Just joined. 4 years active, 22 in the ARNG. Basic at Ft. Dix, AIT at Dix and Ft. Gordon as a RATT and RTO. 10 months in Deutschland, a fun year in VN, 14 months doing penance in Ft. Bliss.
Thank you. I’ve been prodigiously reading everything I can get my hands on about WW2 since the start of Covid. 2 uncles served during the war. One in the USMC and the other as a B-24 navigator. He was awarded PH and DFC. Lost a kidney to flak. Looking forward to learning as much as possible from you forum vets.
Check where you are landing in Europe. We have a lot of jokes of US troops landing in Bosnia saying we love Germany...
I was stationed in Ansbach, 67-68 before going to Vietnam 68-69. I had 3 years of high school German which got me by. At that time in Germany there were still many remnants of WW2 to be seen.
None of us knows how much time we have left, so prioritize. Inquire about the area that interests you most. Those with special knowledge in that area will generally point you in the right direction, tell you where to look, etc. and save much time in your quest. Conversely, you can help people in other areas of inquiry where you have special knowledge and experience. The workings of the US Army, military radio communications, Germany post war, Vietnam, all types of practical knowledge and arcane information. Often, it's information you picked up along the way that you never think of as being important or not common knowledge, but to someone it's the missing piece of the puzzle they've been looking for. Enjoy and post freely.
Welcome to the forum. If your uncle served in the SWPA area there's a slim possibility a uncle of mine mighta', coulda' flew beside him as an escort. Oh and my dad spent his Korea Era service time at Ft. Dix shuttling diesel locomotives around the area. If there's anything we can help ya find give a shout.
My uncle in the USAAF flew out of Italy. While recuperating in a hospital in Atlantic City he learned that his plane had been shot down on a later mission with no survivors. My father was in National Guard in the horse cavalry in the 30’s. When his unit was mobilized he was discharged because he had 3 children. His former unit (102d Cavalry) served in the ETO.
Just curious but what group/squadron was your uncle in ? A very good friends father was a tail gunner on a B17 and had the exact same thing happen. While waiting for transport home his assigned plane was shot down with no survivors in their first mission.
