have you got a war face

Thanks, Jem. Yeah, boys 3, 6 and 7 are all smoking, if you take a closer look. That was one of the things that really struck me about this photo. #3 looks to be the oldest and he's maybe 12? Different time, different circumstances, I guess.

 

Your too kind Jeff ;-)) but I AM older than Methuselah :lol: :lol:

 

Hi Andy, sadly, it turns out that the pic isnt THE actual but IS a wartime copy that was part of the NKVD Photo Archives-which came up for sale originally about 10 or so years ago. I got this info from a guy over @ the WTG site who is a bigtime Russian and EK collector ;-)) The Dealer I bought it from either didn't know it was not the original or just didn't care? At either rate, though a copy, my photo is still worth more than what I paid for it ;-))

That sure is one hell of a nice shot even if it turned out that it was "staged" by whatever PK unit was there. Im thinking of having that image placed on a new Mousepad for myself, a large Coffee Mug for Sarge Bills B-Day gift, and a T-shirt for one of his new rommates-who served first in the Navy for 15 or so years, then served in both the 82nd and 101st Airborned Divs for 15 or so years.

I thought about having a shirt made for myself with the image-but I would bet that many residents of my neighborhood might think I was a neo-nazi for wearing a shirt with a photo of two German NCOs on it. However, if I were still living in Corpus Christi-I could easily get away with it there and most people would think it was simply just a great image. ;-))

 

My "war face" isn't so much as a visual thing as it is a title. I am an US Navy Chief. There are people where I work who never worked for me in the Navy, never knew me before, but served in the Navy who call me Chief.
I am that nco that is feared and respected above all others. When I speak, officers listen. The enlisted fear me. They are in awe of my knowledge. And, they know that if they have done the right thing I will defend them at Mast against an Admiral.
Junior officers think I'm an anachronoism. They will tell me I don't fit in "Today's Navy." But when the $h.t hits the fan I will be the one that makes things happen and brings the ship home. I am a Navy Chief.

 

I just remembered another one. While flipping through The New History of World War II by Stephen Ambrose I came upon this picture in the very back of the book. This is one of the first books I got on World War II and this picture had always moved me. It was taken after the war and represents to me how destructive World War II was and how difficult it must have been for people to go back to their hometown and rebuild their lives. I have always tried to speculate about what that German soldier could possibly be thinking, what feelings he could possibly be having. I have come to the conclusion that his thoughts and feelings are unimaginable by anybody who has not lived through the same experience.

The caption reads: "A German soldier returns home, Frankfurt, 1946"

 

Actually Doc ... It's 'just' Liverpool Not much has changed.

 

Thanks for the update!

 

Chief,

I don't know much about our U.S Navy rankings..... but I'm curious to hear more about your role, and how you came into that position

Much resepct,

Mark

 

still a war time copy is great!........your right it would look very good on a t-shirt (i dont think it would look neo-nazi at all carl.....i mean your right 99.8% of passers-by would'nt even know who they were, plus - believe me carl i've seen some very bad t-shirts

a few years ago i was at a GAA match (gaelic football match) and some idiot was walking around the crowd wearing a white tshirt with a picture of a sniper on the front and text reading "sniper at work".....then on the back there was a "victims count".......the victims were "paddys" with lines crossed through them...........lets just say the t-shirt didnt go down too well with a crowd entirely made up of "paddys" ......what was he thinking

 

If people like that could think, they'd be dangerous!

 

exactly! and the funny thing is, if the lad was wearing a neo-nazi shirt, most people probually would'nt bat a wink at it

 

i Andy, if you ever want the image or others-just let me know and ill make you a CD and you can use at least the ones I own rights too-as you wish ;-)0 Im still thinking about the t-shirt with the two Sergeants on it. Your right though, most folks here wouldn't have the slightest idea of what Army those two Felds were in. I could probably always explain it away saying it was froma movie or something. Trouble is, is I live in a VERY liberal city-which I hope to rectify with in the next two years.

In CC, I met a punk rocker who only wore t-shirts with Hitlers image on them-to me that was way too extreme. Vehicles, weapons and maybe certain personalities are OK, but not an image of that Bohemian Obergefreiter. One image I like that unfortunately has Herr Mustache in it is a pic with Major Helmut Wick who is standing next to a dignified-looking Fuhrer-at the Berghof just after he was awarded with his Oak Leaves by the leader himself. This pic was takena few months before the Major was shot down and went missing.

Anyway, if interrested? after the images got put up on this site-let me know which ones you like and ill get a cd made of them and will send it to you ;-))

I am indefinate agreement though-it is a shame I don't have THE image but at least I know mine is a wartime example because its marked with the NKVD Archives property stamp on the backside. Im kinda a fan of NKVD stuff and desperately want an NKVD visor and tunic from the war.

As for that I.D.10.T at the Paddy ""convention"" just proves to me that the world indeed-is full of stupid people. I too think he was lucky to not get his face stomped into the ground by all the "Lucky Charms" guys. Im part Irish too and hearing about that kind of disrespect ticks me off too.

 

i hope it is not too disturbing ...

 

For me, this will always be my own personal 'War Face'...



My Dad, somewhere in Germany, May '45.

...and there were a whole bunch more, just like him.

-whatever

-Lou

 

Lou! the patch on your Father's arm looks like the one that one of our Veterans on this site uses for his avatar. His screen name is Franek, check it out!! Maybe they knew each other??

Mark

 

I have been in touch with Franek, and he kindly and very graciously replied, which I forwarded on to Dad.

But throughout my life, Dad has only tangentially spoken of the War ..... none of his personal experiences, only his thoughts on it (he enlisted.... he wasn't impressed with the Army, and he certainly didn't like fighting... he did what he needed to do and got out as soon as he could and never looked back.... at least, during his waking hours.... according to Mom, he lost a lot of buddies..... and I don't think his experiences were much different than any of the other boys over there.)

To make a long story short, he never responded to Franek's kind response, and I didn't push it.

But he's still my hero.

-whatever

-Lou

 

It's a feeling and time that none of us will fully grasp... My deepest appreciation and respect for your Father. I am grateful for his service and the information you have provided. My Father is my hero too

take care Lou

Mark