Attended a Veterans' Appreciation event this morning.. Good turnout of ' auld sodjers' - mostly WWII and Korea, though a few " peacekeepers" and a couple of returned Aghan-conflict boys..

Good to see the local unit on parade and most gratifying that one neighbourhood school thought it important enough to allow students [ Grade 6-8 ] to come out in support and to meet/greet the Vets.

At the ' milk and cookies' follow-up at the Legion Hall I got into talking with one chap who served in both WWII and Korea...over a hot cup of joe he told me a wonderful story - things that until recently would have died with the greats but are now surfacing years after the event - big and small -..

When he was young lad in '36 he had to leave high school to find work - the after effects of the Depression dont'yaknow... After bumming around doing odd jobs the war storms were gathering and he tried to enlist but was too young.. When the flag went up and the gov't need fodder for the guns, they weren't too careful at screening birth certificates so his persistence paid off and he was enrolled..

Turns out his paperwork got shuffled so much that he was shipped to the UK without ever having done Basic Training!

He reported for duty on the Salisbury Plain to ' his ' regiment where the error was discovered and the CO told him there was no time for him to ' pick up the slack ' so they'd have to find him something to do. He told the Colonel he could drive a truck, but the CO wouldn't post him to the Motor Pool, instead he told the lad that he was in need of a Batman and promptly made him his ' assistant/driver/manservant/factotum ' which should keep him out of trouble and free up a ' good man' for more proper duties.

Well, the gent told me that, at first, he hated the thought that he'd be stuck doing scut work and kept out of the 'war', but it turned out to be the best job he could have had. the CO was a rip snortin' type and moved up the ranks to General and, as his Batsman he was carried along the way moving up from rank private to Sgt. as he followed in the big man's wake.Right up into the Back Room and the planning for D-Day!..

The old fellow claims that next to Churchill, he was the first one to know when and where the Invasion was to take place 'cause he was in the room pouring tea for the General and the other high polished-Brass while they shuffled papers and rubber stamped the orders!!

Got to shake hands with Ike and Monty and all the other glory boys and was even allowed a cuppa with " The Command " [ though not allowed in the offical photties - protocol, you know ] when they broke for a bit of lunch nibbles.

Got a special pin for his ' presence' that day and autographs of the legends, which he carries with him and showed off.. faded bit of paper now laminated 'cause the paper was cracking and flaking after 60 years of being folded and opened... A marvel and treasured memnto..

hate to think of the millions it could fetch on E-bay..

The lad is now 91 and gets around with a wheelie walker but his mind is still sharper than mine and I wish we could have talked for much longer..

somedays I'm truly blessed to be allowed in the presence of the great...

Nice read Rocketeer

Rocketeer good read we have a 94 year old WW2 Veteran in our VFW whom I have known all of my life and a survivor of the USS Arizona he didn't like to talk about it for many years.Now I go and pick him up everytime I go to the Post his Daughter tells me that he won't go to the Post unless I pick him up. I tried to explain to her about a Bond that is between all Veterans no matter how much he wants to talk about his Military times I will never become un-interested in what he has to say.

Nice. Thanks.

There is nothing better than the older generations lifes and story's. Thanks for passing his piece of history on.

Thanks for the post. We have a few over 90s in our VFW Post who have some interesting stories. One of them was in Iran during war 2 and delt with the Russians. He still goes to the Gulf on occassion.