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Post by domeplease on May 23, 2020 14:29:42 GMT -5
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Post by rizzuto on May 24, 2020 12:09:55 GMT -5
Yes, so many Americans volunteered for sacrifice in WWII, both at home and abroad. Victory gardens, scrap metal collections, food rationing, Rosy the Riveter... Now, wearing a cloth mask during a pandemic is too much to ask. My father began working in the shipyards at 17 right out of high school. He joined the Navy when he turned 18 and was in the Philippine islands during the war. Luckily, he came home healthy and without injury, other than contracting malaria. His older brother was pronounced killed in action during the war before turning up alive in a hospital in France two years later. He was a tank driver in the Battle of the Bulge under General Patton. While in the hospital, physicians wanted to amputate his legs, which were riddled with shrapnel. He refused (“You’re not taking my god damned legs,” he supposedly said, along with other expletives) and was told he would die if he didn’t. I never remember my uncle not dancing whenever music was played. He died in his 80s with his legs. |
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Post by inger on May 24, 2020 12:12:26 GMT -5
Yes, so many Americans volunteered for sacrifice in WWII, both at home and abroad. Victory gardens, scrap metal collections, food rationing, Rosy the Riveter... Now, wearing a cloth mask during a pandemic is too much to ask. My father began working in the shipyards at 17 right out of high school. He joined the Navy when he turned 18 and was in the Philippine islands during the war. Luckily, he came home healthy and without injury, other than contracting malaria. His older brother was pronounced killed in action during the war before turning up alive in a hospital in France two years later. He was a tank driver in the Battle of the Bulge under General Patton. While in the hospital, physicians wanted to amputate his legs, which were riddled with shrapnel. He refused (“You’re not taking my god damned legs,” he supposedly said, along with other expletives) and was told he would die if he didn’t. I never remember my uncle not dancing whenever music was played. He died in his 80s with his legs. God damned brave men! Good stories... |
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Post by kaybli on May 24, 2020 13:18:34 GMT -5
Yes, so many Americans volunteered for sacrifice in WWII, both at home and abroad. Victory gardens, scrap metal collections, food rationing, Rosy the Riveter... Now, wearing a cloth mask during a pandemic is too much to ask. My father began working in the shipyards at 17 right out of high school. He joined the Navy when he turned 18 and was in the Philippine islands during the war. Luckily, he came home healthy and without injury, other than contracting malaria. His older brother was pronounced killed in action during the war before turning up alive in a hospital in France two years later. He was a tank driver in the Battle of the Bulge under General Patton. While in the hospital, physicians wanted to amputate his legs, which were riddled with shrapnel. He refused (“You’re not taking my god damned legs,” he supposedly said, along with other expletives) and was told he would die if he didn’t. I never remember my uncle not dancing whenever music was played. He died in his 80s with his legs. Great stories rizzuto! Hats off to your father and uncle! |
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Post by chiyankee on May 24, 2020 14:00:10 GMT -5
Yes, so many Americans volunteered for sacrifice in WWII, both at home and abroad. Victory gardens, scrap metal collections, food rationing, Rosy the Riveter... Now, wearing a cloth mask during a pandemic is too much to ask. My father began working in the shipyards at 17 right out of high school. He joined the Navy when he turned 18 and was in the Philippine islands during the war. Luckily, he came home healthy and without injury, other than contracting malaria. His older brother was pronounced killed in action during the war before turning up alive in a hospital in France two years later. He was a tank driver in the Battle of the Bulge under General Patton. While in the hospital, physicians wanted to amputate his legs, which were riddled with shrapnel. He refused (“You’re not taking my god damned legs,” he supposedly said, along with other expletives) and was told he would die if he didn’t. I never remember my uncle not dancing whenever music was played. He died in his 80s with his legs. Great story Rizz, thanks for sharing. People like your father, uncle, my grandfather (a WWII air force vet) and the late, great MrG were amazing men. |
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Post by kaybli on May 24, 2020 14:11:43 GMT -5
Yes, so many Americans volunteered for sacrifice in WWII, both at home and abroad. Victory gardens, scrap metal collections, food rationing, Rosy the Riveter... Now, wearing a cloth mask during a pandemic is too much to ask. My father began working in the shipyards at 17 right out of high school. He joined the Navy when he turned 18 and was in the Philippine islands during the war. Luckily, he came home healthy and without injury, other than contracting malaria. His older brother was pronounced killed in action during the war before turning up alive in a hospital in France two years later. He was a tank driver in the Battle of the Bulge under General Patton. While in the hospital, physicians wanted to amputate his legs, which were riddled with shrapnel. He refused (“You’re not taking my god damned legs,” he supposedly said, along with other expletives) and was told he would die if he didn’t. I never remember my uncle not dancing whenever music was played. He died in his 80s with his legs. Great story Rizz, thanks for sharing. People like your father, uncle, my grandfather (a WWII air force vet) and the late, great MrG were amazing men. Amen to that! |
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Post by inger on May 25, 2020 12:03:30 GMT -5
Good time for a brief historical bit on a couple of players no one ever heard of. First, there’s Harry O’Neill, a tall 6’3”, 205 pounder who threw and batted from the right side. He was born in PA in 1917, and was a much sought-after multi sport star at Gettysburg College. So desires that when he graduated he went straight to MLB with the Philadelphia A’s.
He sat on the bench all season (1939) with the exception of one game, in which the A’s were getting hammered 16-3 by Detroit. He caught one scoreless inning, and though he was listed as the lead-off batter, he never came to the plate. He remained on the team, but never played another MLB game.
O’Neill was picked up by the Pirates for the 1940 season, but only went 10 for 42 with a double and a homer before going into military service. On March 6, 1945 he was killed as an infantryman in the battle for Iwo Jima.
The other player is Elmer Gideon, a 6’4”; 196 pound centerfielder who batted and threw right handed. He hit three singles in his only MLB season while batting 15 times for the Washington Senators.in 1939. He was promising hitter with good power in the minors, where he played in 1940, racking up a .271 mark with 20 doubles, 9 triples, and 11 HR in 468 AB. He was never to return to baseball, dying when a B-26 bomber he was flying was shot down over St. Pol, France on April 20, 1944.
Amid stories of MLB players heroic returns to baseball, most notably Ted Williams, and with knowledge that over 500 MLB players performed military duty during WWII, perhaps we should be amazed that only two perished in the war, and to think it very well could have been a star such as Williams...
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Post by kaybli on May 25, 2020 12:09:15 GMT -5
Good time for a brief historical bit on a couple of players no one ever heard of. First, there’s Harry O’Neill, a tall 6’3”, 205 pounder who threw and batted from the right side. He was born in PA in 1917, and was a much sought-after multi sport star at Gettysburg College. So desires that when he graduated he went straight to MLB with the Philadelphia A’s. He sat on the bench all season (1939) with the exception of one game, in which the A’s were getting hammered 16-3 by Detroit. He caught one scoreless inning, and though he was listed as the lead-off batter, he never came to the plate. He remained on the team, but never played another MLB game. O’Neill was picked up by the Pirates for the 1940 season, but only went 10 for 42 with a double and a homer before going into military service. On March 6, 1945 he was killed as an infantryman in the battle for Iwo Jima. The other player is Elmer Gideon, a 6’4”; 196 pound centerfielder who batted and threw right handed. He hit three singles in his only MLB season while batting 15 times for the Washington Senators.in 1939. He was promising hitter with good power in the minors, where he played in 1940, racking up a .271 mark with 20 doubles, 9 triples, and 11 HR in 468 AB. He was never to return to baseball, dying when a B-26 bomber he was flying was shot down over St. Pol, France on April 20, 1944. Amid stories of MLB players heroic returns to baseball, most notably Ted Williams, and with knowledge that over 500 MLB players performed military duty during WWII, perhaps we should be amazed that only two perished in the war, and to think it very well could have been a star such as Williams... Salute to Harry O'Neill and Elmer Gideon and all those who lost their lives in service on this Memorial Day. |
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Post by inger on May 25, 2020 13:32:00 GMT -5
There were eight players who lost their lives in WW1. Got some things to do today, so no promises on any further information...
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Post by rizzuto on May 25, 2020 21:51:51 GMT -5
There were eight players who lost their lives in WW1. Got some things to do today, so no promises on any further information... When gravel calls...  |
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Post by inger on May 25, 2020 22:10:01 GMT -5
There were eight players who lost their lives in WW1. Got some things to do today, so no promises on any further information... When gravel calls... Lol. This spring is mostly about planting and watering. I do still have about 1-1.5T of blue slag left, and a place to move it to. It’s starting to get awful warm for that heavy work, so it’ll probably wait til fall. I have the single lot in the area that never had any landscaping at all (except for some failures that I’m tearing out) from the previous owner’s 17 year residency, so the neighbors are all excited that I’m doing something with the lot. So now, I crave germination and rooting... |
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