Lest we forget…
7 - US Marines land on Guadalcanal
17 – first all-American bombing raid in Europe
19 – Dieppe
19 – von Paulus orders 6th Army to take Stalingrad
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Quite an eventfull month!!!
That is quite a list. It was a unique generation that lived that era.
Back in the mid 90ies my family used to own a restaurant and on one Saturday morning, it was only a waitress and myself managing the place. We had a single customer, an old man. As I cooked his breakfast, I noticed he was wearing a orange baseball hat and upon it was writing USS West Virginia. Know I am no expert but I knew my history a little. So, I told the gal that I will go ahead and serve him as well. I took his breakfast to him and said “Sir, if I remember correctly wasn’t that ship at the Pearl harbor when Japanese attacked?” He lit up with a smile and said “why yes you are correct.” We talk for 15-20 minutes and he told me how he was on the ship when the first torpedo hit her. He went on to serve the war and fought in Korea. I was amazed at this individual and here he was sitting at my family restaurant after all he had seen and done. After that I saw him again once or twice. I was tired of long hours of working at the restaurant when I was fresh out of high school but I am great full of have the opportunity to have meet many people like this older gentleman.
Once a month, we use to host a luncheon for a group of about 45-50 Lockheed Tech reps that were part of the team that worked with Kelly Johnson on the legendary SR-71. Boy they shared some great stories. Again, a unique generation. You don’t see people like those these days.
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