On this date 1944
- Thread starter IronNoggin
- Start date
Foxsea
Well-Known Member
Thank you!
My father-in-law landed on Juno Beach on D-Day. My Dad was there, 2 days later. Both Canadian Army. I feel equating freedom with a vaccine mandate is a travesty. Those that do have no idea what the word meant to those that actually fought and died for it.
Foxsea
Well-Known Member
Some people watch a WW2 movie and think "The war was won, our soldiers came home and their lives then resumed as usual." Only they never did. Their service haunted them to their deaths.
When my Dad was dying, he asked to have a Padre brought to his bed. We arranged for that. I was in the hallway, just outside the door and overheard the Padre ask "What troubles you." My Dad, 88 years old and almost in tears replied "I have done so many horrible things." He was referring to the late stages of the war, when they took no prisoners. Then the Nazis dressed kids as soldiers, gave them guns and sent them to defend their Fatherland.
He had killed many adult combatants and seen his best friends die but the necessary killing of those teen-aged children - kill or be killed... That burden weighed on him for another 60 years.
War back then was gone from your family for years. No meet ups with the wife at some vacation spot every couple of months. PTSD wasn't recognized but obviously waged havoc on post war families for generations. My grandfather spoke little of the war. Was ashamed of some of the things he'd seen and done. No legion, parades or anything that glorified the participants. Any! They gave up their souls.
Tsquared
Well-Known Member
Everytime I hear this song I think of my uncle who fought through Italy, then France and Germany. I asked him once about his positive outlook on life and he told me he never thought he’d live to see 20 years old, so this was all bonus time for him. He struggled though. This song by Elliot Brood says it all.
