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  • Stagman

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    My Paw Paw is a WWII veteran and my personal hero. He turned 18 in Feb 1945 got drafted and was in uniform in May 1945, he was going to be part of a D-Day type invasion in Japan before they decided to drop the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August of 1945. He sailed on the W.A. Mann to Japan and was boots on the ground in Nagasaki on Thanksgiving morning in 1945. The stories he has told me are amazing and he is still alive today and my Grandma waited on him until he got home to marry him and they celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary on April the 5th of this year. Every time is see him I am picking his brain on his time in the service. He was telling me stories about how well fortified the Japanese were, the had airports in mountains,they would land in one side and take off through the other side. They would find caves full of guns and ammo and he made a wooden box and put a Japanese Arasaka with the bayonette and 2 Japanese Swords in there, mailed it home never thinking it would make it but it did and he still has it along with a disarmed pineapple grenade (I have to ask next time how he got that). He was stationed in Sasebo, Japan which near to Nagasaki and he was part of the Army engineers and they built the roads and bridges. He always jokes that the Marines bragged about being the first in an area when his group of engineers built the roads and bridges for them to go in there. There is stories he has told me about the terrible smell of dead bodies, the railroad tracks curled up like coil springs from the heat the bombs produced. He also toured Hiroshima and Tokyo while there, I need to make recording of these conversations being he is 89 years old, if I don't I will regret it. Next time I go to his house I will take picture of the Arasaka, swords, grenade and post them here. I will also try to post more stories that I have because it is fascinating to me. Also he said dropping the bombs saved a lot of American live because it would have been a dog fight because of how well fortified the Japanese were. More stories to come, I'm tired of typing for now.

    Sasebo.8.gif
     

    Stagman

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    The W.A. Mann, the ship my Paw Paw sailed on---> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_G.../media/File:USS_General_W._A._Mann_AP-112.jpg

    USS_General_W._A._Mann_AP-112.jpg


    They ran into a typhoon on the way to Japan and my Paw Paw's bunk was in the front of the ship and he said every time they went over a wave the anchors would slap the side of the ship. The ship was breaking apart and they came over the intercom asking all welders to report below as they were welding the ship back together. Then later on they came over the intercom asking anybody with welding experience to report below. As the storm worsened the came over the intercom in desperation and said if anybody has any welding experience at all to report below. They made it to Japan and my Paw Paw said even though he was in hostile territory he was never so happy to see the ground. I forgot to mention that when they arrived they had to get off the ship via rope ladder from the bow of the ship and my Paw Paw is scared of heights.
     

    fl57caveman

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    the greatest generation they said..
     

    fishingjean

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    My Dad was a Sailor on The USS IDAHO , he never talked much about. The war but, he said comakassies hit their. Ship several times. I have a knife he made on his ship that has a piece of one of those planes made into the guard part of the knife. After he. Passed my sister wrote the Navy inquiring about any medals he should have gotten in many campaigns he was. In, the Navy sent her at least 10 medals he never saw while he was alive !!! My Mom went to California an worked with her sister in a factory making tank parts for the war. That's were my Dad met the Love of His life!! Then awhile later I came along !! Denny in pace !!'
     

    Little Jack

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    I was always impressed with the stories from the "Greatest Generation" when I was younger. With a little more time under my belt I've come to think that the label, while not entirely undeserved, sells laters generations a little short. Korea, Vietnam, Gulf War One and Two, Global War on Terrorism and the smaller conflicts since, have all had their fair share of Heroes. Time can bring the best or worst parts of an event into the forefront and for those that weren't there, that's all they'll know. The mundane things don't make a good headline but they do make the story that much more interesting and significant.

    I lost my Grandmother recently. She didn't serve in any capacity but I've found that after going through her belongings and seeing pictures with no backstory, that has been one of the more eye opening aspects of losing a loved one. I would record whatever information you can from your Paw Paw while you can and do your best to pass it on. The difference between a History Channel special and a relative passing on the information is significant.

    I thank your Paw Paw for his service and I hope that you are able to pass some of his story on.
     

    Ric-san

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    I'm one of the luckiest Marienes around...I was given the opportunity to spend one day on Iwo Jima in 2000. It's simply amazing walking on that hallowed ground to know the sacrifice both Sailors and Marines made there fighting the Japs in 1944...the caves, the gun emplacements, Mt Surabachi. We are all blessed that the 'Greatest Generation' took care of business and made the world safer for us all...Semper Fi to your Grand Father Stagman for his service.
     

    shootnstarz

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    Excellent post ! I'd love to sit and talk with him for hours. I too pick the brains of WWII vets every chance I get. My father was too old for the war and I never had a grandfather, both gone long before I came around.

    He is 100% correct about invading the jap mainland, it would have been a bloodbath the likes of which had never been seen in history and would have resulted in killing every jap on the island, man women and child, and about a million GIs.

    There's a very good fictional book around about invading Japan, what would have happened and the results, can't remember the title but I was a good one for fiction.

    Rick
     

    moron1

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    My father was on the destroyer USS Emmons during the war. They were at Normandy providing shore bombardment during the landing. After that they were sent back to the USA to be converted to a mine sweeper in preparation for the invasion of Okinawa. At 1515hrs on April 6th,1945 the Emmons and their sister ship the USS Rodman came under attack from Japanese suicide planes. The Rodman was hit first with a plane going into the forecastle. The Emmons circled the Rodman firing at enemy aircraft. The Emmons splashed 6 aircraft before being hit by 5 Kamikaze in rapid succession. The planes came in loaded with bombs and strafing as they approached. The order to abandon ship was given shortly after. The CO was killed early in the attack and the XO was blown into the water but survived with severe burns. My dad and a couple of other guys found the XO in the water after and pulled him on to a floating piece of life raft. They stayed with him until they were picked up out of the water two hours later. 60 of his crew mates died and 77 were wounded that day. During the next two month over 30 more ships were sunk and 4900 more sailors died off of Okinawa. My dad was a special stand up guy and I miss him very much.
     

    Stagman

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    Here is a picture of my Grandparents (before they got married) when my Paw Paw was about to be deployed to Japan for WWII, they were sad being he was about to leave.

    14955863_10208296514070361_2410717910652242343_n.jpg
     

    MarkS

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    My Dad and all of his brothers who were old enough fought the Germans
    Dad was a waist-gunner on a B-24 aka flying coffin during WWII


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

    FrankT

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    It is great hearing the stories of your families, thank you for sharing, we are losing our WWII to Vietnam Vets much to quickly and need the oral history

    I honored my Dad on my FB page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100006284267466

    I love and miss him very much
     

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    fishingjean

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    My Dad was in the Navy during world war11, he was on the battleship U.S.S.IDAHO , in many campaigns , midway, Battan, Ewi jima , an many more, he never talked bout the comakases
    that hit his ship, after he passed my sister some how got some info from the Navy an they sent her 13 medals he was supposed to have after the war, God Bless You Dad an all others who fought for our country !!!!!!!!!
     
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