F4N From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Posted (7 years 8 months 2 days 3 hours ago) and read 1076 times:
To all:
I saw somrthing recently about US combat veterans and demographics. Not surprisingly, numbers of WW2 veterans are in steep decline as most of these men are now in their 80's(my father, who survived a tour as a B17 crewman, died a number of years ago as have all of my uncles who fought in WW2).
That said, Korean War veterans have now reached the point in their lives where they are beginning to pass away in increasing numbers(they have now entered their 70's) while Vietnam vets are now in their 50's(like me) or their 60's.
Since most of the folks who participate here tend to be younger, I was curious as to how many of you out there did actually fight.
If you've ever been the the Hale Koa Hotel in Honolulu - and what GI hasn't - and been the the Luau there the former headliner at the Hale Koa Luau, Mr. Danny Couch, used to have all the veterans stand . . . WW1, WW2, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf . . . my first trip there in the early 1990s, there was always one, perhaps 2 WW1 vets there. And of course a dozen or two WW2 vets. I've seen in recent years, no more WW1 vets, and fewer and fewer WW2 vets.
Salute to them all, definitely members of the Greatest Generation.
F4N From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 3, posted (7 years 8 months 2 days 3 hours ago) and read 1053 times:
Quoting ANCFlyer (Reply 1): my first trip there in the early 1990s, there was always one, perhaps 2 WW1 vets there. And of course a dozen or two WW2 vets. I've seen in recent years, no more WW1 vets, and fewer and fewer WW2 vets.
ANCFlyer:
Interesting point. I saw on Yahoo news recently that Australia's last surviving
WW1 combat vet passed away at 106! How many of these men can possibly be left anywhere?
SlamClick From United States of America, joined Nov 2003, 10062 posts, RR: 71 Reply 4, posted (7 years 8 months 2 days 3 hours ago) and read 1051 times:
Yes. Vietnam.
1276 hours of combat flying time in 348 days, but who's counting?
That plus the usual: Being mortared. Coming under fire in a vehicle between airfield and town. Isolated in a downtown hotel during Tet '68 and feeling pretty lonesome.
In Honduras during the Soccer War in 1969 but not really in combat.
Couple of minor (and one-sided) firefights here in the US of A during a mis-spent youth.
Happiness is not seeing another trite Ste. Maarten photo all week long.
Aloges From Germany, joined Jan 2006, 8392 posts, RR: 47 Reply 5, posted (7 years 8 months 2 days 2 hours ago) and read 1035 times:
Thank God I haven't. I didn't do (compulsory) military service either, but instead went for civilian service which in my case probably ended up being a harder job than the one many recruits have to do.
Walk together, talk together all ye peoples of the earth. Then, and only then, shall ye have peace.
SATL382G From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 6, posted (7 years 8 months 2 days 2 hours ago) and read 1027 times:
Depends on how you define Combat...
I've been shot at (by a malfunctioning RPG in Bosnia) but I don't consider it combat since I didn't shoot back (couldn't see a target). Besides my pal and I were magnificently armed with a M9 plus 2 extra magazines each! . Not questioning instructions at all, we hotfooted it out of there and called the RRF.
Jap From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 7, posted (7 years 8 months 2 days 2 hours ago) and read 1027 times:
My father has. Bosnia-Herzegovina, he was there for 6 months. As I was very young back then, so I didn't quite understand what was going on, thanks god.
He's going to kosovo in febuary, once again for 6 months. Thankfully, he's only there to keep up the peace, not to fight
AGM114L From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 9, posted (7 years 8 months 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 970 times:
Quoting SlamClick (Reply 4): 1276 hours of combat flying time in 348 days, but who's counting?
There's nothing like putting a 'C' in the logbook. Counts for alot I think.
I'm a OIF vet still serving in active duty and I'm supposed to be going back to Iraq about a year from now. I have flown 753 combat hours (500 CPG / 250 PC) in 18 months there as a Longbow pilot. I arrived just after the innitial push so they say optempo slowed down, didn't seem that way to me though. I don't think anything in my life will compare to the thrill of flying an attack helicopter in combat.
Jetjack74 From United States of America, joined Jul 2003, 7338 posts, RR: 52 Reply 10, posted (7 years 8 months 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 933 times:
Never in combat, but have flown into warzones, Afghanistan, Iraq, southern Philippines. But haven't been in the field of battle. I did drive through Compton, CA, does that count?
Sabena332 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 11, posted (7 years 8 months 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 927 times:
Quoting Aloges (Reply 5): but instead went for civilian service which in my case probably ended up being a harder job than the one many recruits have to do.
DL021 From United States of America, joined May 2004, 11435 posts, RR: 81 Reply 12, posted (7 years 8 months 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 919 times:
US Army..Central America (Panama, Honduras), Southwest Asia (Iraq), and I really pissed my mother off once when was 11 and I punched a hole in a wall at the house (terrifying, actually).
Quoting F4N (Reply 3): Interesting point. I saw on Yahoo news recently that Australia's last surviving
WW1 combat vet passed away at 106!
Was he the last WWI vet or the last RAN vet from WWI? That would explain the state funeral.
Quoting SlamClick (Reply 4): 1276 hours of combat flying time in 348 days, but who's counting?
I'll bet you knew how many days short you were.....
Quoting SlamClick (Reply 4): In Honduras during the Soccer War in 1969 but not really in combat.
We'll have to talk about that the next time I'm in your neck of the woods. I met a guy who said he flew Corsairs for Hondo during that war, he was a rather old Colonel in their AF in '87.
Quoting SATL382G (Reply 6): ve been shot at (by a malfunctioning RPG in Bosnia) but I don't consider it combat since I didn't shoot back (couldn't see a target).
That counts. Anytime some asshole is shooting at you it's combat. If you can't see the guy it makes it really scary combat. How did the RPG malfunction?
Quoting Jetjack74 (Reply 10): I did drive through Compton, CA, does that count?
on Friday nights and after sporting events where money was on the line....
Logan22L From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 13, posted (7 years 8 months 1 day 16 hours ago) and read 910 times:
Quoting DL021 (Reply 12): I really pissed my mother off once when was 11 and I punched a hole in a wall at the house
That was when you were in the most danger, no doubt.
I salute all of you guys. Agree or disagree with motives and all that stuff, you did what you were asked to or volunteered to do. Thanks, from the bottom of my heart.
SlamClick From United States of America, joined Nov 2003, 10062 posts, RR: 71 Reply 14, posted (7 years 8 months 1 day 16 hours ago) and read 908 times:
Quoting DL021 (Reply 12): met a guy who said he flew Corsairs for Hondo during that war, he was a rather old Colonel in their AF in '87.
Bet he didn't fly them for very long. I remember them being spotted around the ramp at Tegucigalpa with .50cals in sandbag revetments between them - and all in a giant puddle of oil. They did fly some missions, but the age of the planes and engines was the high-scoring ace of that war.
Did hear that the Corsairs had a pretty good kill ratio over the Salvadorean P-51s but didn't see any real evidence of it.
Also heard that Honduras may have had some "ringer" Corsair pilots - leftover aces from WW II and Korea as mercenaries. That would be an interesting story.
Happiness is not seeing another trite Ste. Maarten photo all week long.
DL021 From United States of America, joined May 2004, 11435 posts, RR: 81 Reply 15, posted (7 years 8 months 1 day 16 hours ago) and read 903 times:
Slammer...I'll email you the article from Air Enthusiast from a couple months ago. You'll like it.
Quoting SlamClick (Reply 14): Also heard that Honduras may have had some "ringer" Corsair pilots - leftover aces from WW II and Korea as mercenaries. That would be an interesting story.
I heard that too.
Salvador got the ass end of that little war. Both sides were flying Corsairs, and the Hondurans had a couple of those Piper modified Mustangs. The queen of battle there was the 'B'C-47 bomber. I think I jumped out of that in the 80's.....
SATL382G From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 16, posted (7 years 8 months 1 day 16 hours ago) and read 891 times:
Quoting DL021 (Reply 12): How did the RPG malfunction?
By not detonating. Wouldn't have mattered if it did, the shooter was drunk and led our vehicle too much + with too much elevation. Still it got our attention and we didn't stick around.
"There’s nothing quite as exhilarating as being shot at and missed." --Winston Churchill
Sabena332 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 20, posted (7 years 8 months 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 824 times:
Quoting Aloges (Reply 18): Besides, I wouldn't be studying medicine without the experiences from "Zivildienst".
I was also thinking about studying medicine after my "Zivildienst" but unfortunately I had only a "Fachabitur" (Abitur für Arme ), so I started studying economics.
Matt27 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 21, posted (7 years 8 months 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 817 times:
After I finished my military service I received a letter from the Swedish armed forces, and they wondered if I was interested in going to Kosovo or Afghanistan with the Swedish UN troops. I was kinda interested in the beginning, but after some consideration I turned down the offer, and I am glad I did.
Asbg From Israel, joined Feb 2000, 538 posts, RR: 6 Reply 22, posted (7 years 8 months 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 801 times:
My experience isn't really a fighting one but I did take part in a passive way. A while ago there were mortar attacks on the Golan Heights where I serve. Dozens were shot by the Hizbullah on the posts around the border. The whole area was in action. I serve in a combat unit of the Field Intelligence Corps. I don't fight but I am in the front line collecting intelligence.
Usnseallt82 From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 4891 posts, RR: 54 Reply 24, posted (7 years 8 months 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 785 times:
27 JGPH1A: I get it. If you say any more, you'll have to kill us all, right ? Where did you get a sergeant-major from ? Have you joined the fascist military-ind
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From , joined Dec 1969, posts, 
as have all of my uncles who fought in WW2). 
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From Germany, joined Jan 2006, 8392 posts, 
. Not questioning instructions at all, we hotfooted it out of there and called the RRF.
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From , joined Dec 1969, posts, 
I'll bet! 
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From Israel, joined Feb 2000, 538 posts, 
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