Bastogne +70 years

[flogger]

70 years ago, next week, the Battle of the Bulge began, it ended a month later. It was not pretty. Let us not forget the vets and fallen.



Thanks fellas!

[Bunny]

I couldn't imagine being in those conditions, God bless

[Rucker61]

I've often wondered what would suck worse, fighting through the winter in those conditions or fighting through a summer as a Marine in the South Pacific.

[Bunny]

Winter without proper clothing, low ammo and food. Both sucked I bet

[Trout Hunter]

Growing up I would hear bits and pieces about the the bulge from my grandad. He was I believe part of the 101st airborne (could be wrong just recall the screaming Eagles insignia next to his purple hearts). The sacrifices that generation made for world peace are incredible. He would choke up in church at the song "I heard the bells on Christmas day" cause it would take him back to that time and place.

[wctriumph]

God bless them and their families for their sacrifice. Roughly 81,000 casualties with several thousand of them listed as MIA.

[Fentonite]

I had the honor of sitting and chatting with a vet of the Battle of the Bulge several years ago. Horrific stories, about propping up his dead & frozen buddies behind broken machine guns to give the appearance of a more formidable perimeter, using dead/frozen GI's as cover, etc. I'm not sure why he picked me, a stranger at a BBQ, to tell these stories to, but we talked for several hours. His family said he had never talked about it. I'm sure he's gone now, but I still think about him. He reminded me of my own grandpa, who was at Normandy. God bless our greatest generation.

[jmg8550]

Let us also not forget those who fought at Chosin Reservoir.

[flogger]

Let us also not forget those who fought at Chosin Reservoir.

Amen, I was surprised by this stat. on the Chosin Res from the web. 'The remains of 4,167 US Soldiers and Marines were exchanged for 13,528 North Korean and Chinese dead.....'

Take a step outside your home this evening and imagine being hunkered down overnight out there. No Starbucks or Granola in the morning and any lunch or dinner drive-thru's are doubtful. Hope you dont need to relieve yourself!

These were young men, and tough guys, I'm proud of ALL of them.