Hi... I'm new..

I have to explain that too ya tho..

I fought to get pa his rights back because of the fire in St. Louis.
My oldest son has Autism and I fought the school district and won.
My husband had a National Labor Board case on an ex employer and I won that.
Hubby has a Workfoce Development case for unpaid wages witht that same employer.. We are winning that..
And now I'm working on the history for pa.. am I'm not sinkin yet so I think it's going good..

most of this has been going on since dec last year and my son 2 years..

SO.. that's why he calls me the one women army.. I'm a busy lady some days..

 

Once again Sandy... You are in position for praise, and another salute!

Keep up the great work, and thank you for the explination

Mark

 

Sandy, I sent you an e-mail last night through another website and my father was in the same unit as your grandfathers. The 531st is having a reunion at Wright-Patterson AFB at the end of this month. I have attended one of these a few years ago and I can't tell you how much fun and how much I learned from these humble soldiers. Please try to get hold of Tom Dorris for details. I'm trying too.

 

Welcome Sandy. Great job keeping your grandfather's history alive.

 

slipdigit, your right again.. they crossed the rhine..

kingfishmi.. what site did you send me a message? Tho I would love to go to these, I can't get Pa to go.. I so wish he would..We were looking through his dd-214 and he has paperowrk of all the guys that were on Utah beach and as he was going name by name he would tell me stories about the guys he remembered.. He remembers driving Major (I believe) Seaworth to a plaine and him telling my grandfather that he has his eye on him asnd that he better go right back to the bragade and when he boarded the plaine Pa stuck his tongue out at him.. Pa has that silly humor.. could have ngotten him in lots of trouble too.. but that is Pa..

He can't stand Caffey.. this man wanted to court marshall Pa because of a button missing on his overcoat.. Somehow Pa's overocat was in the wrong place and had blood all over it and he knew he would get it for that so he took one off of a man that was pasted and the button was missing.. Caffey had a fit.. Pa won the case and didn't get into trouble but could not stand that man.. still to this day that name can make his blood boil.

Pa was talking about his good friend Headke (sp?)and this man was on Utah poking for mines and hit one.. The man was using Pa's shovel and when Pa got it back it was stained.. When PA got back and turned it in they asked why it was stained.. How could someone ask these questions to men that came back of there..

Some stories for yas!!

 

Good to see you here, and good luck to you. It's a noble cause, and I wish you success. (And here's to the good folks that have worked to restore fire damaged records.) I wish I had the first clue how to help my grandfather with his PTSD. Had never known what it was until our most recent overseas military involvement, but after I started hearing about it it became pretty darn clear that grandpa suffered just that. (I mentioned elsewhere that he was sleeping under the bed just before the fortieth anniversary of some of the bloodier battles he had to face.) I applaud your grandfather and father for their valiant service to our nation, and I applaud you for helping them and recognizing them.

 

Hi Sandy, I hope you "ll find what you are lokking for

 

Thank you both.. For the PTSD.. we started in the beginning of the year wanted to get my Pa his medals.. I started telling him how much I wanted my kids to know who he was and understand what role he played and for them to pass it down and that he was a big part of history.. first he started say that all those medals and 3 cents wont get ya anywhere.. then I started showing him how nice they where.. and somehow he wanted to get his fathers which we were unable to do.. that darn fire... and my grams brothers purple heart which was stolen from their house when they had a open house.. and that fire it home again..

I told him we will get his and then he wanted to see if the VA will give him hearing aids cuz since the mock invsion his ears have been ringin.. so we went to the veteran service officer and Pa was talking to him and they hit it off very well.. that was the start of getting help.. our VSO has a Combat Vet that comes in as a Social Worker and talks to all the PTSD Vets.. Pa started talking to him and from there he is allowing them to Eval him for it and is talking about it more and it seems to be going a bit better..

The nightmares were so bad for him.. he would wake up screaming and jumping and then have to take meds for his nerves.. he's been taking those meds since my mom was a kid.. almost 60 years.. right after my Pa came out of the war he got married and after my mom was born. Like 1951 he was going to a hardware store in Chicago and went to open the door and couldnt he ran home and would not leave the house.. would not use the bathrrom with out my gram by his side.. went to a doc and he gave him these meds and they helped him.. the doctor said it was the war coming 9ut of him and he had a nerves break down..he was able to fuction but the nightmares never stopped.. the jumping and twitching never.. 4th of july nope.. not a chance.. in the house.. never went to the Vet Services.. is always on guard.. he nknows where eveyone is and will not sit anywhere but with his back to a wall..He taught me that too.. And it has helped... He brought up a fighter.. and I thank him for that everyday...

we took the boys to the Moving Wall.. and he could not go he tossed the idea back and forth but couldnt do it.. If you ever have the chance to see it, go... This wall has such a feeling with it.. I balled my eyes out to see the things people left behind.. My step father has a friend on the wall and we found him and had the boys point to it.. very very very touching.. and the ceremony is even better..

I know all the stuff on the TV is making him talk about it more cuz it happen with desert storm too.. but I think this time he was ready to let it out.

Try and talk to you grandpa and see if he will talk to you.. See if the Veterans Service Office has something like that.. I wish you well with helping him.. Sometimes loving them is just not enough when it comes to this..I know what you are saying.. cuz every D-Day PA seems a bit more cranky, more on guard, and more jumpy.. he is always up early.. But I think you have to make the conversation funny too.. like ask questions about the food and something funny that happen or if he ever got drunk over there.. stuff to maske it a bit lighter...

I take care of my grandparents and have a super bond with them. I lived with them from 5 till 17 and then in the early 90's I started taking care of them till present. My Pa has a lot fo trust in me that he does not have in my mom and she is wonderful person too but it's that bond they make..

In the post about the greatest Genre.. One thing I forgot to put in.. I think my boys are getting something from spending time with him that they could not get anywhere else.. It important that our kids spend time with these past genres... they know more than credit gives them... IT's a different respect they show.. a different mannor they have.. my Pa has a sweet side but when you get him mad he is gonna let ya know.. take no **** he says... these men and women are far and few.. love them and let them know you do.. they need it too...

 

Were you ever able to find his separation papers? One place to check is the archives of the state where he entered service. A copy of the separation documents was sent to the state of record. Some states retained those documents and some may not have. But another place to look if St Louis doesn't have the record.