Never forget

[Tommy T.]

5 hours ago, bastonjock said:

I have toured the battle of the bulge area extensivly , when you look at a sherman tank and compare it to a tiger   FFS talk about being mismatched

I stopped my motorcycle when i saw an American flag ,there were the names of 90 us soldiers on it who had been executed by the SS 

The battle field today is centered at a town calked Bastoyne  thats were the American paratroops dug in 

Thanks for sharing your experience. My knowledge about that battle and the war is limited to reading. But what I have read about the tiger tanks was very chilling. I cannot imagine anyone who survived any war returns unscathed - if they return at all. How can humans be so inhuman?

[jimeve]

17 hours ago, expatuk2014 said:

My Father was in Burma and he would never ever talk about it ! We lost many men in the war and when you look around  in the UK and Europe i ask and for what !

And yes just 3 words really say it 

LEST WE FORGET !

I lost an uncle during 2WW in Burma.

RESPECT.

[bastonjock]

Anyone who has an interest in burna shoukd watch the movie called the railway man ,theres also a book called "the forgotten highlander "

Both help to understand the hardships and the aftermath of being pows

[Tommy T.]

17 minutes ago, bastonjock said:

Both help to understand the hardships and the aftermath of being pows

Thanks... Baston. I will look those up. I have read other books about and by POW's from WWII and Vietnam. One remarkable book with a number for the title, self published by a former Phantom pilot was very revealing - 2355 Days by Spike Nasmyth. He was shot down over North Vietnam and chronicled all his experiences - mostly horrible, a few even a little humourous, but mostly scary. I met the man and would have never guessed at his history - until he showed me the huge scar in his arm from the surface to air missile that got him.

[bastonjock]

39 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

Thanks... Baston. I will look those up. I have read other books about and by POW's from WWII and Vietnam. One remarkable book with a number for the title, self published by a former Phantom pilot was very revealing - 2355 Days by Spike Nasmyth. He was shot down over North Vietnam and chronicled all his experiences - mostly horrible, a few even a little humourous, but mostly scary. I met the man and would have never guessed at his history - until he showed me the huge scar in his arm from the surface to air missile that got him.

Talking about guys like that , i was at the Clan Chattan highland games  ,wearing my klit of course ,i had a polite conversation with a much older gentleman  he was a small quiet guy ,we were discussing the games ,he was obviously involved in their organisation 

He introduced himself as Tommy MacPherson   ,we had a bit of a laugh together  , later on in life i read a book called " behind enemy lines" ,it took a while for it to click ,but that little quiet quy at the games has an astounding story to tell ,i thouroughly recomend the book  honestly he looked like a good fart would knock him over

[Tommy T.]

26 minutes ago, bastonjock said:

honestly he looked like a good fart would knock him over

(What about a bad fart? One of those might knock anyone over...just kidding, Baston)... Which proves you can't judge a book by it's cover? Same idea. I might have actually read that, but don't remember - like so many other things. I have picked up a book or even bought a used one somewhere, thinking it looked interesting. Only to find that maybe 20, 50 or however many pages into it  WHACK! I've read this book before! Usually I will read it again anyway - love to read. Thanks! I will add this to my must find list and try to check it out.

I was in Fiji when I met a fellow sailor while standing around in the yacht club chatting with a few others... We introduced each other - his name was Hal. The only remarkable thing about him at the time was that he really enjoyed eating "paddle pops," a kind of frozen popsicle treat. He would enjoy those every day. Turns out, after we chatted a while, that he was a former test pilot (Hal Farley) and the first to fly the F-117A stealth fighter. He also in 1989 he became director of flight operations and chief pilot of the Lockheed Advanced Development Company, i.e. Skunkworks. You would never guess that from his mellow demeanor - he was just a regular guy enjoying his retirement sailing with his wife around the world aboard their yacht. Nothing pretentious about him.

[Arizona Kid]

If you are here in the Phills and need something to do, go to the American cemetery on the old Clark Air Force base. I stopped there just out of curiosity and ended up staying for a few hours just looking at all of the names on the tombstones and let my imagination take over, very somber experience.