doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Never forget

On this day, I often think of an old friend's dad who was a PT skipper stationed at Pearl Harbor. He was playing tennis when he heard the planes attack. He went to his Elco and spent the day rescuing seaman from the water. Six months later he led a squadron of PT boats to Midway, being refueled by seaplanes and ships enroute. It was 1600 miles of open water from Pearl to Midway. He is listed in the USN''s official order of battle as commanding the smallest vessels present during the Battle of Midway. https://www.history.navy.mil/conten...etically/c/composition-of-us-forces.html Post war, Captain McKellar, a graduate of Annapolis, served as liaison between the Navy and Senate during the time JFK was in the Senate. Gil

I think of my late buddy Carl, who shared with me a love of Darne guns. Not at Pearl Harbor, but, was onboard the USS Gambier Bay at the battle off Samaar, the day the Japanese managed to get the 18” guns on the Yamato trained on her. He said it looked like a Buick Roadmaster went through both sides of the ship.
He had to tread water for four days, and ended up on another jeep carrier that ferried troops back from Japan.

He lived a long life, never married, and had no kids. He didn’t talk much about the war.

He did say he figured the “CVE” classification of the Casablanca class carriers stood for “Combustable, vulnerable, and expendable”.
Best,
Ted

I am reminded of my grandfathers one fought his way from Sicily to Berlin the other from Pearl to Iwo Jima. They are my hero’s; growing up, as a child and a young adult they were there for me at every game, match, birthday, and graduation. Later in life I learned what they and the others of their generation had endured to give the rest of us the possibility of safety, freedom, and opportunity that many of us have inherited. That generation was there for all of us. No I can never forget, none of us should. Thank God for all of those Americans!

I haven't forgotten what happened at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7th, 1941. And I remember the stories of the Great Uncle I never met, told by my Grandmother and his older brother, who missed him most of their lives because he was killed in Africa in WWII. Some other Uncles served in WWII, but never spoke about what they saw or did. One got malaria, and took malaria medication the rest of his life.

I find it very sad that many barely remember what happened on this date, if at all. We have a one day holiday to remember our military veterans, and a one day holiday to honor military men who died for their country. Today, Dec. 7th isn't even a National holiday, it's just another day on the calendar. Yet Liberal Democrats seem to think it is more important to dedicate a whole month to pride month, in order to celebrate sexual deviants... and to light up the White House with colored lights and rainbow flags. A whole month to normalize perversions and mental illness. That's beyond disgusting.

I am glad you guys are responding it's a good thing to remember the great real heros in our life

My Grandfather had a good friend, a small town carpenter and bare knuckle fighter, who was married on Dec 7, 1941. I never knew this until one day I saw it engraved on his headstone, and never heard the story.

Must have been a good one......................

RIP, Bode.

Back when men were men.........

One of the members at my gun club would show up to shoot trap wearing one of those ball caps you see on veterans. His said "Ford Island".
He was a j.g., PBY pilot. Was still mad at the Japanese for wrecking his plane. He went on to fly a Cat in the Solomons, then instruct and made a career in one PatWing after another.
He averaged 18/25 at trap until he stopped. Aged 94, his new girlfriend decided he liked bowling more than trap. He passed a couple years ago. Still missed.

Do we have enough men today who would take up the fight to defend freedom? I wonder. I do see a bit of a resurgence in patriotism, post kneeling for the anthem. I saw a T-shirt for sale recently that read "If trouble must come, let it come in my time, that my children might live in peace." That reflected my feelings perfectly.

I am cautiously optimistic, but then again, that is how I am wired. I am about as far removed from pessimism as one can be.

Ted you were lucky to know someone involved in the taffy 3 fight of Samara island I have read so much about that ordeal it is one of the greatest naval battles in history.and on paper the greatest victory.i would have loved to talk with you friend