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Memorial Day.

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Forgive the long post but I feel it's probably a good day for it. Oddly enough, I type this at 2:24pm which I will explain. I deployed with an East Coast based SEAL Team in late 2007, till early 2008. The deployment was to Iraq, specifically Baqubah, Iraq, which was the most kinetic spot in the country at the time. There were many firefights, as the enemy was hardened, we'll funded, and as extremist as it gets. On Feb, 04 2008, while split into multiple elements, both of our elements were in firefights that were amongst the most severe I've ever seen. During the fighting, a house was being cleared by Michael Koch (BUDS class 224) and Nate Hardy. Before they entered the house, Robik, the Military Working Dog, was sent into the house to see if it was clear. Robik went in, circled, came back out. A red laser was sent to the door, signaling Robik back in, again a circle, then back out. As Mike and Nate entered the building they were immediately gunned down by 3 barricaded shooters. A heavy fight ensued to retrieve their bodies, but was achieved and all enemy combatants were killed. Mike and Nate died there. 4 days later, on Feb, 8th in Baqubah while fighting we were blown up in a HBIED (House Borne IED) and EOD1 Louis Souffront was killed, 6 others were wounded badly. Weeks later, the only other thing that entered the building where Mike and Nate died, Robik, was killed in a crossfire with insurgent forces. I know a lot of us have stories of lost friends and families in war, I just wanted to share one that I was thinking about on this day. I rescued a German Shepherd about a year ago and named her Robik in honor of the original Robik. So many brave warriors gave their all so we can be here and be free. Have a beer for Mike, Nate, Louis, and Robik if you drink today.
 
anarchy99 said:
Forgive the long post but I feel it's probably a good day for it. Oddly enough, I type this at 2:24pm which I will explain. I deployed with an East Coast based SEAL Team in late 2007, till early 2008. The deployment was to Iraq, specifically Baqubah, Iraq, which was the most kinetic spot in the country at the time. There were many firefights, as the enemy was hardened, we'll funded, and as extremist as it gets. On Feb, 04 2008, while split into multiple elements, both of our elements were in firefights that were amongst the most severe I've ever seen. During the fighting, a house was being cleared by Michael Koch (BUDS class 224) and Nate Hardy. Before they entered the house, Robik, the Military Working Dog, was sent into the house to see if it was clear. Robik went in, circled, came back out. A red laser was sent to the door, signaling Robik back in, again a circle, then back out. As Mike and Nate entered the building they were immediately gunned down by 3 barricaded shooters. A heavy fight ensued to retrieve their bodies, but was achieved and all enemy combatants were killed. Mike and Nate died there. 4 days later, on Feb, 8th in Baqubah while fighting we were blown up in a HBIED (House Borne IED) and EOD1 Louis Souffront was killed, 6 others were wounded badly. Weeks later, the only other thing that entered the building where Mike and Nate died, Robik, was killed in a crossfire with insurgent forces. I know a lot of us have stories of lost friends and families in war, I just wanted to share one that I was thinking about on this day. I rescued a German Shepherd about a year ago and named her Robik in honor of the original Robik. So many brave warriors gave their all so we can be here and be free. Have a beer for Mike, Nate, Louis, and Robik if you drink today.
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Thanks for sharing such a personal story. Will keep your comrades in our thought and prayers.
 
Here's to them and so many more like them.
 
anarchy99 said:
Have a beer for Mike, Nate, Louis, and Robik
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Done. And one for you, too.
 
Here in the frozen north, we do all our public stuff like this on Remembrance Day, November 11th... On November 11th (the eleventh month), at 11 AM in 1918 was when the Great War armistice was signed... For those who may remember, still doing those poppy portraits every Remembrance Day, even last year during Covid!

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And here is my video/slideshow of the same theme, photos from three years ago and earlier...

 
Boink said:
Here is/was the forward field hospital where McCrae served (and died). His famous poem is the greatest of all war-time works (“In Flanders Fields the poppies blow…”).
View attachment 70107
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John McRae was a member of the church where my mom attends. (St Andrew's Presbyterian, Guelph ON)

We don't have Memorial Day (we have Remembrance Day for both) but, important memories (and yes raising a drink) to comrades & friends here and gone. It also feels like this year is especially important to remember the price of freedom.
 
I knew he died in a plane crash but couldn’t remember where it was. Thanks for the reminder
 
Growing up, I had often heard about a cousin who served in the AAF in World War II and never came home. I finally decided to find out the details of the story. Not only did I learn the details, but I re-established a connection with cousins who didn't even know our line of the family existed.

Sam Snitzer was born in October 1923. He was drafted in the summer of 1942, but remained stateside until late 1944. He found himself as a flight engineer / armorer in India for aircraft flying "The Hump". On the night of January 6, 1945, he was a crewman on a C-109, a B-24 converted to carry large quantities of aviation fuel. The plane simply vanished. No crash site, no debris found, and no survivors. Sam remains one of 358 airman who flew "The Hump" still missing to this day.
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Samuel Snitzer 10/29/23 - 1/6/45
 
Here is another pic. This one was taken stateside right after he graduated from flight engineer school. The emcee with the microphone might look familiar to some of you: That's none other than "Buffalo Bob" Smith.
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My Uncle Gerry was wounded in Italy, contracted polio while lying in a wet ditch and got a Purple Heart. He had to enlist because he was only born with one ear. I'm glad he's not around today to see - well never mind.
 
My dad in 1944, New Georgia Island (near Australia). Establishing radar installations for British and American military.

Dad 1944.jpg


A native chief wanted to give him a gift for helping his village with food and medicines. Chief said "you take any one of my daughters". Dad said thanks, but not today. Chief then said "then you take any one of my sons". Dad turned red and again said Thanks, but not today. Chief then gave him a big cup of betel nut wine and they danced the night away.
 
My dad was a bit too young for WW2, but had an older cousin that was in the merchant marine going back and forth to England. Had his ship sunk twice and survived. Died in New Orleans mid war from a fall while painting on his then ship. Luck ran out I guess.
 
June 7th dad went onto the Utah beachhead with his quad-fifty AA crew. Spent the early months of 1945 in the "scenic" (sic) Ardennes forest. Made it all the way to crossing the Ruhr, sometime in early April '45 I believe, and was knocked out of the gun mount by an 88 round not quite close enough to kill him. Spent the rest of the war in England, recuperating. Came home, met the widow of a P-38 jock, they married and had two sons. Grand luck fer moi.
 
Ardennes and across the Rhine/Ruhr - Market Garden?
 
My dad carried a BAR. A couple of years ago I went to a WWII reenactment and there was a display of WWII rifles. I asked if I could pickup the BAR as I wanted to see how heavy the rifle my dad carried with him. My request was denied until I explained “why” I wanted to hold it. I was allowed to pick it up and couldn’t believe how heavy a rifle it was.
 
NutmegCT said:
Ardennes and across the Rhine/Ruhr - Market Garden?
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I don't think so, Tom. From what I can recall, he said his company went back north toward Antwerp, then east into Germany (He'd mentioned Aaachen), but that would have been much later in the war, near the end.
 
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