Celebrate VE Day, 75th Anniversary today

[Digger]

I am from the boomer generation, and I so appreciate and respect what the Greatest Generation did for all of us during WWII. Of the 8 surviving veterans, the youngest is 96.

I hope we can all bond together again to defeat the current invisible enemy. Long live the USA.

[53MERC]

Amen Digger.

You are in Pacific Grove I see. You lucky dog. That is such a beautiful place. I miss the Pacific Ocean. We used to live in San Jose.
Say "hello" to Clint for me.

[Digger]

53MERC, yeah, I will see Clint for lunch today, will tell him hey...

[ford38v8]

I was privileged to watch the original VE Day military parade in San Francisco. I had a small flag to wave from my Aunt's upstairs window on Church Street.

[19Fordy]

I thank my dad (in photo) and all the rest of the Greatest Generation who made our lives so wonderful in the land of the free and the home of the brave. Hope youngsters today are being taught this history. I know this is not car related and will understand if it is deleted. It's just something I wanted to say.

[RalphM]

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All of them Hero’s in my book!

[50fordcoupeman]

Originally Posted by RalphM

All of them Hero’s in my book!

I totally agree!! I salute them all. My father-in-law flew Hellcats off a carrier in the south Pacific. Shot down twice but survived...........

[Joe Immler]

My father was in General Patton's 3rd Army. He was a Combat Engineer. Toward the end of the war his unit built a Bailey bridge over the Rhine river. They did it under fire. General Patton walked out to the center of the bridge, unzipped his fly and fulfilled a 4 year promise to piss in the Rhine. He awarded them the Bronze Star.

He was a staunch Catholic. When I got drafted and sent to Viet Nam in 1965 he went to 6:00 a.m. Mass EVERY SINGLE DAY that I was in the Army.He was very sick. When I got out and came home he died one month and two days later.
He is my truest WWII hero.

[JSeery]

My uncle was in the Combat Engineers under Patton.

[RalphG]

Chances are my dad was driving a flathead powered Ford gun tower on this date in 45. I know he said some were Chevs and some Fords. Its where he learned to drive on both the towing trucks and the Valentine/Archer tanks.
He is smiling for the camera here in this photo from just after the end of the war near Oldenburg, Germany. 18th anti tank battery , second division. Cdn army.

[GB SISSON]

My dad flew P47 thunderbolts. He was still in when it ended and flew out of Nordholz Germany during the occupation for a while before he got out. I have the utmost appreciation and respect for all in this 'greatest generation'. Born and raised in the great depression as kids, and upon entering adulthood were asked to run headlong into machine gun fire to save US, the next generation. When some of my cohorts were burning the flag in 1970, I never made a good hippie. I have always been proud of my country and my flag.

[cas3]

agree with all the posts above, sadly, i think many of the younger folks dont get it. god bless the greatest generation

[al's28/33]

God Bless those men and women who gave all for our freedom. Sorry there has been no media news about this historic anniversary over the current events. RIP those who perished at the hands of evil, never again.

[GB SISSON]

And evil of those sorts is thankfully rare indeed. In my life I have only read two books over again, twice. I am now reading Bill O'Reilly's book, 'Killing the rising sun'for the second time. Not sure what else to say..... Tom Brokaw said it all in 'The Greatest Generation'. As for me, I can only talk as a worn off corner of a page of history. A Very important page. I could never tell you.,my Fordbarn friends how I feel about what our forefathers (and mothers) went through in those times. God Bless them.

[tomcarman]

Originally Posted by al's28/33

God Bless those men and women who gave all for our freedom. Sorry there has been no media news about this historic anniversary over the current events. RIP those who perished at the hands of evil, never again.

Truly the greatest generation. Of my grandparents who survived the Great Depression only to head into WWII. All posts have my utmost admiration. And yes I find it truly sad and disrepctful that the current media reports omitted any mention of the sacrifices these people made. I cannot imagine doing that. And yes, in my opinion the current generation with their cellphones glued to themselves and Google at their fingertips haven't a clue. To all who served then and now, I salute you!

[3739ford]

After my dads funeral my mom said he never ever talked about the war except to say he was the radio operator for his platoon and runner. She had no idea where he went after leaving the USA. He was part of the 7th Army in the 44th Infantry Division, 114 Regiment, Company A. I have restored the 1942 GPW to his old unit and know what battles and route in Europe. My mom cried when I gave her the notebook of information I was able to find. I now have all the radios he would have talked on including the walkie-talkie. I have made a dear friend in Australia, who restored a MB (Willy's) and he sent me original GPW hard to find parts still packed in cosmoline for my restoration. If I could only be half the man my dad was I would be a model citizen.

[leon bee]

My own father did North Africa and Italy. He was a mean, humorless, paranoid SOB for all the rest of his long life. Some years ago I decided I'd forgiven him for that.

[19Fordy]

You did right Leon. The war probably influenced and destroyed your dad from within, making him into something he really wasn't. War is hell in more ways than one as the effects can be long term and personal. Most civilians don't understand this "walking dead" from within when vets return from the horrors of watching their buddies die. Another reason why WW II vets rarely, if ever, spoke about the war. It's not like John Wayne in the movies.

[51504bat]

My dad was a bomb disposal officer during WWII. Helped develop methods to disarm un exploded bombs and a delay to prevent contact bombs from exploding when they bumped together immediately after release from a bomber. More of a scientist than a warrior. Went onto to work at Oak Ridge after the war and was responsible for processes that the government received patents for, some of which are still classified. He really didn't get my love of all things car related but he did have a '51 Ford woodie that he still talks about to this day. He turns 100 on May 14th. I hope that I'm half the dad to my son that he is to me.

[dumb person]

There is much to agree with here.
Cell phone addicts have no idea.