Today I met a very interesting ol' guy that just cracked me up. "Ski" as he likes to be called served on the USS Helena CL-50 from 39-43 when it was sunk by the Japanese. Here's is a guy that came from a Polish family that immigrated in the late "teens" and was first gen American born. Signed up for the Navy in 39 and was stationed on the Helena at Pearl. Witnessed the the 12-7 attack first hand. Was wounded. Later had his ship torpedoed and after many different commands and duty stations here and abroad, retired and settled here locally some 30 years ago.

Geez does this guy have some wild stories to tell. He's sharp as a tack and still has his good health. So I'm working on his computer and explaining how the browser's features work and we come across a news website. The very next thing he says in a broken Brooklyn/Polish accent is "How the hell did that guy EVER get to be president?" He further pontificated "I'm very sad to see all that I fought for and watched my buddies die for, has been flushed down the toilet"

Next time I'll keep him off the "politics" subject.

One of the cool things about being older is you actually listen to the tales of the older folks. Those are stories that they'll take with them if nobody takes the time to listen. One other thing I've noticed also, as you get older you say what you think right up front and if somebody doesn't like it, tough shit. I've met relatives and others who can tell you the horrors they endured as young men and women. The WW II folks are quickly dying off. I've met 2 survivors of the Battaan Death March, D-Day, a woman who endured the bombing of Berlin and countless others. I've heard stories of the Russian POW camps in Siberia from two sources and another a prisoner of the allied forces in France. Stories of rape, murder and plunder. I've seen civil people go off into a tirade againt other nationalities at the mere mention of their country. The world was a different place then and old timers have the story that can fill in the blanks. The America past. History.

You could have been describing my father's family.

They too were Polish immigrants, arriving just prior to WWI starting. My father was first gen born here. He joined the Army Air Corps in 1942. Served for 12 years and was medically discharged in 1954.

It is such a shame their stories will be gone one day...

Yea, my dad was a WWII vet. But as a kid I can't remember him talking at all about the war. If you asked him about it he'd say something like "...that's ancient history" or ...Gee, I don't remember". It wasn't until he was in his 70's that we got to hear some of the stories. He even wrote of one event and submitted it to the Air Corp reunion groups newsletter and it was published (I now have a hardcopy). The war put a huge mark on his personality. He's gone now and any other stories he has are gone forever.

Not too many of them left around. I get a little emotional sometimes when I hear their stores on History channel or documentaries. My grandfather served in WWII but passed away when I was little so I never got the stories from him. My dad's buddy would tell us some Vietnam stories, but some of those you don't really want to hear.

Matthew

yes my dad was in wwii also. he was in the navy. he was in the pacific fleet on a light destroyer, it was blasted out from under at 1:30 am.one night. he and his brother both survived the sinking. he would laugh when he told us about it. he was a radioman and was on that night. the reason he laughs is all his clothes were in the wash and he went over wearing a pair of scivvies he borrowed from his brother. there where a lot of other stories he told also.
he named me after a good friend of his that was killed that night. pop passed away 5 yrs ago and i miss his stories
rip pop

My dad was a Navy fighter pilot in the south pacfic, he never talked about WW2. He took his shirt off one hot summer day when I was just a kid and his torso was disfigured beyond belief, machine gun fire, had 2 hellcats shot out from under him. Never said much until I went to Vietnam in 69. He and I had a long talk about the horror of war and how it would change me forever. He was right it did!! He died in 92, sad thing is I never really knew him!!!but I'm proud that he was a member of the Greatest Generation..

Talked to a WW2 USMC grunt that served in the south pacfic, really nice elderly gentlemen while gasing up my wifes car.
He was wearing a USMC ball cap with the word "grunt" written on the adjustable band..Briefly, he was going to the funeral of the last remaining surviving marine in his platoon.. which met he was the last guy standing!!! We talked for quite awhile, he must have been in his mid 80's, he lost one of his sons in Vietnam, and 2 grandsons in Iraq..as he leaves he said,"I hope to see them soon".