Tribute to grandpa...

[The Wingnut]

My grandpa on my dad's side was a B.A.R. gunner in the 69th Infantry Division during WWII. He passed away a month ago. The shop that I work at just got a B.A.R. in this week. Today, I quickly put together this little ensemble in tribute to him. B.A.R.s, Thompsons and MP40s don't last very long at the shop, so I had to act quickly.

EDIT: Broken Link to Photo Removed

I have his original dress uniform, and he was my size...hard to believe a guy my size would lug such a huge weapon (21 lbs loaded and 4 ft. long) through combat. I've gained a whole new respect for him.

 

[Wild Root]

Man, you look like the real deal brother! I'm going to say that before I read your write up, I thought that was a photo of your Grand Pop!

You aged it just right and you totaly fooled me.

Good show!

Root.

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

That is a really good looking pic. How did you "age" it exactly?

 

[PADDY]

What a fine WWII tribute...

Grandparents can be very special people. That's a fine tribute to the man, and done is such a sympathetic, sincere way that all your friends here at TFL can really appreciate your WWII pictorial memorial in their own way. Thanks for sharing that, and the photo's been done 'so well!'.. :cheers1:

 

[BellyTank]

Nice one Wingnut- sorry to hear about your Gramps- bless him.
The BAR is like the weight of 2x Garands! What a monster to lug around.
Great photo.

B
T

 

[Biltmore Bob]

Wingnut!

Man, you are one skinny son of a gun. Go eat something right now Mister! I mean it!

My Father in Law served in the Pacific in the Navy towards the end of the War. He's got some great stories. Great tribute.

 

[Mycroft]

High quality photo, and my regards to you and your family.

 

[Johnnysan]

Nice tribute and great photo! My dad served in the ETO in Italy and made the push into the Po Valley from Monte Cassino. These guys were the real deal and sadly, we're losing more of them every day. Those of us who were lucky enough to have WWII vets in our lives are better for the experience. Sorry for your loss and kudos for honoring your grandfather's memory.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Wingnut -- great photo of you, my condolences to you and family.

My father passed away 4 years ago this coming July. He was a WWII vet, served in the US Navy from 1942 until the war ended. He was a petty officer and a baker.

He was assigned to the USS Vogelgesang, a Gearing class Destroyer. Before he died I was able to find photos and information on the internet about his old ship. Was never able to find anyone who served on it when he did (he was on the original shakedown crew before it was commissioned), but I did find "shipmates" on the Vogie from other eras. The ship was decommission in 1982 and is now in the Mexican Navy.

Here is a photo of the ship (hope I remember all the dots and dashes):

http://www.bluejacket.com/usn/images/sp/df/dd862_vogelgesang.jpg


karol

 

[Andykev]

Great picture

I lost my dad, and it will be two years this summer. He was in the Navy. They sent him to Alaska, to Kodiak Island, as a Radioman who trained pilots navigation on the Link Trainer. He said they froze, he saw many crackups in bad weather, and he often hitched a ride to get flight pay. He rode with Groucho Marx in a DC-3 on one trip. At the time, all they men up there hated it, for obvious reasons. They wanted to go fight the JAPS in the Pacific. Years later, he realized that the cards could have been delt differently, and he could have just as easily have been sent to Saipan, Iwo, or Guaddacanal.

Then of course, none of my brothers and sisters, nor me, would be here today.

Nice picture. I must get up to see your shop.

 

[jamespowers]

WN, that is a great photo. Was it inspired by an actual photo of your grandfather?
Man, I wish I had the money and license to get a BAR like that. Looks brand new. Ny father mentioned training with a BAR during his Korean War service. I guess the BAR and Garand got out of one war and into another pretty fast.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Canyon]

Wingnut, great picture and a very nice tribute to your grandfather.

 

[Badluck Brody]

Your Grandpa would be proud my friend!

I actually just recieved some WWII pics of my grandfather. He served with the Army Aircorps in the Pacific.

I remember as a young scrapper, my grandmother was about to throw away his old gear, when he stopped her and dressed me up in his old gear and marched me around the house.

That's probably why I enlisted... If nothing else, it was just to make him proud.

As a grunt, I could always remember him saying "You gotta shoot and move tiger, shoot and move.." I can't tell you how many times and in the worst possible situations, that I could still hear him say that in his Blue-collar, old school accent. Maybe that's what brought me home in one piece....?

I'll try to scan some of them and post them. I would also suggest that if anyone has some they do the same.

Like Wingnut said, in tribute to Grandpa and also the old folks that came before us!!

Like I said Wingnut, your Grandpa would be proud!!

Take care

Brody

BTW: From a commercial photography point of view, Excellent digital work my friend. I've seen pros do much worse!!

 

[Hondo]

Great photo Wingnut, you look real cool. I wish I knew more about my family, as I continue to dig for info. When I was a kid my Grandfather told me he was a second Lt. a Chaplin in WW1, (past away in 1968) he served with General “Blackjack� Pershing on the Mexican border looking for Pancho Villa.
My own father enlisted late in WWII, served with a Navy ship and saw action in Okinawa, Japan. As I said I don’t know a lot and continue my quest for details on my family. Due to an accident I couldn’t enlist (Vietnam) both my father and granddad served in law enforcement after the war, it’s a tribute to them, that we keep the memory, history alive for the younger generation, I meet so many who don’t know about the past and am amazed, even older movies like “12 O’clock High� they don’t even know, it’s a shame, knowledge of the past will keep America strong, I fear for the countries future.
God Bless all Vets, and all you dudes for keeping history alive, thanks for sharing.

 

[PADDY]

Be interested to see a thread with all your serving relations...

As so many of us have relations who served in various theatres of operations in WW1, WWII, Korea..it would be an honour and an interest to share some of these photos, if you are comfortable with that. I for one would love to see some of your treasured pics of dads and grand-paps..etc who went out on a limb to preserve the freedom that so many of us now take for granted. Today we still have to hold the line against those who would try to take our freedom from us. I'm going to dig some out tonight to post in the next few days. Thanks for inspiring us WingNut, you can always be counted on for that!

 

[Badluck Brody]

Start a thread for pics

Once you get some scanned, I'll add mine and we'll get the ball rolling.

It also shouldn't be only military either. I know that some folks have LEO family pics. etc.

Way to go again Wingnut! Good stuff my friend!!

Brody

 

[Big Man]

My Dad was in the Army Air Corps during WW II and saw service from Africa, to Italy, to England, to France, and finally into Germany. He was an aerial engineer on a C-47, and has some really interesting stories to tell.

Through out all the wars and conflicts, the men and women who served in the armed forces of our country deserve our undying respect and gratitude. Their sacrifices secured, and have maintained - and are continuing to maintain - the freedoms we so enjoy today. Their stories, and especially the stories of the "greatest generation", need to be told and retold.

 

[Harp]

My grandpa on my dad's side was a B.A.R. gunner in the 69th Infantry Division during WWII. He passed away a month ago. The shop that I work at just got a B.A.R. in this week. Today, I quickly put together this little ensemble in tribute to him. B.A.R.s, Thompsons and MP40s don't last very long at the shop, so I had to act quickly.

EDIT: Broken Image Removed

I have his original dress uniform, and he was my size...hard to believe a guy my size would lug such a huge weapon (21 lbs loaded and 4 ft. long) through combat. I've gained a whole new respect for him.

The Browning Automatic Rifle originally was a crew served weapon; however,
the BAR evolved to individual use during WWII. The BAR was still in service many
years after the war, and, the Greek Army was employing it
as a crew served weapon during the 1970s--and was quite reluctant to
abandon that concept.

 

[Chanfan]

Hmm, my father spotted for a BAR gunner - I recall him talking about how often, the Germans would think they were out of range. He was in the 28th (Keystone/Bloody Bucket) Infantry Division, 110th Regiment, if I remember correctly.