Posted on 09/20/2023 3:15:24 PM PDT by Rummyfan
I thought today I would related a real story of a real American soldier. A truly great soldier, an Army Tanker who served in combat in WW2 for 81 straight days.
Let’s ponder that for a moment. Most of us can’t imagine 1 day in combat. I served for 100 hours in combat in 1991, just 4 days or so. This guy was in the fight, every day, for 81 days. This is insane. None of us today knows what this means.
Here’s his story. He is, by the way, considered the American Tank Ace of Aces.
Many of you have probably seen the movie Fury and know that Brad Pitt’s character was called War Daddy. What you may not know is that there was a genuine American combat hero nick named War Daddy. Here is his story.
His name is Lafayette G. Pool …. His actual nickname in WW2 was War Daddy. His tank was named In The Mood. He is a genuine American Bad Ass
(Excerpt) Read more at securitycigarsfud.net ...
Here is a good book. Everyone around him was killed or wounded.
If You Survive: From Normandy to the Battle of the Bulge to the End of World War II, One American Officer’s Riveting True Story
https://www.amazon.com/If-You-Survive-Normandy-American/dp/0804100039
ping to you. :)
I had a friend that was armor in WWII, he was rescued at the Battle of the Bulge while holding out in the mud under his burnt-out tank with 3 bullets left in his 45.
You could still hear the joy in his voice when he described some paratroopers picking him up.
That used to mean something.
One of my Uncle’s was a member of Task Force Drysdale in Korea. His USMC tank was tracked by a sapper, and they dismounted the mg’s, and when they reached Haguri-ri he was assigned to George company ( what do you call a Marine Tanker without a tank, answer is a rifleman). He continued with George company throughout the Chosin withdrawal and was then assigned with George Co to the stabilization of what would become the DMZ. Along the way he picked up 2 silver stars, a bronze star, and 3 purple hearts. I only found out at his funeral when a bugler, a rifle squad, and pall bearers from PI showed up to the cemetery in Savannah. He never talked about his medals.
My dad was in a tank commander in Third Army, Battle of the Bulge. I don’t think he had a peaceful sleep until the dawn on the 21st century.
As a lad growing up in the late ‘40s and ‘50s, i was surrounded by them; so common that they didn’t even talk abut it I enlisted in the New York Army National Guard and was trained as an infantryman by WWII and Korean veterans. Great guys. Very wise.
“He never talked about his medals.”
The Old School didn’t.
They went, did their jobs and then came home to take up the lives the war had interrupted.
They considered the titles Son, Brother, Husband and Father to be greater than any military medal.
I’ve known a few. They rarely talked about their wartime experiences.
His fellow members of George Co, known as Bloody George because of the replacement rate, that attended the funeral, told stories about how he had gotten 2 other guys, went back to the regimental kitchens, liberated a bunch of cooked turkeys on Thanksgiving, and delivered one to each of the outposts along the forward line. Word got out, and they were taken into custody, but they were eventually sent back to the unit as they didn’t take them for themselves and also didn’t say anything incriminating. There’s a documentary series call “Against the Odds” on AHC, and Bloody George is one of the episodes. My Uncle is kneeling in the front rank center with his big Georgia grin in the photo they use for the opening and closing of the episode.
Actually, he’s the on in the center of the picture with a serious look. I always remember him with a grin for some reason. Probably because he was a happy person when I new him.
I just looked it up, season 1 episode 6 Bloody George at the Chosin Reservoir.
I’m going to watch it this weekend.
Thanks for letting me know about it.
My dad described serving on a “tank”, a truck with a gun, in the BOTB. (Pleaded with him to visit the WW2 Memorial in DC which he did around 2005.)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.