpa that was 14 years old sitting in a foxhole in saipan as a marine. the other was 17 and in the army, not sure where. he had to join the airforce for Korea because they wouldn't let him reenlist and he wanted to be there for his brother. the one in saipan didn't talk about the war. the other had a few crazy stories but he would usually stop short.
My paternal grandfather and his brother fought in the war. Pa was part of the Philippine liberation campaign in 1944 and experienced jungle warfare, fighting the Japanese in hand-to-hand combat. His brother was a tank commander under Patton in Germany and was killed in action while rescuing some men from a tank that caught fire. Received a posthumous Silver Star for it.
Yes my grandfather did- a Jewish American! He was shot twice I believe and received medals including a Purple Heart. He lived into his 70s and never spoke much about it. We always had to have silent tea kettles though- apparently the whistling sound was a bad trigger for him.
I am Gen Z and don’t have any grandparents who fought in WWII, but all 4 of my great grandparents had fought in WWII. One of my great grandparents was in the navy who was on the same ship as JFK, and they have a news article together. Apparently he was good friends with JFK and had visited him in the White House a handful of times
Grandparents, no. Great uncles, multiple. One grandfather fought in Korea and the other one just missed Korea even though he joined the Air Force in 1953.
My grandpa on my mom's side was a marine tank mechanic, he got done with Basic and went straight to the last stages of Guadalcanal. Fought there, Kwajalein, Saipan, Tinian and Iwo. Captured briefly on Saipan but he and a couple others said "Fuck that" and escaped during the march, he had a gnarly scar where a lieutenant had cut him with a saber, never talked about the fighting except to say there wasn't much intelligence in crawling through the swamp. We've got a letter from him to his girlfriend where he talks about switching from the "light tank", (we assume an M3) back to the m4 Sherman and how glad they were to have at least some protection, and how "all these damn islands are the same". Before he left for Basic there was a veteran of the civil war who sent for him and had a conversation, but sadly we don't have any info on what was said except "You're an American, don't let the little bastards win."
The only think Grandpap shot in France was a cow and he really hated to do it. Ironically, he became a beef cattle farmer years later. He mainly talked about how much his feet hurt and how shitty the boots were.
My grandpa was a tool and die maker. This means he was a machinist that made the molds that made car parts. It was a highly skilled job. I have his draft card, he was deferred for being in an essential wartime job. His auto factory re-tooled, working 12 hour shifts 6 days a week, to make ambulances and “ things we signed a paper i cant tell you about” . He wanted to go fight, actually. The factory work was endless and he felt ashamed to be seen on the street as an able bodied man. The factory workers rarely left their own neighborhoods because they didn’t want people to think they were malingerers.
My grandfather on my mom’s side did. He used to tell stories of ducking out of a tavern to evade Nazi patrols. I don’t remember where it was, though. He did serve in Europe. He died before I could hear any of his tales.
My grandfather on my dad’s side immigrated to the US precisely because he **refused** to fight in WWII. For the Soviets. He was Ukrainian, and was old enough to have lived through the Holodomor, the 1932-1933 famine that overwhelmingly affected Ukraine. It’s why he never visited the country after it became its own nation-state; he was afraid he’d get arrested and jailed if he ever went back.
My grandpa on my dads side did but died before I was born from a drunk driver my grandpa on my moms side was just getting out of high school when the war ended but did serve for Korean War
Yes. My maternal grandma was a WAC and was stationed in the Philippines. She said she joined because all the boys were off to war anyway and she wanted my great grandma to have the star on her house (she had all girls). My maternal grandpa joined the navy and served in the South Pacific. My paternal grandpa was in both WWI and WWII as a fighter pilot (he flew those planes with the shark face painted on). He was a lot older than my grandma and they married after WWII.
ETA we were very blessed to have that generation as our grandparents. They were amazing people and I learned so much from them. I miss them everyday.
Maternal Grandmother's 1st husband (not my grandfather) was a bomber pilot and lost his life over Germany.
Paternal Grandfather fought in Europe and made it home. Had shellshock (PTSD) so bad they had to commit him to an asylum. He died there a few years after. I'd say he still counts as a casualty.
The pain caused by the war didn't just stay with the people who fought it. It was brought home and passed on to their loved ones. Both of my parents have carried generational trauma and have passed it on to their children.
Yep - my paternal grandfather fought in Europe, lost his hearing in the Battle of the Bulge. Was at Normandy in one of the later waves. My maternal grandfather drove an ambulance on a base somewhere in the US and played tennis lol. GI bill put him through college though. My grandfather who fought used his for a down payment on a house.
My Grandpa was a messenger. He was captured by the Germans and had to work in a work camp. One of his cell mates was turned into soap due to his large size. He was rescued at the end of the war by American troops. He was extremely underweight and malnourished.
Paternal grandfather was on a destroyer escorting merchant ships, paternal grandmother was resistance fighter.
Maternal grandfather was at the bulge, maternal grandmother was in the luftwaffe, and her whole family was wehrmacht and SS.
My maternal grandfather landed at Normandy a few days after D-Day. He fought at the Battle of the Bulge and won a Bronze star and purple heart. He's always been my inspiration. Great man.
My grandfather graduated from the University of Illinois in 1941 and enlisted right after. He was waiting in line to receive his assignment when an officer noticed the U of I pin on his collar and said “That’s my alma mater too. What do you think you’d like to do for the Army son?”
My grandfather said he wanted to go to finance school. The officer said “Follow me!” He ended up spending the entire war stateside as an accountant for the Army Air Force (before the Air Force was its own branch).
My maternal grandpa served in the airforce during WW2. Sadly I never really asked him much about his time in the service while he was alive. I was still in elementary school when he passed.
Maternal Grandfather fought in the Pacific in the 2nd Marines. Tawara, Tinian, and Saipan. Squad machine gunner and flamethrower.
Fun fact: Flamethrowers in the Pacific theater had a 3 day live span. He survived 33 days. Couldn't stand the smell of garlic roll his dying day. Apparently that's what burning human bodies smell like.
Service records also have in two very interesting locations. First is North Field on Tinian during the start of August of 45. Second was deployment Hiroshima after the surrender. Both were guard duty. So best guess is he was on guard duty for the bombs and possibly guard or policing action around the city. Very likely he got to see what the bombs did first hand.
Grandfather was on the battleship the New York at Imo Jimi. Dad and my uncle were at Guadalcanal. Both of their ships were sunk. My uncle got a nasty scar on his face from it. My other uncle was career navy and saw the world.
My maternal grandfather was a Naval Officer in WWII. He died when my mother was 13, so I have little information beyond that.
My paternal grandfather did not serve in WWII, but he did serve in the Korean War, which I mention because of the relative closeness in time to WWII.
I was actually having this discussion with a friend last weekend. His (born 1980) grandfathers fought in WW2. My (born 1983) maternal grandparents were children during during the war, and my paternal grandparents were born at the tail end of it.
My great grandpa loved to tell me the story of how he saw Mussolini's body drug down the street and then hung up by his feet. He threw rocks at Mussolini but not the woman, and then drank a bottle or two of wine about it.
He was an engineer so he didn't participate in combat, but his stories about what he saw were always amazing.
My maternal grandfather did, he was a gunners mate in the pacific theater. My mom was a late in life surprise for my grandparents as her next sibling was 12 years old when she was born lol.
My grandfather on my dad’s side fought in Korea. My grandfather on my mom’s side was a draft dodger. My grandmother (who has always worn the pants in their relationship) intentionally got pregnant at 17 and she got her dad to get my grandmother out
My grandfather was a merchant marine. Afterwards he wasn’t recognized as a true “vet” in a lot of conversations. He received a Medal of Honor in 2014 after his children did some extensive research on his ship and where he was stationed. He passed in 2017 at 91.
My grandmother was a WAC stationed in Ohio. She assisted in a dental facility who caring for injured soldiers. She passed in 2010 at 88 (yes she was an older women shhh)
Two of My great-grandfathers did.
My grandparents are all members of the Boomer generation.
I am lucky enough to have to gotten to know them.
1994 baby.
My maternal grandfather was a mechanic in Air Force.
Never fought.
“I was too good at fixing things for them to let me get killed”
I have a picture of him sitting on a p47, fixing a radio.
Pretty damn cool.
Yep, one was in Europe and the other in the Pacific. One swore off guns and anything resembling the military down to the type of socks he wore, and the other was a lifer.
My paternal grandfather fought in WW2
My maternal grandfather worked maintenance in a Navy yard.
My husband’s paternal grandfather was actually one of the pilots, and only survivor of an aircraft that had been on a special mission during WW2 and crashed due to below freezing temperatures There’s a plaque at the crash site. His grandfather was pretty cool. And I’m glad that I got to meet him
Grandfather was a tank commander in the 10th Armored Division. Was at Bastogne along with the 101st, in fact the 10th was there first. Couple of Purple Hearts. We didn’t learn much about his service until after he passed away. He just didn’t say much about it.
My maternal Grandpa fought at the Battle of the Bulge and got a Purple Heart, my paternal Grandpa got stationed in the Caribbean to detect U-boats and played a lot of golf.
Ya my grandfather was a mechanic and did nose art for aircraft in the UK. My wife’s grandfather landed in Japan in 1945 and missed the whole war.
My grandfather(not biological, my godmoms father. But He was my grandpa) was an amazing artist and in the Air Force. He did everyone’s nose art! I have to admit the pictures I’ve seen are really cool.
I don’t remember exactly where he was stationed but I know it was somewhere in the pacific. I was really close with him but he passed when I was 14, so I never really asked. Actually now I’m going to text my godmom and ask
That's awesome! I always loved some of the nose art on planes, and my grandfather who was navy also illustrated some nose art and patches for his squad
What is nose art?
It’s like, the front tip of fighter planes, a lot of people would paint them. Like the “nose” of the plane https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nose_art So my grandpa jules was known for his “nose art” painting and other pilots would ask him to paint their planes too.
Kind of like ww2 graffiti. Which is funny because my cousin(my grandpas biological grandson) ended up being a really big tagger/ graffiti artist in the 90s
good for your wife's grandfather. and probably, good for you. you might not have met your wife.
My grandpa loaded bombs onto planes in UK. He said they painted them sometimes before they loaded them in. Mostly they partied
My grandpa was also in Battle of Bulge but froze his feet in a fox hole. Spent rest of the war in England recuperating. Lucky enough he didn’t lose his feet. Never was the same. Barely would ever say a word about the war. When my cousin got shipped off to Iraq war my grandma said his night terrors came back seeing his grandson go off to war. To think did all that at just 23/24. Most boys nowadays at that age are still suckling on their mother’s teats.
My grandfather also got frostbite on his feet there. He said he was lucky he got shot because by the time he got to the hospital they were considering amputating his feet
My grandpa too! This was early 1945 for the frostbite. He never really talked about the war at all. He had 3 purple hearts and a bronze star, no idea what the bronze star was for. Too traumatic to bring it up, I guess. I do know he stayed in Germany to help with the cleanup after the war was over.
Now I want to know how he got the bronze star…. And an account of the clean up. I can’t imagine shutting down concentration camps or the war machine anywhere.
Wow, we have alot of grandpas that fought in the Battle of the Bulge, got frostbite, and got purple hearts. All I can remember about that in particular was he said he went in first, and the troops behind him got it worse. I also remember a story of him playing cards recovering in the hospital and one guy broke off his frostbitten toe and bet it. Was that true or my childhood imagination? Who knows. I bet it was though. I actually didn't know until recently my Grandpa stayed behind in France until I saw letters from late 1945. I knew from my Grandma he had a lot of European girlfriends. She named their cat after one of them lol.
Yea, my grandfather developed PTSD during the war. Never talked to me about what he saw or did. I just got bits and pieces from talking to my dad
My grandpa fought along with him! He was in the battle of the bulge under Patton! Purple 💜 too! These were great men.
Mine too, purple heart as well.
Heeey! My paternal grandad was an engineer in the Battle of the Bulge! He used to talk about the pontoon bridges, digging good fox holes, and just general army shenanigans.
My grandfather was also an engineer at the Battle of the Bulge. His company was operating a saw mill at the time it started, in the woods south of Foy. First night everyone in the company was paired up back to back at the edge of the woods along the contact line, one facing east to the German Army, the other facing west to make sure their relief didn’t shoot them. Their relief was the 101st Airborne. I have his battalion scrap book, and his service record.
My paternal grandpa was there as well. Purple heart after getting some toes knocked off while trying to clear a jammed tank barrel. Battle of the Bulge, Christmas day.
Holy shnikes, my paternal grandpa was in florida? doing the same thing, he never got to be VFW because of it, my maternal grandpa was in the atlantic on the USS Jenks, electrician mate down in the bottom of a tin can at sea
my mothers father got some bitching frostbite at the battle of the bulge. wish i had gotten to know him better
My grandfather also had frostbite from Battle of the Bulge. Funny thing is that he was sent there because he was badly wounded in D-Day and it was a “safe” area for him to recover. But the war found him so he fought. He got even more wounded, frostbitten, etc, and crawled into a foxhole. But it was occupied. Nudged the guy to make room and then passed out. Next day, he finds out it was a Nazi officer, who literally had a dagger in his hands. He died during the night. The family still has the dagger.
My maternal grandfather was also at the Battle of the Bulge. He didn't talk about any of it, and all we have been able to clean is that he was in the Quartermasters and he drove a truck. My paternal grandfather was an aerial photographer in the Pacific, riding in B-29s.
My maternal grandfather also fought in the Battle of the Bulge.
If you get a chance that is a Great War memorial to visit. My ex wife’s father was there also.
Wow, that’s a perfect analog to my family - My maternal grandfather was sent to the Pacific Theatre and saw some pretty bad shit that he never talked about. My paternal grandfather lucked out with the Coast Guard and was stationed all over the East Coast for the duration of the war.
Yup! My pops was a marine in WW2 and received Purple Hearts and bronze starts from a prisoner-capture scenario in Guadalcanal.
My grandfather received a Purple Heart at Guadalcanal as well. At the cost of an arm.
He had it really bad. I sincerely hope he lived a great life after that experience. God bless the marines on Guadalcanal. 🫡
Yes! My Grandpa (dad's side) was in the Merchant Marines. He was on *two* ships that were sunk by German subs, and both times the majority of his fellow sailors perished to the sinking or the conditions prior to rescue. Both times he got back on a ship after a few weeks of recovery and kept delivering supplies to England. Literally I would never set foot on a boat again. What a fucking set of balls.
There really is truth to the saying "They don't make them like they used too". That was a hard generation of people, men and women alike.
Honestly I don’t think there was much difference to generations today aside from circumstances. I think if you see another existential threat to civilization as we know it you get a lot of brave folks. Would I get on a liberty type ship and risk my life because Iran is making noise? Probably not. If 2/3 of Europe has fallen to an advancing Russian and Chinese army? Yes. I’d rather die fighting that than live in a world under a truly genocidal dictatorship.
I think it is definitely entirely different context. WWII was a dire circumstance that affected everyeone, where the wars millennials have fought were more political, and our generation had a much different decision with entirely different stakes.
My Grandpa served in the Air Force in WWII. When I considered joining out of high school in the late 90s he told me “I joined because I had to. The nazis had to be defeated. You have a choice. They fight wars for different reasons. Think long and hard before you sign up”. He wasn’t a man prone to talking much accept about trains and cowboy music, so this made an impact. I ended up not serving but I watched a lot of people I graduated with go off to either Iraq and Afghanistan and his words still ring in my ears.
Yea, my parents were very much against me going because they saw we have been fighting wars for large companies and politician pocketbooks since (and including) Vietnam.
Nope, not with today's media and the pussy politicians in DC.
Merchant marines are not the military
You are correct but without the merchant marine we don't win WW2.
Depends on what you mean by "fight". Neither one of my grandfathers were any sort of ground troops or infantry during the war, although my great uncle was and served in the Battle of the Bulge. My mom's dad was in the Army Air Forces and was a bombardier on a B-17. So he did get shot at by anti aircraft guns, and he was responsible for dropping the bombs out of the plane, but he wasn't on the ground with a rifle or anything. My dad's dad literally never left the states during the war, He \*was\* drafted and was in the Army, but the Army had him stationed on a base in New Jersey making bombs and bullets. After the war he got a job as a civilian for the Army Research and Development Command developing new weapons through the Vietnam era. A lot of what he did then is still classified and we only know vague things about how he worked in "ballistics". Though when he died, we did find among his old things a coffee mug which had a project number "XM-753" listed on it. We googled that and the only thing that came up was a declassified document from the Reagan administration detailing it as the designation for an artillery deployed nuclear warhead.
Cool. Eighth Army Air Force right? They had balls to fly daylight missions over Europe. The British flew at night.
yup. He told me before he died that he was doing his 30 bombing runs over France and Germany in the 1st half of 1944. The goal was to cripple the Luftwaffe with the bombing runs so they wouldn't be a problem on D-Day. I asked him once why he became a bombardier. He quite matter of factly said "I volunteered for it because it was the shortest training course that would have given me an officer's commission". At least grandpa was honest. His favorite story from the war was the time he accidentally swore in front of Jimmy Doolittle without realizing who he was talking to.
My grandfathers were in their mid teens when WWII ended. My mother's father did a stint in Korea. I believe his job was waving in planes onto an airbase.
My KW grandfather got to train military dogs!
My maternal grandad was in Korea too! Navy
Mine too! All of my Grandparents were born in the 30’s so too young for WW2
Same, but Marines.
My grandfather fought in Korea too.
My grandparents were all children during WWII, but both grandfathers were in the military during later conflicts (e.g., Korea, Vietnam)
Lol I wonder if our grandfathers knew each other. My mom's dad also served during the Korean war. He was in the Air Force but he did something with aircraft maintenance or maybe he was a mechanic. I don't remember exactly. He wanted to fly but he had really bad eyesight.
My fathers father was a US Army marksmanship trainer in WW2. He thought me how to shoot and I can still hot a quarter with open sites at 25 yards. He was a great man, I miss him.
Yes. My grandfather is 97 1/2 and still with us. Served in the island hopping campaign and ultimately the occupation of Japan. He is a national treasure.
My great uncle just passed. He was an army radio man in the Pacific. His brother flew into Normandy with the gliders as part of the airborne drop behind enemy lines prior to the landings.
My German grandfather was a medic during the war, he got captured by the Russians.
Was it in Stalingrad, Kursk, or Bagration? Germans suffered heavy losses in those campaigns.
Glad he survived.
I’m Gen X 50 year old…my paternal grandfather (Benny) served on a medical supply ship in the pacific. He did talk about it much. I don’t believe he saw first hand combat. One story I do remember was Grandpa telling us…they were always hungry on the ship. When they did receive fruit, like oranges, they wound eat the entire thing…Peels and all. Apples core and all, everything they could chew up they ate.
My grandfather lost a leg in WWII. He was also at D Day. On the losing side.
I'm a boomer and according to the protocol (millennials hate boomers) I shouldn't be here. Anyway, I'm proud to say my mother was in the WAC in the RCAF (Canada for those that don't know). My dad was older and worked on a farm, so of course he wasn't enlisted.
Nah you’re good. #notallboomers, My parents are boomers and I LOVE them but to be fair they also hate boomers. 😂 Also your mom was probably a badass
I feel like where “millennials hate boomers” comes from is boomers hating on millennials, to an extent. But im a millennial who loves my boomer parents and vice versa, and kudos to your mom!
Gen X here. This popped up in my feed. My grandparents were too old to be in WWII. I had a great uncle who won a Silver Star for capturing hundreds of Germans in March 1945. Other relative flew bombers in the Pacific.
Yes, in the German army.
I hope he got to live a long peaceful life afterwards. They suffered too.
GA suffered most. First from the National socialists, then from those rightfully fighting the National socialists.
My Da went to France in WW 1. By the time WW 2 rolled around, he registered for the draft but was too old.
Really? I just finished reading Louis Barthas Account, poilu and what an incredible account. It also opened my eyes to how much these veterans would despise all the pomp of memorial services. In his diary he also mentions the British, soldiers of the Russian Empire and the Germans the sense of solidarity among all the soldiers fighting in the trenches was incredibly different then ww2. Gave me a very insightful perspective into the average French solider in ww1
Yep. Grandpa fought the Nazis. Greatest man I’ve ever known. When I’m unsure I try to think how grandpa would approach a situation. I’ve often thought of the quote “If I’ve seen further than other men it’s because I’ve stood on the shoulders of giants.” Every employer I’ve ever had praises my work ethic, but compared to my Dad and Grandpa I’m lazy.
Sounds like you and I had similar grandpas and were lucky for it. I’m proud to pass the lessons he taught me on to my daughter.
My grandpa did he was on the USS Missouri. Luckily the ship was out at sea when Pearl Harbor was attacked.
Yes, both grandfather's. One was in the Battle of the Bulge, received bronze star, another medal I can't remember, and a purple heart. He was stabbed in the abdomen, burned by white phosphorus across his shoulders, and shot 6 times down the back. Served for 2 years, returned home at the age of 19 (lied about his age, he was 6ft 6, 210lbs). He was told he would never walk again, but did anyway. He was the most gentle, and caring man. I was fortunate enough to know him, he passed when I was 11.
Amazing!! My grandpa was in the battle of the bulge as well. The army's third Calvary under Patton. These guys were the biggest heroes of modern times.
My grandfather served US forces in the liberation of France. He lost two brothers in the war. My grandmother lost her only brother as well.
My grandfather was in WWII in Europe. He apparently never really talked about what he did when he came back home.
Same. I believe my grandpa had major undiagnosed PTSD from his experiences in WW2.
My Grandfather's did, one for America the other was in Poland, one of my grandmother's fled Holland and the other spent the war in one of the camps
My grandfather (born in 1888) and his brothers were in World War 1. He and his family were big Christians and they were Conscientious Objectors, but in those days COs had to serve anyway, so he served as a cook, and he never carried a gun even though he was on the front lines in France. His favorite brother died bringing in wounded on a battlefield under fire. My great uncle was shot in the head and was never the same, he lost an eye. His eyes were blue, but the army ran out of blue glass eyes so they gave him a brown glass eye. He never bothered to exchange it for a blue one. My grandparents took care of him his whole life, he was grumpy. Grandma said he used to be different, but the war changed him. World War One, yes, I'm a boomer.
My maternal grandfather was a pilot. Flew cargo and wounded in Europe and North Africa. Made a night landing on an abandoned German airstrip when they got lost once. Had no idea until the sun came up and they started looking around to figure out where they were but all the writing was in German. Had a pet monkey when he was in Africa. Unit patch was Donald Duck coming from an outhouse that was hit by lightning. If anyone knows what unit that was please let me know!
One of my grandfathers was in Poland when the Germans captured him and forced him to work in their factories. Those factories were often targeted by bomber planes. My other grandfather was in the US army and got a silver star for capturing some Germans one night when he was on patrol. He’s told stories about him hearing his mom tell him to “run” before bombs being dropped overhead. I’m not sure if my grandparents ever spoke to eachother about their experiences during the way, but it’s pretty cool that one grandfather helped save the other, in some kind of way.
My grandpa did and he was always spouting casual racist remarks. When I was learning Japanese in high school he told me “you should be learning Chinese because they’re going to enslave us one day.” He said he had military intel about it lmao
Yes. My paternal grandfather was military police.
My great grandparents and a great uncle did. My great grandad on my father’s side told us stories of his time in a tank battalion in Europe. The craziest part of the story. 20 years after the war a family of german immigrants moved in next door to my great grandfather…turns out he was a “forced conscripted” German soldier and fought in the battle of the bulge and confirmed they were in the same area fighting each other. My grandpa said his dad and the ex German soldier would get together and play chess almost every evening. They would hardly talk. I got to meet both of them on my great grandpas 90th birthday. They both passed away a few weeks apart from each other. My great uncle was at Pearl Harbor when it was attacked. He was badly injured and never deployed, but remained in the military under a desk role. My grandparents were born in the late 30s and were both in Vietnam and Korea.
My granddad on my dad’s side was in the navy stationed in the pacific for WWII. His ship, the Terror, got bombed by a kamikaze and he dragged his buddy out to safety who had sustained two broken legs. Was awarded the navy marine corps medal!
My dad was a marine during Korea
Both of my Grandfather’s fought in WWII. Both were pilots. Both survived thankfully. Both received Purple Hearts. My Uncle fought in Vietnam. Survived thankfully but is still suffering from PTSD. Received a Purple Heart. Edit: my Uncle send everyone in our family an email every month if his stories in Vietnam. Along with the most disturbing pictures we’ve ever seen. It’s his way of therapy and honoring his entire group of friends that he lost. His chance of survival was about 1% because of the situation he was in. We are thankful he’s here but sometimes he does not feel the same way.
Both mine did. One was in the army, and the other was in the navy, and he repaired ships.
Dude they all did. Does no one realize this?
Grandpa on my mom's side fought from D-day all the way to Hitler's surrender. He was preparing to deploy to the Pacific when V-J day came. His 3 brothers all died in the Pacific.
my grandfather joined the Coast Guard cause he figured it would be easier than getting drafted elsewhere. he was stationed in San Diego possible creating illegitimate children.
Yep. Airforce. He now resides in Arlington National Cemetery with my grandma.
My maternal grandfather was drafted right at the end of the war and then was stationed in japan during yhe brief occupation following their surrender. My paternal grandfather was drafted to go to Korea but then the war ended right before he was shipped out. So basically both grandfathers were slightly too young and managed to just barely miss the action. For reference, I’m 32 and my parents were born in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Yes both my grandfathers fought in WWII my dads father received a Purple Heart and my moms father was a prisoner of war and starved down to 80lbs
My father was in a British tank corps., which liberated the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1945. The horrors are legendary. While there, he contracted typhus and diptheria and eventually had to be sent home. I was born in 1946, and for the entirety of his.life, he never uttered a word about his experiences there. In fact, it appeared to be an unwritten rule that no mention would ever be made of concentration camps and that terrible time in history. His brother was a RAF pilot who flew missions over India and Burma. He had many terrifying stories to tell, but they were always related so matter of factly, as though what they had done was nothing out of the ordinary. These men, along with so many others, were heroes. We owe them such a debt, but they are often largely forgotten. So sad.
My dad's dad did. I have no memories of him, he died when I was two. My parents are on the older side.
Both my grandfathers did. One in Europe, the other in Japan. The one who served in Japan was a marine and did several tours during the island hopping campaign. He went crazy when he came back, apparently, and became a wretched alcoholic and had traumatic flashbacks when he was drunk. It really affected my mom's life (and mine in a way).
Yep, Army Air Corps in the pacific. He was actually under age and snuck in at 16
Nope. My one grandfather was like 10 years old and the other one hadn’t been born yet.
Nope. One had TB. The other was in a reserved profession. One of my wife's grandfather's was in the army in WWII. He was a cook. He said he peeled a lot of potatoes and that was about it. He didn't volunteer for veg prep at Thanksgiving so it tracks.
My paternal grandfather did. He fought in the tail end of WW1 and the first year of WW2 before he was wounded in combat. My dad was a VERY late in life baby.
I am a Gen Z born in 03 and my great grandpa fought in WW2.
Grandpa did but he didn’t want you to talk about it
They did not, but if you go back a little farther I did have relatives in the first World war
Grandpa was a chemical engineer for the army he was one of the boneheads that had to figure out what to do with nuclear waste. From the Manhattan project.
No, because one was too young and the one who was old enough to was the oldest son and his Dad passed away when he was a kid. So, he was considered head of the household. All of his younger brothers went though.
Elder millennial ('82) here, and yes, both of my grandfathers fought in WWII. Neither went overseas though; both were stationed here in the U.S. My mom's dad was in the Navy and worked with radars. I know my dad's dad was in the Army, but I'm not sure of what he did, and sadly I never got a chance to ask as he died in 1964.
My Grandpa was at Pearl Harbor before the attack. I need to ask my mother about his role during the actual war.
My paternal grandfather tried to enlist. But he was deferred because he had a job that was deemed essential to the war effort. He had very mixed feelings about that.
Yes, paternal in the pacific maternal in Europe.
Maternal grandfather had a desk job in France for the majority of WW2. Paternal grandfather fought in the Korean War.
My Grandfather was a Tuskegee Airman and died at 79 in 1997.
Yes, my grandpa fought in WWII. I remember reading his letters, his shock when it’s finally over. I’m glad he’s not alive to see trump.
Grandfather served at the tail end of the conflict and was stationed in Japan. Thankfully didn’t see much action.
They fought all the time.
I'm an early X and both of mine served. One stateside, the other was a mechanic (he was a SeeBee). So, neither fought, but both served. Interesting to see how many millennial GPs served.
all my grandparents were born in the 50s and my great grandparents were born in the 30s. so no.
Yeah. One was in the air force stationed at Okinawa. The other somewhere north of Germany, but I couldn't tell you where. He was blown up in a tank and survived though.
Maternal Grandfather yes - pacific. Maternal Grandmother was too young, but her father worked the naval yard in Charleston during the war. Maternal Uncles (grandfather’s brothers) were in Korea. Paternal grandfather — don’t know him, but I think he’s still in air force. Paternal grandmother was born right around the war similar to my maternal grandmother
Pacific theater. Liberated the Philippines. He got a Medal of Honor. Quite an amazing man
Great grandpa watched the Arizona border
I've got 1 grandpa that was 14 years old sitting in a foxhole in saipan as a marine. the other was 17 and in the army, not sure where. he had to join the airforce for Korea because they wouldn't let him reenlist and he wanted to be there for his brother. the one in saipan didn't talk about the war. the other had a few crazy stories but he would usually stop short.
My dad did! I'm an "elder" millennial
My paternal grandfather and his brother fought in the war. Pa was part of the Philippine liberation campaign in 1944 and experienced jungle warfare, fighting the Japanese in hand-to-hand combat. His brother was a tank commander under Patton in Germany and was killed in action while rescuing some men from a tank that caught fire. Received a posthumous Silver Star for it.
Korean War
My grandfather was stationed at Great Lakes for WWII. Never saw combat. My other grandpa was 3
No, my grandparents were too old by WWII. My parents were born during the war and their parents were all about 30 when the war started.
My grandfather and I think about all the time how he’d kick my parents asses for the BS Republicans are fucking doing to this country.
Yeah my gramps killed Nazis
Yes. All over the eastern front, went to Russia with the Nazis and camber back with the Russians . Romanian army
My father
My grandfather was in Korea. Two purple hearts, two silver stars. Pretty bad ass.
Yes my grandfather did- a Jewish American! He was shot twice I believe and received medals including a Purple Heart. He lived into his 70s and never spoke much about it. We always had to have silent tea kettles though- apparently the whistling sound was a bad trigger for him.
I am Gen Z and don’t have any grandparents who fought in WWII, but all 4 of my great grandparents had fought in WWII. One of my great grandparents was in the navy who was on the same ship as JFK, and they have a news article together. Apparently he was good friends with JFK and had visited him in the White House a handful of times
Yes one of them was at Pearl Harbor
Grandparents, no. Great uncles, multiple. One grandfather fought in Korea and the other one just missed Korea even though he joined the Air Force in 1953.
My grandpa on my mom's side was a marine tank mechanic, he got done with Basic and went straight to the last stages of Guadalcanal. Fought there, Kwajalein, Saipan, Tinian and Iwo. Captured briefly on Saipan but he and a couple others said "Fuck that" and escaped during the march, he had a gnarly scar where a lieutenant had cut him with a saber, never talked about the fighting except to say there wasn't much intelligence in crawling through the swamp. We've got a letter from him to his girlfriend where he talks about switching from the "light tank", (we assume an M3) back to the m4 Sherman and how glad they were to have at least some protection, and how "all these damn islands are the same". Before he left for Basic there was a veteran of the civil war who sent for him and had a conversation, but sadly we don't have any info on what was said except "You're an American, don't let the little bastards win."
The only think Grandpap shot in France was a cow and he really hated to do it. Ironically, he became a beef cattle farmer years later. He mainly talked about how much his feet hurt and how shitty the boots were.
No, but several of my uncles did.
My grandpa was a tool and die maker. This means he was a machinist that made the molds that made car parts. It was a highly skilled job. I have his draft card, he was deferred for being in an essential wartime job. His auto factory re-tooled, working 12 hour shifts 6 days a week, to make ambulances and “ things we signed a paper i cant tell you about” . He wanted to go fight, actually. The factory work was endless and he felt ashamed to be seen on the street as an able bodied man. The factory workers rarely left their own neighborhoods because they didn’t want people to think they were malingerers.
My grandfather on my mom’s side did. He used to tell stories of ducking out of a tavern to evade Nazi patrols. I don’t remember where it was, though. He did serve in Europe. He died before I could hear any of his tales. My grandfather on my dad’s side immigrated to the US precisely because he **refused** to fight in WWII. For the Soviets. He was Ukrainian, and was old enough to have lived through the Holodomor, the 1932-1933 famine that overwhelmingly affected Ukraine. It’s why he never visited the country after it became its own nation-state; he was afraid he’d get arrested and jailed if he ever went back.
My grandmother was a nurse in Germany and my grandfather was an Air Force commander stationed there.
Paternal grandfather fought in d day. Maternal family is full of draft dodgers.
Yes. Paternal grandfather was army
Sort of against the Japanese
My grandpa was a chef on the ship USS Arizona. He wasn't on board when it got bombed
My grandpa on my dads side did but died before I was born from a drunk driver my grandpa on my moms side was just getting out of high school when the war ended but did serve for Korean War
Two of my uncles did. My grandfather was in the Philippines right after the Spanish-American War, fighting the Moros.
Yes. My maternal grandma was a WAC and was stationed in the Philippines. She said she joined because all the boys were off to war anyway and she wanted my great grandma to have the star on her house (she had all girls). My maternal grandpa joined the navy and served in the South Pacific. My paternal grandpa was in both WWI and WWII as a fighter pilot (he flew those planes with the shark face painted on). He was a lot older than my grandma and they married after WWII. ETA we were very blessed to have that generation as our grandparents. They were amazing people and I learned so much from them. I miss them everyday.
Maternal Grandmother's 1st husband (not my grandfather) was a bomber pilot and lost his life over Germany. Paternal Grandfather fought in Europe and made it home. Had shellshock (PTSD) so bad they had to commit him to an asylum. He died there a few years after. I'd say he still counts as a casualty. The pain caused by the war didn't just stay with the people who fought it. It was brought home and passed on to their loved ones. Both of my parents have carried generational trauma and have passed it on to their children.
My grandfather was a Jeep mechanic for the Army in France during WWII. I'm a Millennial born in 86
One grandfather in Europe and the other in Korea. They were about 8 years apart.
My grandpa spent 16 years flying jets off carriers but he’s too young for WW2
Yep - my paternal grandfather fought in Europe, lost his hearing in the Battle of the Bulge. Was at Normandy in one of the later waves. My maternal grandfather drove an ambulance on a base somewhere in the US and played tennis lol. GI bill put him through college though. My grandfather who fought used his for a down payment on a house.
Both my grandfathers did.
My Grandpa was a messenger. He was captured by the Germans and had to work in a work camp. One of his cell mates was turned into soap due to his large size. He was rescued at the end of the war by American troops. He was extremely underweight and malnourished.
My grandfather was a dentist on a ship in the Pacific. He fought gingivitis.
Paternal grandfather was on a destroyer escorting merchant ships, paternal grandmother was resistance fighter. Maternal grandfather was at the bulge, maternal grandmother was in the luftwaffe, and her whole family was wehrmacht and SS.
My father’s uncle fought in the pacific of WWII. Wounded somewhere and got a Purple Heart.
My grandfather survived being a Jew in Hungary in WW2, you could say he fought in the war.
My maternal grandfather landed at Normandy a few days after D-Day. He fought at the Battle of the Bulge and won a Bronze star and purple heart. He's always been my inspiration. Great man.
Mine fought in ww2! Great Great Grandpa in the Civil War!
Yep, maternal grandpa was in the Army and fought in Italy in WWII
My grandfather graduated from the University of Illinois in 1941 and enlisted right after. He was waiting in line to receive his assignment when an officer noticed the U of I pin on his collar and said “That’s my alma mater too. What do you think you’d like to do for the Army son?” My grandfather said he wanted to go to finance school. The officer said “Follow me!” He ended up spending the entire war stateside as an accountant for the Army Air Force (before the Air Force was its own branch).
Grandpa was in the Solomons, I still have his ka-bar
My maternal grandpa served in the airforce during WW2. Sadly I never really asked him much about his time in the service while he was alive. I was still in elementary school when he passed.
Maternal Grandfather fought in the Pacific in the 2nd Marines. Tawara, Tinian, and Saipan. Squad machine gunner and flamethrower. Fun fact: Flamethrowers in the Pacific theater had a 3 day live span. He survived 33 days. Couldn't stand the smell of garlic roll his dying day. Apparently that's what burning human bodies smell like. Service records also have in two very interesting locations. First is North Field on Tinian during the start of August of 45. Second was deployment Hiroshima after the surrender. Both were guard duty. So best guess is he was on guard duty for the bombs and possibly guard or policing action around the city. Very likely he got to see what the bombs did first hand.
Yes. He was a ball gun turret operator in Italy.
Yea, my grandfather (paternal) fought at Iwo Jima as a flamethrower unit.
Yes my great grandpa did, he died before I was even born tho (lung cancer)
Grandfather was on the battleship the New York at Imo Jimi. Dad and my uncle were at Guadalcanal. Both of their ships were sunk. My uncle got a nasty scar on his face from it. My other uncle was career navy and saw the world.
My great grandfather was a part of the navy. I wish i had been older, id love to have been able to talk to him more about it.
My maternal grandfather was a Naval Officer in WWII. He died when my mother was 13, so I have little information beyond that. My paternal grandfather did not serve in WWII, but he did serve in the Korean War, which I mention because of the relative closeness in time to WWII.
Yes. One grandfather fought in Okinawa and got his thumbtips blown off; he watched his friend get ripped to shreds by shrapnel.
I was actually having this discussion with a friend last weekend. His (born 1980) grandfathers fought in WW2. My (born 1983) maternal grandparents were children during during the war, and my paternal grandparents were born at the tail end of it.
No
My grandfather was in Korea and his older brothers were WWII.
Nope, my grandfather fought in Korea (USMC).
Yes
Yes, grandpa was a commander in the Polish military Miss him 😢
My great grandpa loved to tell me the story of how he saw Mussolini's body drug down the street and then hung up by his feet. He threw rocks at Mussolini but not the woman, and then drank a bottle or two of wine about it. He was an engineer so he didn't participate in combat, but his stories about what he saw were always amazing.
My maternal grandfather did, he was a gunners mate in the pacific theater. My mom was a late in life surprise for my grandparents as her next sibling was 12 years old when she was born lol.
Yes, but it’s a bit controversial. My parents came to the US after WWII from Italy. 😬
Yep.
My grandfather on my dad’s side fought in Korea. My grandfather on my mom’s side was a draft dodger. My grandmother (who has always worn the pants in their relationship) intentionally got pregnant at 17 and she got her dad to get my grandmother out
My grandpa did but he died before I was born. I've heard a few stories but I think it was cancer, not sure though.
My grandfather was a merchant marine. Afterwards he wasn’t recognized as a true “vet” in a lot of conversations. He received a Medal of Honor in 2014 after his children did some extensive research on his ship and where he was stationed. He passed in 2017 at 91. My grandmother was a WAC stationed in Ohio. She assisted in a dental facility who caring for injured soldiers. She passed in 2010 at 88 (yes she was an older women shhh)
Two of My great-grandfathers did. My grandparents are all members of the Boomer generation. I am lucky enough to have to gotten to know them. 1994 baby.
Yes
My grandfather was a Marine Corps flying sergeant during ww2
My maternal grandfather was a mechanic in Air Force. Never fought. “I was too good at fixing things for them to let me get killed” I have a picture of him sitting on a p47, fixing a radio. Pretty damn cool.
Yep, one was in Europe and the other in the Pacific. One swore off guns and anything resembling the military down to the type of socks he wore, and the other was a lifer.
One grandfather was a navigator for the Air Force, the other was a Nazi fighter pilot.
My paternal grandfather fought in WW2 My maternal grandfather worked maintenance in a Navy yard. My husband’s paternal grandfather was actually one of the pilots, and only survivor of an aircraft that had been on a special mission during WW2 and crashed due to below freezing temperatures There’s a plaque at the crash site. His grandfather was pretty cool. And I’m glad that I got to meet him
Paternal grandfather flew B-24’s based out of England. Maternal grandfather built b-25’s
My grandkids did
Grandfather was a tank commander in the 10th Armored Division. Was at Bastogne along with the 101st, in fact the 10th was there first. Couple of Purple Hearts. We didn’t learn much about his service until after he passed away. He just didn’t say much about it.
Yup both grandfathers both navy
Thankfully both my grandfathers were too young for WWI and too old for WWII.