Happy VE Day drinking thread

Submitted by sadeto on
Instead of talking about conference calls, maybe we can celebrate victory and booze. Seventy years ago today, Nazi Germany surrendered unconditionally, and among the millions of Allied troops who suddenly knew they were going to make it home alive was an underage but tough kid from the Bronx who had lied about his age and volunteered, and who is still kicking up in CT. I'm raising a Kelso Industrial Pale Ale to you, dad. Happy VE Day! How are you celebrating?
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Sam1863

May 9th, 2015 at 5:45 AM ^

More of a Saturday morning coffee thread for me, but I'll raise my cup to:

My step-father Ray (87th Division, ETO); his brother Vince (1st Marine Division, Guadalcanal); my great-uncle Tony (1st Ranger Battalion, and the man who designed the black & red Ranger insignia - true story); and my great-uncle George (25th Division, KIA, Luzon, March 17, 1945).

All gone now, but never forgotten.

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wigeon

May 9th, 2015 at 6:49 AM ^

After reading through this thread (thanks OP for the post) with my morning cup like Sam, it's utterly amazing the effect of WW2 in shaping our lives, and the world as a whole. My grandfather fought in both theaters- invaded Sicily as an infantryman, then promoted and schooled in cartography. He then was sent to the Phillipines to plan the invasion of Japan right after VE day. He was one of the first 5 Americans on the ground in Hiroshima after VJ day. He brought home 2 pictures of the devastation, and unfortunately had dozens of rolls of film confiscated by the US Army. The few picures made public (the donkey cart shadow, the bridge, etc) were taken by his team, and were leaked against orders. He did get radiation sickness, but lived to age 90 (passed away in 2000). He was my hero growing up - wickedly funny and charming, kind of a playboy to the chagrin of my grandma, loved his martinis and unfiltered Camels, was a helluva good stick on the golf course even into his early 80s.

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LSAClassOf2000

May 9th, 2015 at 8:13 AM ^

A little late to this, but I also had numerous relations who fought in WWII - and oddly enoughp perhaps, on both sides too. Indeed, it is part of the reason the book and movie "A Bridge Too Far" has always been fascinating to me, as the future sides of my family met unwittingly (and of course, not personally at the time) at Arnhem. Strange how things work, eh? Both grandfathers, several great uncles....sadly all gone now, but we remember them all as the great people that they were. 

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Walter Sobchak

May 9th, 2015 at 8:30 AM ^

I have a few pts who are WWII vets left, and more than one relative who died in Western Europe. God bless America.

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teamgreg8

May 9th, 2015 at 11:17 AM ^

Great thread.

My grandfather served in the Navy aboard LST 995 where he and the ship were involved in the Atlantic and then the Pacific. Along with that and raising a family thereafter, he was the inspiration for my joining the Navy.

He passed in December and it was a privilege to have spent so much time with him.

Thank you each and every servicemember.



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