Veterans Day

A salute and thank you for your service to my brother and sister veterans.
 
Thanks from me as well.

Just for fun, why don't all of the veterans tell us which service you were in, your rank, and your favorite assignment while you were in the military?
 
US Coast Guard (PuddlePirate). Due to the way the Active and Reserves work (not all ratings are in both branches) I held multiple petty officer "ratings", as an Aviation Survivalman (ASM), a Data Processing Technician (DP), and an Investigator (IV).

Best memories - delivering a baby about 8 miles off the NJ coastline, and the beauty of flying around Alaska.

Worst memories - proficiency swimming in those same Alaskan waters. In the winter. A swimmer looks like a seal (favored snack) to a killer whale.

Thanks for your kind wishes, and a salute to all my fellow veterans.
 
I could tell you but ....

Best memories; My brothers in arms
Worst memories: adequately suppressed.
 
A heart felt thanks to all our service men and women. I enjoy the very freedom each of you have provided. I hope everyone takes some time today to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice and for those who have yet to return.
 

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Abundant blessings to all who served.

U.S. Army seven 1/2 years; some reserve and Guard time as an officer. Two tours in RVN.

Many nice memories mostly of wonderful folks who served.

Try not to think about the bad ones.

Best,

Dave
 
Very cool guys - I never asked about the bad memories... no need to drudge them up on a happy day such as this. Just trying to keep it light and hear about the good times :).
 
smigaldi said:
You're welcome and also thanks to my comrades who have served as well.
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Do you mean comrades as political party members or military service? :rofl::rofl::rofl:

I'm just kidding Scott. Thanks for your service, I guess we are comrades. :cheers:





Thank you for the thank yous.

And thanks to those vets still serving.
 
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U.S.A.F. here 1971 - 1975

Thanks to all of you that served.
 
Another heartfelt Thanks! to all who have served, and who are currently serving in our Armed Forces. I proudly put out my flag this morning in your honor.
 
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Thanks and want to thank all the other Vets also.

USMC, Got out an E-3 (dang contract e-4's lol)
Best assignment was Camp Pendleton, never worked with a better group of people in my life.
 
Six years, USN, plus 3 USNR. Electrician's Mate 1/C, USS Bainbridge CGN-25.

Best memories: Too many to relate. Really!:thumbsup:

Worst memories: Hmmm... Not worst, but most striking: Up in the Sea of Okhotsk. Bainbridge was tooling around, separated from our task force (we were the flagship), when we finally garnered some attention from the Soviets. A Kresta II-class cruiser (below) came sniffing around, up close and really personal. The Old Man would get on the 1-MC (p.a. system), and encourage us all to grab our cameras and take lots of pictures.

Of the several times I espied said cruiser, I NEVER saw a living being out on the weather decks. Meanwhile, we would be out partying, snapping photos, enjoying seeing us crank open the throttles and haul around a play games with this poor lumbering behemoth.

I have often wondered why no sailor ever set foot out on that ship's weatherdecks... Could it have been that the zampolit was watching, ready to cut down any who may dare try to jump and swim to freedom? I don't know. But I wonder...

Oh, and thanks to all my shipmates and comrades-in-arms!
 

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US Navy, Lieutenant, Supply Corps. Assigned to the USS Betelgeuse, a Victory-class cargo ship built in 1942 as the SS Columbia Victory. Now that's a better name for the ship than Betelgeuse! But the USN names all cargo ships (or used to, as we were the last one in service) after stars. We were configured to carry Polaris missiles in shipping containers, and virtually anything else to and from CONUS, Rota Spain and Holy Loch Scotland. The Polaris configuration gave us the ship type designator AK(FBM)-260. Home port, Charleston SC.

The Navy was so popular in that military town that in places I had trouble changing a $20 bill. While I was there, the City celebrated the Tricentennial, whose unofficial motto was "Three Hundred Years of History, unimpeded by progress."

We didn't do our primary mission - lugging missiles - that often. Our job really was to relieve the MSTS ships doing the same mission so that they could go into drydock once per year. In January and February. So that left us crossing the North Atlantic in January and February. In a 30 year old ship that was made out of metal that was known to get brittle in cold water. Once in a fit of stellar seamanship we sailed off of one wave, pounded onto the next, and punched a hole in the 1" steel plate bottom. How big? BFH. About 4'x6'. The hole was in a fuel tank, we lost about 20,000 gallons of NSFO but the top of the tank - 1/4" steel held.

Other times of the year we did odd jobs such as search for a lost hydrophone array that broke away from being towed behind a sub. OK, let's picture this... the array is neutral bouyancy, so it prolly won't be on the surface but maybe. It is well camouflaged in that its color is neutral in the seawater. OK, go look for it! Might as well stay out all night too as you can see it just as well in the dark.

We also were assigned to verify that the first stage impact area for Polaris Test Shots was free of shipping. OK guys, nobody out here but us! Fire when ready!

But there I was adding value to our Fleet Ballistic Missile Program. I salute all who had to go in-country Viet Nam and all the other wars. I thank you all for your service, and I mourn those who did not make it back.

Sadly, the War to End All Wars was a flop in that regard.

-Skip
 

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I was only 7 years old in in 1941 and I didn't have to go to Korea or any other war, yet I have the same freedoms that they have. I thank all of you that picked up the tab and a debt that I can never repay. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart!!!!
 
12 1/2 years USAF. '86-'98.

Most rewarding job: B-52 Instructor Pilot. Nothing more satisfying than standing toe to toe with the bad guys, flying low, dropping bombs, and breaking things around the world with 4 or 5 of your best friends!!

Most fun job: T-34 Instructor pilot at Joint Undergraduate Navigator Training. Teaching basic airmanship, aerobatics, visual and instrument navigation, and formation all while getting 90% of the stick time. I can't beleive they paid me to do that!!

Worst job: Having to tell a squadron mate that his best friend and a student had been killed on a training sortie. A very sad and long day, week, month...

To all my fellow Crewdogs, Toads, Zoomies, Jar Heads, Devil Dogs, Dog Faces, Squids and Puddle Pirates, Thank You for serving!!!
 
We are so very much in your debt, one we can never repay.
I was encouraged to learn of the ceremonies and other events locally, especially those in which children were involved.
 
t0r0nad0 said:
Thanks from me as well.

Just for fun, why don't all of the veterans tell us which service you were in, your rank, and your favorite assignment while you were in the military?
Click to expand...

US Army 1969 to 1972
E-5
NATO Landsoutheast HQ in Izmir, Turkey
 
1980-1984 Griffiss AFB, SAC, Nuclear Weapons Technician
1984-1990 193rd SpecOps Group (Volant Solo, Comfy Levi) Cmd Post Controller
1990-1991 US Army Officer Candidate School
1991-1992 Armor Platoon leader
1992 Special Project Officer, US Army Armor center, Ft Knox
1992-1994 Scout Platoon leader
1994-1997 OCS TAC Officer
1997-1998 OCS Senior TAC
1999-2001 Infantry Company Commander

Retired June 2001 after 21 years (as a 20th anniversary present to my wife. unresolved health issues also contributed to retirement)
 
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