World War II Vet: “I Was Young”

Canada Free Press ^ | 03/09/15 | Douglas V. Gibbs

[Sean_Anthony]

"That is the main reason we are free," he said. "The Blessings of God have always been on this country. Today, I am not so sure."

A couple of years ago at a Veteran’s Day event in Hemet, California, I had the opportunity to talk to a 92-year-old World War II veteran. Today I spoke with an 89-year-old World War II veteran. Both said the same thing to me. “It was hell, but I was proud to serve.”

The elder of the two entered the U.S. Marine Corps the day after Pearl Harbor, and fought in the Pacific theater of war “with the Squids.” The man I met today served in the U.S. Army, on the battlefields of Europe, from 1944-1945, and served a total of 12 years despite being shot in the tailbone during his time fighting Nazi Germany. Though he was still in the service during the Korean War, he remained stateside during that conflict.

“I was young,” he said. So very, very young when I went to Europe. It was hell, but I was proud to serve. It was so horrible, I didn’t think I was going to make it home alive. They would even put poison in your food at restaurants, hoping to kill American soldiers before they could finish their meal and get back to their post.”

[elcid1970]

An incredible story, or maybe it isn’t since “uncommon valor was a common virtue” in WWII. Still is, for our soldiers. There are many accounts of conspicuous bravery of which little was said afterward.

Would like to know just where it was that there were restaurants attempting to poison soldiers. On the home front? In the theater of battle? Sounds almost like something from the Vietnam War.

[Verginius Rufus]

Where would a US soldier in WWII be eating in a restaurant where someone would have the opportunity to put poison in his food? When would they have been eating in restaurants? In a liberated area? Would there have been pro-German sympathizers in such a place? (France? Belgium? Italy?)