Hey everyone, new member here. I'm a 20-year-old college student currently studying history from South Carolina, and I have an interest in World War II. All of my great uncles and grandfathers served. My paternal grandfather was a Navy communications officer and was stationed in New Guinea and Borneo among other places. His brother, my great uncle was in the 6th Armored Division in their reconnaissance platoon during the war and fought through France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany. My other great uncle was in the 381st Bomb Group as a bombardier/navigator. He survived 35 missions and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters. I grew up going to my grandmother's house and began to develop an interest in the war through looking at all the war memorabilia my grandfather and great uncle brought home. I have a particular interest in the GI in the European Theatre as well as the Pacific Theater. Specifically the infantryman. Sounds cliche, but that is what I'm interested in! I like to read books about World War II and I have a nice collection going right now. I'm currently reading The First Wave by Alex Kershaw. I look forward to interacting with all of you!
Welcome. New guys buy a round at the bar. Check the links in my sig for >22 terabytes of documents on WWII. Bug Otto if you have any questions about that.
I don't think he's old enough to drink. Welcome anyway. You have quite a background. Reading is a good introduction to the topic. Unfortunately, there are always more books.
Why not? I started when I was sixteen. Made algebra class endurable. When I was eighteen I joined the Navy with the plan to retire with twenty and indulge my passion for learning. While on active duty I got to just three credits shy of get my bachelor's. After I retired I did fourteen years at Purdue, two bachelors (Psych and Soc) and a master's in history. Follow that with a few decades working for the Naval History and Heritage Command. Two useful lives in succession. Hyperwar gets a over two millions visitors a month since Covid attacked us.
Welcome to the Forums!! As a fellow 20 year old, I can assure you will find this community full of the information you seek, and lots of good friends as well.
Once you're twenty-one, the allure of the "forbidden fruit" associated with alcohol is gone and it's no big deal anymore.
