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The Japanese Empire ceased hostilities. Today is VJ Day. Thanks to all the veterans of the Pacific campaign especially my Father-in-law.

I would like to add my tribute to my father. Doyle Parker, US Marine Cpl, Ryukyu Islands, WWII. 42-45.

I'm grateful to those who served over there, and infinitely glad we dropped the bombs when we did.

My grandfather turned 18 on August 3rd, 1945 and if he had been drafted, he might have been a part of one of the waves we would have had to send onto the home islands themselves if invasion had proved necessary.

If he had been killed, I wouldn't be here today.

My father was in the CBI theater -- China/Burma/India. He died in 1989. I have blow-ups of a couple of pictures of him, one on a ric-shaw, and another of him posing on a Budda in a pile of rubble. He was a radio-man.

sjfcontrol wrote:My father was in the CBI theater -- China/Burma/India. He died in 1989. I have blow-ups of a couple of pictures of him, one on a ric-shaw, and another of him posing on a Budda in a pile of rubble. He was a radio-man.

My dad too, he was in the Signal Corp in France and Germany.

sjfcontrol wrote:My father was in the CBI theater -- China/Burma/India. He died in 1989. I have blow-ups of a couple of pictures of him, one on a ric-shaw, and another of him posing on a Budda in a pile of rubble. He was a radio-man.

What branch of service and do you know where he was? My dad was US Army. Served at Chabua AB in the Assam district. Passed away March 2011. I have one picture of him at the base standing in front of a tent smoking a cigar.

My maternal uncle was a Marine in WWII. He was a corpsman who earned the Bronze Star for pulling wounded men off of the beach during the re-taking of the island of Guam. He died stateside of wounds received in combat that day. I sure wish I could have met him. Thank you for the reminder of VJ Day, BTW.

2nd Lt David R. Smith USMC, WIA Iwo Jima. Promoted to 1st Lt on Guam. Promoted to Capt in the Reserves at war's end. Semper Fi, Dad. Wish you were here.

My grandfather: Brigadier General Elmer Forrest Wallender with his nephew Sergeant Harvey Wallender (Texas Longhorns Hall of Fame runner) in 1944. Cousin Harvey was a Combat MP and visited my grandpappy when they were nearby. When the war ended, my grandpappy fired his aide (who he did not like very much) and "hired" Harvey because he knew he was on his way back to the states and he figured he would get Harvey out of China duty.

My grandpappy was of the opinion that millions of lives were saved by the use of the atomic bombs. As a Quartermaster he was involved in the logistical planning for the invasion of the "home islands" and he knew the stockpile of supplies for the injured and dead was monstrous.

puma guy wrote:

sjfcontrol wrote:My father was in the CBI theater -- China/Burma/India. He died in 1989. I have blow-ups of a couple of pictures of him, one on a ric-shaw, and another of him posing on a Budda in a pile of rubble. He was a radio-man.

What branch of service and do you know where he was? My dad was US Army. Served at Chabua AB in the Assam district. Passed away March 2011. I have one picture of him at the base standing in front of a tent smoking a cigar.

My dad was a tech-sergeant in the army -- I think that's what the patch indicates. Here's the pict of him on the ric-shaw...



And I guess this isn't Budda, Vishnu maybe?



And if you can read the medals, perhaps there's more information here.

My grandfather went island hopping with the Marines during WWII. He enlisted in 1939 and was a PFC stationed at MCAS Ewa, Oahu, HI on December 7, 1941. He earned a Purple Heart that day by taking a machine gun round through the leg. Though wounded, he refused to quit his post until relieved the next day. I am fairly well convinced I may not have been here if the allies had had to restort to an invasion of mainland Japan.

I interviewed him for a school project about 11 years ago and asked him what VJ Day was like. He said elation spread over the base fast and it turned into an impromptu party. Beer was procured and then somebody took a flare gun out and shot it off. The flare landed on the roof of a building and nearly set it on fire. They decided to break the party up after that.

sjf, I like that medal display. My grandfather's ribbons were buried with him, affixed to his dress blues. My uncle has his medals and I ended up with my grandfather's officer saber and dog tags. They are prized possessions to say the least. He went on to a long fulfilling career as a Marine, was promoted to 2nd Lt just before Korea and ended up commanding a tank platoon there. He then went on to become Provost Marshal at 29 Palms and later Okinawa. He retired a little before Vietnam as a Captain.

This photo of my grandfather is from when he enlisted after a stint in the Illinois National Guard. He was 19 at the time. Semper Fi grandpa!