doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Veteran's Day

I bought this custom rifle by Jerry Fisher this spring. I got it from his wife, Celeste. She told me that Jerry had made it for a pilot that wanted an extremely light hunting rifle to take sheep hunting.

She told me he flew for Frontier Airlines out of Denver, and that she had his log book from his flying. She sent it to me to go with the rifle Jerry had made for him.

When I got the log book, it wasn’t for commercial airlines, it was his log book from WWII when he was a B17 pilot. What unique and historic provenance that really adds value to an already collectible rifle…

Here in the UK Veterans Day is called Remembrance Day, more to remember the fallen of all wars, rather than to celebrate veterans.

I was a regular army officer for 13 years in the 1970s/80s. I remain actively connected to my regiment. We have an annual service in Leicester Cathedral, followed by a small parade and march to the Town Hall, for any of our old regimental veterans who are still able to march. The only time I have ever been thanked for my service was by a small group of American tourists who wanted to know what was going on. I was returning to my parked car, still with my medal, umbrella and bowler hat. It is not that the British are ungrateful for veterans service, its just that they do not express that gratitude in the same way as you do Stateside.

I'd be interested to hear what it was that changed attitudes in the States. My understanding is that post the Vietnam war veterans were shunned/forgotten. What changed, when and how? Now US veterans appear to be highly cherished and given priority boarding planes and other privileges, which just does not happen over here.

Lastly, my thanks to all veterans, wherever they are in the free world, for being willing to put their lives on the line for all our freedom.

Tim

Tim,
As a Vietnam veteran I was mistreated on my return, and I shrugged it off and moved on. It was an unpopular war to say the least, and I think that recent events have changed people's perspective on exactly what it means to defend the freedom of our nation.
Karl

While in uniform and when I was released from the Army in 1967, I was never mistreated or disrespected. Just my experience. I was also treated well by my superiors, both enlisted and commissioned.

With regards to what Tim said above. I recall a T.V. programme regarding this. With secret filming they had various uniformed military personnel visit a number of upmarket London stores. In each and every case they were ushered out by the staff the only exception being a female soldier that was disabled and in a wheelchair; they didn't seem to know what to do in that case. Quite shameful! Lagopus.....

Kipling summed it up!

I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,

The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."

The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,

I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:

O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";

But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,

The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,

O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.



I went into a theatre as sober as could be,

They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;

They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,

But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";

But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,

The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,

O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.



Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep

Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;

An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit

Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.

Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"

But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,

The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,

O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.



We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,

But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;

An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,

Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;

While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",

But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind,

There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,

O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.



You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:

We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.

Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face

The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"

But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;

An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;

An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!

The same mindset is alive and well today. The news tells us that that disaster relief leadership, passes messages amongst themselves from the highest reaches, for the agenda of denying life critcal aid to those who display signs of the President elect on their destroyed homes.

My Dad's WWII "navies". They hang at the front door of our home every Veterans Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July and VJ Day.



And outside the front door …

[img]https://i.imgur.com/D4FKNJs.mp4[/img]

Thank you to all who served from a grateful citizen!

Here in the US we have "Memorial Day" to honor those who died while serving in the US military a holiday, which for some states, dates to shortly after the Civil War in the late 1860's. Rather than two days to remember the fallen November 11th was chosen to honor those who served.

A flag on every grave in the Ft Jackson National Cemetery on every Memorial day - Judy and I will be buried here:

2022-05-29 by Robert Holliday, on Flickr