I don't know if I'm out of line here, but I could use a little help in saying good-bye to my best friend, a great sportsman and hunter. He was a member of the Greatest Generation, spent many months in the South Pacific in WWII, raised a family and lost two of his three children. He was the quietest, most unassuming guy you ever met. And he was the strongest, too.

He only made it to Africa once, at age 77, but said it was the greatest experience of his life.

He fought cancer for nine years, and never complained. Yesterday was his last. Good-bye my friend.
Brice

My condolence to you and your friends family, God Bless.

Never out of line to stand up and remember a friend and fellow hunter-hope he's looking down on our next safari!!

We are losing our WWII Vets way to fast these days. We all need to remember the sacrifices they made for our freedom. May he Rest in Peace.

ANYPLACE's a GOOD place to pay homage to our honored dead.

I was in line at the Commissary (where US Armed Forces shop for groceries and a significant discount) in my uniform.

A grizzled but frail gentleman came up to me and put his hand on my shoulder and asked "have you been over there yet SIR ?" To which I replied, just twice, once in 1991 and to Afghanistan (actually over them) in 2003. His eyes teared up and he thanked me for my service.

I then asked him what he had done in the Navy, to which he replied "SIR, I joined in 42' after Pearl Harbor and was in Korea and Vietnam and I retired in 1972." All I could say was "no need to call me sir, SIR," to which he seemed a bit taken back and replied "SIR: I was a Chief Petty Officer and as my superior officer, it would be inappropriate to address you otherwise."

It was one of those few times in my life where I had no reply other than to thank him and say "Carry on Chief!". God bless them all. jorge

May he rest in peace.

As was said of Moses - "Well done my good and faithful servant, welcome home."

To be remembered as servant to others is the highest form of rememberance.

God bless them all and may we have more such as them.
Gary

Thank you for sharing.

There are fewer and fewer of the "Greatest Generation." Our family has lost a father, father-in-law and four uncles who served in WW II. We will all miss there stories!
John

Not out of line at all ...... and thanks to great men like him, we can still hunt & enjoy life ourselves. He has my respect.

Thanks for the kind words, gentlemen. Very comforting, coming from such a special group.
Brice

"....We few, we happy few, we band of brothers....."

Brice, you are among friends and the best to a fine man and to you in your memory forever...

Mike

I was on the USS Carl Vinson in port in Pearl Harbor across the water from the Missouri and the Arizona. (when you are part of an Carrier based Air Wing and you pull in port there are usually other boats there. Usually the Carrier is the big titan next to anything that floats. HOWEVER! Those two boats across the water and the dead men laying less then a stones throw away, make any new carrier look insignifigant.

I walked ashore on the last day we were in port in my utilities to go buy another set of whites for watch at the uniform shop. As I was walking buy I saluted a Air Force colonal who asked me if he could get a tour of the ship. Too which I though "fat chance" but told him he would have to talk to the Watch Officer on the quarter deck. I walked another couple yards and two old men wearing retired Navy hats obviously from the greatest generation stopped me and too ask me about the boat. We talked for a couple minuites and I asked them if they would like a tour.

I walked them through the hanger, the flight deck and then showed them where I worked, and some of our squadron spaces. They were both retired vets that had served on the Mighty Missouri one was a Liutenant Commander and the other was a Senior Cheif. Both were retired and good friends on vacation from California too see their boat.

It took a long time to walk those old guys around, but I will tell you what it was the 3nd most pleasureable experience I have ever had in 13 years of service to my Navy and our great Country.

In case your are wondering the first most pleasureable was launching the first sorties into Afghanistan a month after 9/11.

And the second was recovering the bones of a couple Navy pilots we dug up in Vietnam in 2001.

Yep, every time I ever get told by a Vietnam, Korea, or Greatest Generation VET thanks for serving I tell them the same.