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Thank you for the kind words. I'll check out the Taffy 3 thread. Papa Mike passed away in 1992 but my son proudly bears his name.

He was a bosun's mate on Gambier Bay and his battle station was as a loader for one of the AA mounts. The ship gained notoriety as the only aircraft carrier of the war, on either side, to be sunk by surface gunfire.

He took shrapnel in the back during the engagement while going over the side and he said afterwards that it was a good thing he was lying on top of his Mae West when he went into the water since the shrapnel would have punctured it had his back not been in the way.

The rest of the story isn't pretty, I'm afraid. He spent two days in the water with other members of his crew before they were finally rescued. Crew members alternated shifts between an available lifeboat and cargo nets attached to the sides. And yes, there were sharks.

It took him quite awhile to open up about his experiences, and he once told me that he would still occasionally have nightmares about going "over the side".

We keep Mike's medals in a case in our bedroom. I just wish my son had known him. The painting of the Gambier Bay under fire, called "Freedom's Cost", hangs proudly in our living room. It's available through the VC-10 website.

As for Colonel Flagg, let's just call him an inspiration :)

Thakns for sharing "Papa Mike's" story with us at the Foxhole. My dad (fought in the Warsaw Uprising 1944) and my Father-in-law (Caost Guard - Africa, Sicily, Italy, Normandy and the Pacific) didn't open up until I went into the service. Guess they figured I'd understand better As for Colonel Flagg, let's just call him an inspiration :) Good enough for me.

It's a wonderful tribute that you named your son after your father-in-law, he may not know him but he will know all about him from you.

Many Veterans don't talk much about their experiences and I wish more would. Their stories need to be told, every role is/was a very important piece of our history. I'm glad your 'Papa Mike' shared his with you and in turn you with us.

Thank you Colonel Flagg.