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Thanks for the post Dolly, You're awesome and so is this thread!! Thanks also to our Fearless FReepers who gave me a good life in a Free country. I'm sad to say that my father and uncles served in WWII but I never thanked them. They didn't talk about their service much and I was too young and stupid to ask. They're all gone now, and I found out too late about their suffering and sacrifices.

My father was the youngest son and he enlisted at age 17. Since his brothers, my uncles, all saw combat the Army gave him an assignment as a clerk with the 523 Army Air Corps.

On my mother's side, her oldest brother Pat was a tank driver in Patton's 3rd Army. Her other brother, Uncle Joe, joined up with his best friend Frank on the buddy system and saw heavy fighting together. They were in the Battle of the Bulge, Frank got hit and died in Uncle Joe's arms. Uncle Joe never got over it and always kept a photo of Frank with him. Frank is laid to rest in Luxembourg:
**
Frank J. Chmura

ID: 33432841
Entered the Service From: Pennsylvania
Rank: Private First Class

Service: U.S. Army, 328th Infantry Regiment, 26th Infantry Division

Died: Sunday, December 31, 1944
Buried at: Luxembourg American Cemetery
Location: Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
Plot: B Row: 7 Grave: 54

Awards: Purple Heart
**
Sometime in the 1970s Uncle Joe went back to Europe and had his photo taken at the cemetery holding onto Frank's headstone. My cousin told me this story after Uncle Joe died, and also that she kept her promise to have a Cross of Lorain burried with Uncle Joe. I was awestruck hearing how these men in my family, who always seemed like just regular guys, endured so much pain, sacrificed so much, and then never acted like it was a big deal, left this world and I knew almost nothing of their bravery. It's in their honor that I got involved in HonorFlight.org;
I'm blessed to have the chance to say Thank You and make up in a small way for the chances I missed with my own family.
I strongly encourage people to help out this very worthy organization!!

oh my what a touching story about your Uncle Joe and his good friend Frank. my eyes teared up reading it & especially about the holding onto Franks gravestone when he visited again the area. If I ever get there (and I hope to) I will go to the grave & take the pix. This thread is for such remembrances & to keep those special people who would otherwise slip into obscurity as a real life person with real life stories.

It is such a shame that the love/friendship men share has to be vulgarized much too often with the liberal mindset.

I am sure your uncle felt part of his life slip away along with Franks. When you truly connect with someone you do merge in a way with mind, energy vitality etc..

thanks for sharing & glad you enjoyed the thread. I will FReepmail or email you later with some "thoughts" along the way.

Right now I need to do some "chores" here & catch a little sleep if possible, as I was up until about 5 last night & got up about 9 this AM

Yes, WQ, I am going to pass your info along to our local vet organizations. Maybe I can nudge them to get involved. It's a wonderful thing you are doing. Thank you.

My parents were both involved in war work. My Mom worked at Redstone during the war. It was then an ammunition plant. My Dad worked at Huntsville Arsenal where they made Mustard Gas, etc. Mom was wounded in the explosion of the plant where she worked. The building was demolished and lots of people died. She crawled out alive. I remember that night vividly.