W's D:-

I would like to respectfully reject your offer of having a section to myself because of what is stated below.

Also, because of the fact that men like j3rd,Rogue,Recon etc. could very well be relating their experiences. I chose for personal reasons to relate some data BUT it is of UTMOST importance to remember that I was just one of milllions that served with honor in the ETO in WW II. I am not and never was really any different than millions of others that did their job the way they were trained to do it.

I am flattered by your suggestion but don't feel worthy of such recognition. I will however continue to contribute stories whenever I can now I have put pen to paper so to speak but I don't feel there's any significant reason that I should be singled-out for what I did.

I was lucky enough to be the 1st. Sgt. of a great company during WW II and to serve under the famous(some would say infamous Gen. Patton) and I was lucky enough to survive the war and get back Stateside relatively safe and sane because I knew my job and I did my job. I'll leave it there.

I have the utmost respect for men who wore a uniform whenever and did their job as they were required whatever the time frame was. I mentioned Gen. Patton above because I have excerpted a portion of the speech he made to the troops before D-Day. I would ask respectfully that you read it and NEVER lessen the importance of anyone's service. If I'm preachy "Tops" tend to do that(LOL).

Please excuse his language but that was exactly how he spoke.

Here's the excerpted quote from Gen. pattons famous speech to the troops:-

"Patton stopped and the crowd waited. He continued more quietly, "All of the real heroes are not storybook combat fighters, either. Every single man in this Army plays a vital role. Don't ever let up. Don't ever think that your job is unimportant. Every man has a job to do and he must do it. Every man is a vital link in the great chain. What if every truck driver suddenly decided that he didn't like the whine of those shells overhead, turned yellow, and jumped headlong into a ditch? The cowardly bastard could say, "Hell, they won't miss me, just one man in thousands". But, what if every man thought that way? Where in the hell would we be now? What would our country, our loved ones, our homes, even the world, be like? No, Goddamnit, Americans don't think like that. Every man does his job. Every man serves the whole. Every department, every unit, is important in the vast scheme of this war. The ordnance men are needed to supply the guns and machinery of war to keep us rolling. The Quartermaster is needed to bring up food and clothes because where we are going there isn't a hell of a lot to steal. Every last man on K.P. has a job to do, even the one who heats our water to keep us from getting the 'G.I. Shits'."

Patton paused, took a deep breath, and continued, "Each man must not think only of himself, but also of his buddy fighting beside him. We don't want yellow cowards in this Army. They should be killed off like rats. If not, they will go home after this war and breed more cowards. The brave men will breed more brave men. Kill off the Goddamned cowards and we will have a nation of brave men. One of the bravest men that I ever saw was a fellow on top of a telegraph pole in the midst of a furious fire fight in Tunisia. I stopped and asked what the hell he was doing up there at a time like that. He answered, "Fixing the wire, Sir". I asked, "Isn't that a little unhealthy right about now?" He answered, "Yes Sir, but the Goddamned wire has to be fixed". I asked, "Don't those planes strafing the road bother you?" And he answered, "No, Sir, but you sure as hell do!" Now, there was a real man. A real soldier. There was a man who devoted all he had to his duty, no matter how seemingly insignificant his duty might appear at the time, no matter how great the odds. And you should have seen those trucks on the rode to Tunisia. Those drivers were magnificent. All day and all night they rolled over those son-of-a-*****ing roads, never stopping, never faltering from their course, with shells bursting all around them all of the time. We got through on good old American guts. Many of those men drove for over forty consecutive hours. These men weren't combat men, but they were soldiers with a job to do. They did it, and in one hell of a way they did it. They were part of a team. Without team effort, without them, the fight would have been lost. All of the links in the chain pulled together and the chain became unbreakable."

Thanks for the suggested section of the Forum but no thanks! I Hope you understand my reasoning I was one of many. Sort of like the motto or our currency E Pluribus Unum or One out of Many!!

Sgtleo

Sgt. Leo, You have my respect. If Marion wants to do a page on you, let her do it. And you keep sending those articles, like the one above. Those are items I never new about. Sometimes when we could get a copy of the Stars and Stripes,

the first thing we would look for was Bill Mauldin's comic pic. Just keep doing what you are doing,cause I have read things I didn't know about. Are you still skinny?

I weighed 157 then now 176 fatter in my 0ld age.! Hang in there Sarge . Roque I'm just an old dogface that by the grace of God I am still alive that goes for Joe and recon also.

A common thread among WWII veterans I have known has always been Humility, always gracious with flattering remarks about their fellow Soldiers,Sailors, and Marines......(well maybe the Marines aren't always humble! ) just kidding on that last part! That is why you guys stuck together and got the job done, and also why it is an honor to read all your stories today. Who else could have whipped such fanatic enemies???........Nobody!

Sarge:

I totally understand your stance and certainly can't argue with Patton's words at all. However, I would like you to hear my side of the argument. First off, take a few moments and look at the following pages. You will see the most humble of men, who were all cogs in the giant wheel, but each and every one of their stories makes the face of war REAL. Each story adds a human element and makes all the readers see that these men were not supermen, but their neighbors, the men they sat next to in church, the men who purchased nails and hammers at their local hardware store, the men who married their daughters, who worked in their steel meals, the men who drove the milk trucks to their homes each morning without fail.

I think that many times people don't understand war and can't imagine what it was like. Why? Well there are obvious reasons. Maybe for one they never lived through it. But it's hard for people to imagine if they merely see a school textbook with dates and places and NO FACES. I think what my site strives to do, what other sites strive to do, is to bring it into their homes. If people can get to know somehow, to see that maybe Joe Smith was just a mere boy who got drafted, then see and hear what he experienced, then war becomes a personalized experience and not just meaningless history.

Rocky, Russ, Al, Papa Art, and so many others have told their stories here on the forum, but have their memories on the main site. While many people do view the forum, many, many more spend mega hours on the main site and it's the only place they learn about all the vets who made up the bigger picture. Let's say it's a place to compact all the info into one neat package. Basically I would only be taking everything you've shared here (plus extra info if you are willing) and put it all in one accessible spot.

Call it participating in something educational. One story becoming part of book, becoming part of volumes of history that should never be forgotten. Some day a few generations from now, they will be thanking all of us for taking the time to record the diaries, the feelings, the photos and more. I think it's important that we, while we still have the time and means, not to let it slip away.

If after looking at some of their pages and after reading my words, you still feel the same way, then I will bring it up no more, but if I can change your mind, the world will be a richer place for it.

https://ww2combatengineers.commemoirs6th.htm

https://ww2combatengineers.commem...rsOtherEngs.htm

https://ww2combatengineers.commem...rsOtherVets.htm

With utmost respect and admiration,

W's D

Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease let her do a page. It's really just like she said, many people only read the main page and don't search the forums. She'll only be concentrating all your info in one page.

It's really neat once it's all put together.

Brooke

Gee guess we scared everyone away...

Gee guess we scared everyone away...

Well, maybe I shouldn't be out without my make up on??

You and me both today...

After drinking a glass of,(OLD FART), seen your pics in, Frapper site, YOU BOTH looked got to this old dude. Rocky J

Thanks Rocky. Flattery will get you anywhere!!!!

Thanks Rocky!! Flattery will get you anywhere with me!!

Brooke

My pleasure, I asure you both! R

Walt's Daughter et alia !!!

I am now corresponding with Veronique in French because I welcomed her here in her own language and now she has asked if I would help her with her requests postings etc. My policy is to be right up front and therefore I wanted all to know what I was doing with no subterfuge. The why of how I can do this is outlined below.

I attended one of the oldest High Schools in the United States and it had probably one of best possible faculties of any High School. Almost every teacher had at least one Masters Degree and some had more.

From an economic stance, I had a snowball's chance in Hell of ever going to college at this time but I was put there hoping for a college scholarship but that never materalized because I entered the Army less than a year after I graduated at age 17. In the courses I took, I had to study the following languages French,German,Latin,English. In the French course, it was total immersion in the third and fourth years and if God forbid you forget how to ask to go to the latrine you were in trouble.

We were required to read books,newspapers,write assignments etc. all in French-NO ENGLISH!!

Since I did go into the Army less than a year after High School and then went to France,I continued to use what I had learned and now with 9 grandchildren many of whom are studying French they come to me for help and I am forced to keep up to date on the language.

The same was true of my German but for some reason I preferred French. Canada is not that far away and although they speak Quebecois, actually a slang, it is a place to keep up my French which they call the "Old French" but they read,write etc. in that type French.

Here's an anecdote from my interrogator's days:-

We were questioning a Belgian man that was to provide us with some info on the Kraut units in the area. Don't remember why but the conversation began in German and that being the weaker of my two languages I "sidemouthed" to the Capt. with me that I was going to switch to French which I did. Without blinking an eye, the Belgian guy also switched and off we went again. Maybe an hour or so later I said to the Capt. that I was unable to continue since I was so tired. We were in a hairy spot. The Belgian guy started to laugh and said to me "Sgt. for such a young GI you are probably as good as any BUT!!!!..... It turned out he was a Rhodes Scholar,a Major in the Belgian Intel and spoke 7 languages like a native. Damn near shot him but the Capt. said that wouldn't do even if he did test us as long as he did. He was a big help to us but I always felt inadequate around him because I saw him switch from one language to another in the middle of a sentence.

Rambling again but at my age I can get away with it(LOL)

Sgtleo

Hubby took me out for a few send-off drinks tonight before I fly off for PA for the reunion. Just got home at 11:30 and got a big kick out of your post as usual.

Always enjoy your reminiscing, so don't stop. Keep on ramblin'...

Votre ami,

Marion

Sgtleo,Sep 21 2006, 02:06 AM] The Belgian guy started to laugh and said to me "Sgt. for such a young GI you are probably as good as any BUT!!!!..... It turned out he was a Rhodes Scholar,a Major in the Belgian Intel and spoke 7 languages like a native. Damn near shot him but the Capt. said that wouldn't do even if he did test us as long as he did. He was a big help to us but I always felt inadequate around him because I saw him switch from one language to another in the middle of a sentence.

Ce n'est que maintenant que j'ai vue cette histoire und sie gefällt sehr gut sarge bitte schreiben sie noch viele erinnerungen hier auf.