Seatacus
Veteran
My deepest gratitude to those that have paid the ultimate price for my freedom.
Memorial Day
- Thread starter Seatacus
- Start date
SparrowHawk
Veteran
- Nov 30, 2009
- 7,824
- 2,707
Memorial Day, 2010
This blog entry is a tribute to my Father and Uncle who fought in World War 2. It was a different time then, the US was fighting a war that could truely be defined as good vs eveil. Today the lines are often less clearly drawn and truth is the first casulty. We throw our Brightest, Best and Barvest into harms way to achieve goals that are often ill-defined and sometimes have questionable merit. The heroism of those in harms way need not be questioned. However, the motives of those who put them in harms way must be and sadly quite often. This is not what the blog is about. It's about 2 young boys from Lumberville, PA who answered the call of duty. When asked, they answered in the affirmative
.
Kenneth was the oldest son of Ruth E Updegrove and Willis Walter Johnson of Lumberville, PA, a Norman Rockwell like small town of around 100 people. Uncle Ken soon found himself in the US Army preparing for the invasion of Europe. The preperations complete, Ken found himself in the English Channel climbing down the rope ladder into a Higgins Boat bound for Omaha Beach, Normandy France on June 6, 1944. Like many who landed in the first wave, Ken found himself face down in the sand, bleeding from a wound to his left shoulder. This was not the end of the line for Uncle Ken as his shoulder was surgically repaired and he was sent back to action in the 3rd Army Corp, 90th Division, 357th Infantry Battallion under the command of General George S Patton. I recall vividly his answer regarding if he ever saw or met America's greatest General. His reply went like this, "I saw him alright, him and his pearl handled pistols and that Piece of #### dog. Bobby we loved him and we hated him, but he never sent us anyplace that he hadn't already been or where he wouldn't go with us" One time I asked him about the movie "Patton" and I asked if the scene where Patton was standing in the mud was accurate and Ken said, "Oh sure, I rode right by him on the back of a tank." Serving with Patton meant that Ken saw a lot of action! In December 1944 he found himself smack in the middle of the effort it rescue the 101st Airbourne who were surounded during the Battle of the Ardenne (aka, Battle of the Bulge) Once again Ken was slightly wounded, treated at a field hospital and sent back to fight. Finally on Christmas Day 1944 the 3rd Army arrived near Bastogne and the "Battling Bastards of Bastogne" were rescued! He was with them through the end of the war going home when the Army activities turned to one of occupation and not fighting. He also told of the liberation of one of the camps and not eating for a week, instead giving the prisoners his rations. Ken came back home and like a great many, settled down and went to work. For Ken work was 35 years at General Motors sprawling Willow Run facility in Ypsilanti, MI
All the while the above was going on a youger brother ran anxiously to the post office looking for letters from his Big Brother and his exploits. Robert L Johnson was born on July 3rd, 1929. 16 years and two days later on July 5th he joined the US Army. (YES he fibbed about his age) He completed his basic training and was sent to Artillery School, becoming a member of 426th Ordinance Training Battalion. This turned out to be short lived assignment as the preparations for an assault on the Japanese mainland was no longer needed due to the dropping of the bombs on Hiroshima & Nagasaki. For my Dad this would turn out to be a live altering event. He was sent to Yokohama, Japan as part of the Army of Occupation. While in Japan he contracted Rheumatic Fever, a then life threatening illness and pretty rare today. After 9 months in Yokahama Army Hospital my Dad was well enough to return home. The disease had weakened his heart so significantly that he spent several more months in a US Army hospital here at home prior to being Honorably Discharged. His health was so bad he received 100% disability at age 19 and was told he was unlikely to see his 25th birthday. Fortunately he lived long enough to have a son and daughter. He worked for a company that was the first vending machine company to actually brew individual cups of coffee in the machine. The improvement made for good business for the company founded by two army buddies and they only hired veterans. We were rolling along great until August 6th, 1967 when we got the call that "Big Bob" was stricken at work. "Something with his heart" we were told. Despite the best efforts of what was then the best heart team in the country on August 3, 1968 at the age of 39 Robert L Johnson was called home leaving behind my Mom, my Sister and Me in a small town of 250 people to fend for ourselves.
A tale of two brothers and fates intervention in their lives. Two children who answered the call and became men on foreign soil. Two citizen soldiers in the defense of Freedom & Liberty for those to young, to old, to infirm to defend it themselves.
I'll end with a story from when I was traveling. I'm sitting in First on a late night flight with these 2 young Marines coming home from Kuwait. They'd been up for 48 hours and were so wired to be going home they couldn't sleep. So we chatted a bit and they explained what their assignments were and I mentioned that I was Viet Nam era and didn't get drafted or serve. When we got round to talking about my uncle landing on Omaha, I was surprised when the one marine said, "OH GOD! Don't confuse what your uncle did with what we did. That was a REAL war back then" Well they both chuckled when I said in reply "Oh I don't know about that! Anyone who is willing to get shot at to preserve my ability to live in a society that allows me to work a job where I get to fly First Class and sip Gin & Tonic is a hero in my book. Thanks again for your service to your country" We we all laughed and promptly fell asleep. I don't know maybe the end of the conversation made them realize they were indeed home and in the hands of those who appreciate their efforts.
Thanks to every veteran of the United States Military for your service! God Bless You one and all from a grateful patriot.
This blog entry is a tribute to my Father and Uncle who fought in World War 2. It was a different time then, the US was fighting a war that could truely be defined as good vs eveil. Today the lines are often less clearly drawn and truth is the first casulty. We throw our Brightest, Best and Barvest into harms way to achieve goals that are often ill-defined and sometimes have questionable merit. The heroism of those in harms way need not be questioned. However, the motives of those who put them in harms way must be and sadly quite often. This is not what the blog is about. It's about 2 young boys from Lumberville, PA who answered the call of duty. When asked, they answered in the affirmative
.
Kenneth was the oldest son of Ruth E Updegrove and Willis Walter Johnson of Lumberville, PA, a Norman Rockwell like small town of around 100 people. Uncle Ken soon found himself in the US Army preparing for the invasion of Europe. The preperations complete, Ken found himself in the English Channel climbing down the rope ladder into a Higgins Boat bound for Omaha Beach, Normandy France on June 6, 1944. Like many who landed in the first wave, Ken found himself face down in the sand, bleeding from a wound to his left shoulder. This was not the end of the line for Uncle Ken as his shoulder was surgically repaired and he was sent back to action in the 3rd Army Corp, 90th Division, 357th Infantry Battallion under the command of General George S Patton. I recall vividly his answer regarding if he ever saw or met America's greatest General. His reply went like this, "I saw him alright, him and his pearl handled pistols and that Piece of #### dog. Bobby we loved him and we hated him, but he never sent us anyplace that he hadn't already been or where he wouldn't go with us" One time I asked him about the movie "Patton" and I asked if the scene where Patton was standing in the mud was accurate and Ken said, "Oh sure, I rode right by him on the back of a tank." Serving with Patton meant that Ken saw a lot of action! In December 1944 he found himself smack in the middle of the effort it rescue the 101st Airbourne who were surounded during the Battle of the Ardenne (aka, Battle of the Bulge) Once again Ken was slightly wounded, treated at a field hospital and sent back to fight. Finally on Christmas Day 1944 the 3rd Army arrived near Bastogne and the "Battling Bastards of Bastogne" were rescued! He was with them through the end of the war going home when the Army activities turned to one of occupation and not fighting. He also told of the liberation of one of the camps and not eating for a week, instead giving the prisoners his rations. Ken came back home and like a great many, settled down and went to work. For Ken work was 35 years at General Motors sprawling Willow Run facility in Ypsilanti, MI
All the while the above was going on a youger brother ran anxiously to the post office looking for letters from his Big Brother and his exploits. Robert L Johnson was born on July 3rd, 1929. 16 years and two days later on July 5th he joined the US Army. (YES he fibbed about his age) He completed his basic training and was sent to Artillery School, becoming a member of 426th Ordinance Training Battalion. This turned out to be short lived assignment as the preparations for an assault on the Japanese mainland was no longer needed due to the dropping of the bombs on Hiroshima & Nagasaki. For my Dad this would turn out to be a live altering event. He was sent to Yokohama, Japan as part of the Army of Occupation. While in Japan he contracted Rheumatic Fever, a then life threatening illness and pretty rare today. After 9 months in Yokahama Army Hospital my Dad was well enough to return home. The disease had weakened his heart so significantly that he spent several more months in a US Army hospital here at home prior to being Honorably Discharged. His health was so bad he received 100% disability at age 19 and was told he was unlikely to see his 25th birthday. Fortunately he lived long enough to have a son and daughter. He worked for a company that was the first vending machine company to actually brew individual cups of coffee in the machine. The improvement made for good business for the company founded by two army buddies and they only hired veterans. We were rolling along great until August 6th, 1967 when we got the call that "Big Bob" was stricken at work. "Something with his heart" we were told. Despite the best efforts of what was then the best heart team in the country on August 3, 1968 at the age of 39 Robert L Johnson was called home leaving behind my Mom, my Sister and Me in a small town of 250 people to fend for ourselves.
A tale of two brothers and fates intervention in their lives. Two children who answered the call and became men on foreign soil. Two citizen soldiers in the defense of Freedom & Liberty for those to young, to old, to infirm to defend it themselves.
I'll end with a story from when I was traveling. I'm sitting in First on a late night flight with these 2 young Marines coming home from Kuwait. They'd been up for 48 hours and were so wired to be going home they couldn't sleep. So we chatted a bit and they explained what their assignments were and I mentioned that I was Viet Nam era and didn't get drafted or serve. When we got round to talking about my uncle landing on Omaha, I was surprised when the one marine said, "OH GOD! Don't confuse what your uncle did with what we did. That was a REAL war back then" Well they both chuckled when I said in reply "Oh I don't know about that! Anyone who is willing to get shot at to preserve my ability to live in a society that allows me to work a job where I get to fly First Class and sip Gin & Tonic is a hero in my book. Thanks again for your service to your country" We we all laughed and promptly fell asleep. I don't know maybe the end of the conversation made them realize they were indeed home and in the hands of those who appreciate their efforts.
Thanks to every veteran of the United States Military for your service! God Bless You one and all from a grateful patriot.
dapoes
Veteran
- May 17, 2008
- 3,543
- 2,716
