EF short stories

Cat wrote:
Yeah, I once met a WW2 veteran (at the US Marines Museum, free BTW; very, very nice there :D). Wasn't really sure what to ask considering how he didn't exactly find shooting Japs to be a pleasant experience  :-X. I just asked what he did and he said he was a rifleman and his company but I dont remember ATM which number  :P

Those are always good questions :) I'd never ask a veteran if or how many enemy he killed cause that's just so erm...ashaming.

depending though, they might volunteer it. my friends grandpa was a paratrooper in operation overlord, and he still has Nazi pins from the Germans he killed.

Wow,



My Grandfather was in the Burma campaign, during the Retreat to India. His train got bombed on the way though.

In collecting War stories it is better and you will be more successful in eliciting stories rather than soliciting them. (Use the dictionary if you don't know the difference on this one). What I mean is that you should use an indirect approach Rather than a direct approach. Example: I was talking with a buddy John at a party. He makes really good Martinis. I asked for a Stirred(Gin) not Shaken,(Vodka), Martini.! I couldn't help but notice he was Carrying. Not a particularly good idea at a party where a lot of drinking is going on! I asked John about this. He said the Judge had given him a concealed carry permit because he was being harrased and assault by some young punks. The judge asked him If he would kill the punks if they assaulted him again. John said yes. THe judge gave him the permit anyway! Here is why:

John was a Naval Corpsman attached to a Marine Squad During the NVA Tet Offensive in the Central Highlands during 1968. USMC has no medics. Every Marine is a rifleman. The Navy provides unarmed non-combatant medics. John watched as his squad was decimated three  times, dispensing bandaids and rudimentary firstaid. He was a draftee not a trained medical professional. At this time a squad (10m) was pulled off the line at 30% Effectiveness. John said he never felt so helpless and vowed he would never permit himself to be so helpless ever again. His squad mates all considered John to be the biggest hero in the squad. And the judge gave him his concealed carry permit....John never talks about his war experiences, but I know the difference between a Gin and Vodka Martini. ;)

I think it was by chance you found out about Johns war story, not "indirect methods". This doesn't sound like you knew he was a war veteran and just decided to ask him about concealed weapons :P. But it's your story. Interesting nevertheless  :)

Last edited April 19, 2012 at 1:21 AM by Cat Fishy

I knew John McCormick was a war vet and I knew he never talked about his experiences in the service. And yes I think carrying a loaded weapon to a wild party is DUMB. Thats why I called him on it. But I did get a story out of it and the look on his wife, Lucy's face when he started in on the war stories ... words can't describe it.

EDIT: Sound can though.When Lucy's jaw hit the ground it sounded like Big Ben. ;)

Last edited April 19, 2012 at 1:49 AM by Otto Halfhand

Killar wrote:
I like when you read a short battle event story. Like if you browse through the newspaper and you see an interesting story. Requirements: Must be on EF; real event

hey say a picture is worth a thousand words:



Death of the "Extra Joker"

9.23.44 Somewhere near Graz Austria
15AF/451BG/725 Bomb SQN

Crew
1 Lt Kenneth Whiting
1 Lt Alvin Moore
2 Lt Francis Bednarek
2 Lt Edward Waneski
S/Sgt Milton Nitsch
Sgt Oscar Bateman
Sgt Elmer Anderson
Sgt Joseph Carbnez
Sgt Peter Breda
Sgt Harry Bates

RIP