A GREAT Man Passed Today

[AngliaGT]

Herb Wall,a WWII veteran,& suvivor of the Bismark Sea Aircraft Carrier.
He,& my Uncle,Ed Milota,survived a kamakazi attack on the carrier,which sunk it.
Ironicly,he died exactly 70 years after it sunk.
Him,& his Wife Agnes,were second Parents to us,& Grandparents to our 3 Children.
Another part of The Greatest Generation .... Gone.

- Doug

 

[NutmegCT]

Very sorry for your loss Doug. I believe this is more info on Mr. Wall and the USS Bismarck Sea.

https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/fo...all-group-to-herbert-b-wall-uss-bismarck-sea/

Tom

 

[JPSmit]

sorry to hear Doug

 

[hilsideser]

May God bless him.

 

[Sherlock]

A sad day, we're losing WW2 veterans daily now from what I've heard... In my circle of friends here, there aren't many left anymore... :frown-new:

 

[Basil]

The greatest generation is almost all gone now.

 

[waltesefalcon]

Doug, I'm sorry for your loss.
Bas, I agree.

 

[mikephillips]

About 1000 a day leaving is the number I keep seeing. Like WW1 vets there will probably be some hardy fellows that last into their 100s but in 20 years even the now youngest of them will be gone.

 

[Basil]

About 1000 a day leaving is the number I keep seeing. Like WW1 vets there will probably be some hardy fellows that last into their 100s but in 20 years even the now youngest of them will be gone.

I'm just now watching a nice piece on Fox News on a reunion of Iwo survivors in DC. Peter Johnson Jr interviewed some of them. Very moving.

 

[glemon]

There passing is sad, I think many look back nostalgically to when we pulled together as a country and a world to defeat a couple of very evil regimes, but I am sure there is much more than nostalgia in the memories of those men who fought the wars. I remember when I saw the movie "Saving Private Ryan" a great movie in my estimation, but still only a movie, but I was thinking at that age, the age of the men that fought in WWII, I was going to school, tearing around in little british sports cars, and chasing skirt, I actually worked pretty hard, but nothing like the experiences they had, and my freedom was all courtesy of those men fought in WWII. Sorry for your loss, the greatest generation indeed, it seemed like that generation went from being our leaders to dying off way too quickly.

 

[Basil]

There passing is sad, I think many look back nostalgically to when we pulled together as a country and a world to defeat a couple of very evil regimes, but I am sure there is much more than nostalgia in the memories of those men who fought the wars. I remember when I saw the movie "Saving Private Ryan" a great movie in my estimation, but still only a movie, but I was thinking at that age, the age of the men that fought in WWII, I was going to school, tearing around in little british sports cars, and chasing skirt, I actually worked pretty hard, but nothing like the experiences they had, and my freedom was all courtesy of those men fought in WWII. Sorry for your loss, the greatest generation indeed, it seemed like that generation went from being our leaders to dying off way too quickly.

My Dad fought in Germany/ Belgium during WWII. I still have his original Army ID card and dog tags. He was all of 19 years old. He never talked about it much, but I always knew the experience was profound for him.

 

[NutmegCT]

For a look at what many of these gentlemen went through *after* getting back to the States:

The Best Years of Our Lives, 1946. Just a sample:

 

[SaxMan]

My condolences.

I am still very fortunate to have regular contact with a handful of World War II veterans. I cherish every opportunity to talk to them.

Many groups are having their "Final Reunions", as most of their members have either passed, or have become too old to travel the kinds of distances to make it to the reunions. I know there was a "Final TBM Avenger Aircrew" reunion in Ohio this past fall that brought out about two dozen veterans. Years ago, each individual squadron would have a reunion.