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Seventy five years ago tomorrow...My Father enlisted in the Marines. He was eventually in the Third Marine Division and saw action on Tarawa, Saipan and Iwo Jima.
Five of my Uncles served. One as a Submariner in the Atlantic. Uncle George was a B-17 Pilot. Uncle Frank and Uncle Chester were both Marines. And my Uncle Ed was a Navy UDT Diver, the forerunners of the SEALS.
My FIL flew B-17's initially then B-24's and completed THIRTY bombing missions over Europe with the 8th AF. At that time few crews survived thirty missions.
My neighbor who is now ninety two, was a Sailor on the USS Missouri in Tokyo Harbor when they Japanese signed the surrender. He is one of the few surviving WW2 Veterans I know. My Father and all of my Uncles have all passed.
Imagine signing up seventy five years ago not knowing how long the War would last. Being sent to the other side of the world out of real contact with your Family for months on end. Many never went home until the War was over.
Or the European theatre soldiers who beat the Nazi's ,but if you didn't have enough "points" ,you were then going to be sent to the Pacific to now fight the Japanese!
Not to diminish Americas Soldiers, Airmen and Marines of today, But Truly the Greatest Generation.
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