Random Thought of the Day

Omg... Ya know, I knew I should know it. I associated its name with "home", but couldn't suss it out. I Googled USS United States, even XD

That's it, I'm certain. Deployments even match places I remember him saying he'd been. Thanks, Aye =)

I was writing down a recipe long hand on a post it note (I'm weird that way) and noticed I'd misspelled a word. For a moment, I wondered why a misspelled word in my field of view wasn't underlined in red wavy lines.

You'd think 3M would add spellcheck to post-it notes to stay competitive :)

Quote: Face

Omg... Ya know, I knew I should know it. I associated its name with "home", but couldn't suss it out. I Googled USS United States, even XD

That's it, I'm certain. Deployments even match places I remember him saying he'd been. Thanks, Aye =)

You are very welcome. I appreciate your Father's service. I think his stories would be very interesting. What is the story behind the picture? The timing is very interesting, because the history books say the F-14's in the picture weren't supposed to be around in time for significant action in Vietnam, yet...there they are.

Quote: Nareed

I was writing down a recipe long hand on a post it note (I'm weird that way) and noticed I'd misspelled a word. For a moment, I wondered why a misspelled word in my field of view wasn't underlined in red wavy lines.

You'd think 3M would add spellcheck to post-it notes to stay competitive :)

Perhaps you are actually a robot, but don't know it yet?

Quote: Ayecarumba

Perhaps you are actually a robot, but don't know it yet?

I hope so. I could sue the skin off the manufacturer if it were so!

Quote: Ayecarumba

The timing is very interesting, because the history books say the F-14's in the picture weren't supposed to be around in time for significant action in Vietnam, yet...there they are.

I don't know exactly when the F-14 was released or when the war ended formally, but I do know several existing warplanes were not flown over Vietnam, Laos, etc. for fear that the Soviets would get their hands on the latest avionics and systems. Therefore even if the Tomcat had been available then, the Navy would still have deployed the older F-4s and F-8s to that theater.

Quote: Ayecarumba

You are very welcome. I appreciate your Father's service. I think his stories would be very interesting. What is the story behind the picture? The timing is very interesting, because the history books say the F-14's in the picture weren't supposed to be around in time for significant action in Vietnam, yet...there they are.

Good investigation, but I toyed a bit. I stated "'68 or so" because I figured the pic was taken (obv) before Pops shoved off. Looks like I went too far back =p

His service started in '74. The worst of the worst was over by then, but that is one thing I've always wondered. I mean, I was 12 when Op: Desert Storm kicked off, and I remember that feeling of uncertainty, wondering how bad it would get. I was "still a child", but I definitely knew what bullets and bombs did. I might not understand the deep inner workings or the politics, but I knew what combat was.

He would've been around the same age when 'Nam kicked off. And when he reached age of service, those horrors were completely fresh and not exactly over with. If I remember correctly, in that time period there still existed a threat and at least some evidence that the North was gonna fire up again. Who the f#$% signs up for that? Crazy old man.

The pic is a large, 24" x 36" or so with canvas backing. It was given to him upon completion of his duty, and has plenty of sign offs and well wishes written on it (not shown) from his shipmates. I don't recall much if any identifying info included other than sailor's names. He also has a number of uniforms and clothing articles from that when; I used to wear them when I was school aged, but I'm way too big now =)

Stories I'm short on, maybe I'll pick at him assuming I can get him to bang in from work and go riding with me in a few days. I would often ask as a kid and he'd share a lot. I still have his money jar full of all sorts of coins and a few bills from over yonder. Octagonal coins, coins with holes in 'em, it was cool as a kid. I'm sure I have some that don't exist as money anymore, or from countries that are no longer found on a map. Lots of talk about travels, countries he's visited, ports he'd stayed at. The guitar I sometimes strum is a 12 string classical Eko Sombrero XII he bought while stationed in Italy.

But when it came to service itself, completely mum. I know he was in electronic warfare, and served as one of the ship's dentists. I know hes been shot off the deck, though because of youth and ignorance, I don't recall if it was in an F-4 or F-14. And the guns, heard plenty about the guns lol. Gotta yell at him all the time because he can't hear f#$%-all =) But when it came to actual soldierin' (or sailorin' =p), dead. I dunno how reluctant he would be to delve into it, but I distinctly remember the vibe at that age that I'm going somewhere I shouldn't, and his reaction when I stated it sounded like something I'd be interested in confirmed enough that I never mentioned it again. 23 years later and I still ain't brought it back up.

But I'm going to. My grandpops, proud native warrior, saw combat in both WWII and Korea. He died just after my 8th b-day, so there was never an opportunity to learn of what he did. I'm not a "buff" by any means, but I have watched and read a ton about military conflict since '40 or so. I'd really like to know what part he played in all of it, where he fits in the story.

But it's weird. The Fed, of BVI / Wyoming fame, saw combat in Desert Storm. He was in the shit. He still carries the name plate of his comrade who died in his arms; that and his wedding ring is all the jewelry he wears. And I find when it comes to soldiers (even cops), they're often racked with guilt. Either they did too much, or did too little. The only ones I find eager for story time are the dipshits running Kenworths from Upstate NY to Richmond, thinking they've "been in war". The guys you really want to hear from are almost never willing to open that back up.

But I'll try. He ain't getting any younger and I want to know. And if he's not willing, well, I didn't want to sit and talk about my math grade in 1997 either, but he f#$%ing made me, didn't he? ;)

If your dad didn't see combat or even any
action, there might not be a whole lot to
talk about. For many men the service was
the most boring time of their lives. It was
just another really boring job that they
couldn't wait to be over. They don't talk
it because what's there to say.

Electronic warfare covers a lot of ground. It can be radar suppression missions in specialized attack aircraft. These get over enemy territory and shoot missiles, usually, at radar installations. They get shot at, too. There's electronic warfare aircraft, as I recall the Navy used a modified A-6 which carried 4 crewmen and lots of EW pods. I think they get shot at , too. Mostly they jam radar and radio signals. There's also the Navy's version of AWACS, the E-3 sentry being active until recently I think. These are kept well away from enemy territory. Or he might have been sitting at a scope inside the carrier. Fortunately, I don't think any US carrier has been attacked since WWII.

ww2, korea, SE Asia, xyzStan,... it doesn't matter. A great many do not want to relive the experiences.

At the time of the No Retreat, not even one millimeter: Everyone fights, cooks, clerks and company commanders order at Bastogne, the desertion rate in the Army was scandalously high and it was not due to lack of patriotism but to sheer exhaustion. What do you think that sign "100 pairs of dry socks" to the first 100 men to reach X. was for?

Vietnam ambushes.... hell, one columnist asked the lieutenant he was accompanying How Does It feel to be the Redcoats? So many alarm clocks as they went off patrols would radio in their progress... heck, they hadn't made any, all the patrols were huddled together staying put except for glowing radio reports.

Korea...we call it the Chosin Reservoir Campaign... it was a ROUT of the RUNNING DOGS. Some had weapons, some has a handful of ammunition, no one had rations, few had medics no one wanted to be captured alive, few had suitable clothing and nobody knew anything except that virtually everywhere had been over run.

XYZSTAN... Yeah, I mentioned an entire company of Rangers was cut off and could communicate only thru the personal computer of an explosive expert who was a civilian.

No one likes to relive that sort of stuff. I know one guy in Grenada who was wounded twice in one day and each time patched up and sent back in. It was not knowing the good guys from the bad guys, having to lug out all your garbage lest it be turned into booby traps, etc.

Today we have PTSD.... all those who fought only had 'get a grip on yourself soldier or its the firing squad for you'.

Never talk about former lovers, former wars or bad cooking. No good ever comes of it. Ever.