Veteran's Day 2007

[safewalrus]

Why thankee Charlie sir. Nuff said!!

[nordvindcrew]

To add to the list of veterens, the Merchant Marine. Only recently have they been honored with the status of veteren. If my memory is correct, there were more merchant marine deaths by percentage than any other branch of the service. My uncle, Ernest Melby, the son of a Norweigan immegrant, graduated from Massachusetts Maritime academy and went straight to the North Atlantic run; 5 of his classmates were lost and he witnessed two of their ships go down. Convoys didn't stop to look for survivors due to the dangers of submarine attack. When the war ended, he left the sea never to return, a casualty of his own way. They were the pipeline of freedom during Englands' darkest days, God Bless them!

[nordvindcrew]

another thread has progressed on to the subject of theivery. Here in this part of the US of A, the knuckle draggers have resorted to stealing the bronze memorial plaques off the graves of vets. Second the idea of id'ing theives by their dental records. Brother (submarine service), uncle (merchant Marine WW11) and grandfather (WW1) all are honored with plaques, God help anyone I catch trying to pilfer them.

[safewalrus]

Well said Nord' totally agree with you mate on both your threads (and if I find anybody pilfering that kind of stuff, no matter which side or nation, there won't be much left roe others to deal with!)

Incidentally the British Royal Mercantile Marine lost more than all the other services put together in WW II (nearly beaten by their American cousins). the amazing thing was they stopped being paid the minute their ship was sunk! You survive thirty days in a lifeboat, get home eventually with most of your mates dead and find your family in the streets for not paying for their food and housing, and still they went back to sea and an uncertain future! WHY? because they Knew no other way and their country called!! No bits of tin or trinkets for them (medals)

[longliner45]

amen to that wally,,,and please get rid of that stupidwalrus avatar ,,I liked the mug shot better,longliner

[masalai]

I've never worn my medals & doubt I will, they are to me a posthumous award of appreciation, kept respectfully in their boxes awaiting my final time. I remain a member of the RSL and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for us all when I open the draw of my desk and see the boxes and on both Anzac day and Remembrance day services observed by most Australians. 25 April and 11 November respectively.

[charmc]

Originally Posted by nordvindcrew

another thread has progressed on to the subject of theivery. Here in this part of the US of A, the knuckle draggers have resorted to stealing the bronze memorial plaques off the graves of vets. Second the idea of id'ing theives by their dental records. Brother (submarine service), uncle (merchant Marine WW11) and grandfather (WW1) all are honored with plaques, God help anyone I catch trying to pilfer them.

Well said, Jeff. Stealing a symbol of honor is among the worst.

[safewalrus]

Mr Lee - each to his own, I wear mine on Remeberance Sunday to remind them as follows what some did and died for! (would be nice if I could get the final one - entitled to the PJM but it appears nobody want to give it to me as I don't belong to any Self Imposed Heros Clubs (the NMBVA) can't handle that shower - I did what I had to, lost a couple of mates but that's the way it goes!

[masalai]

As I said before the 10pound offer exists (you pay your own fare now) and the RSL is not of that crowd where I have been (apart from the "pokies" not Whores but poker machines - one armed bandits without arms now. over the road but under the same name in Maroochydore. I go to the museum to give the oldies there the printouts of some dirty jokes - the ones I also posted here.

That section also helped me get my last medal. Now I have a set of 2, not the doxen or so for Vietnam vets. I could not have survived that fcuk up.