Please say "Hello" to my dad Bill he is a veteran of WW2

[laugle]

My dad "Bill" was a survior of the Bataan death march and also a POW for 3 years in a Japanese prison camp. He earned 7 medals including the purple heart. He is 83 years old and only a small number of them are left. Please give him some kind words as his health is declining and I feel that he believes his service has been long forgotten. Also, our family honors and commends all our courageous service people on this day. Thank you.

[BlueIris]

1. Hi, Bill! Thanks so much for everything you did

in the service of our country.

[NMDemDist2]

2. Long forgotten? not hardly!

Sir, thank you for your incredible sacrifices for our country and our freedoms. Your service is graven in the heart of our Nation.

:patriot:

[Nite Owl]

3. Hi Bill

Your service to our country will never be forgotten. Your generation are the true heros and patriots of out nation. Thank you for joining us here tonight. Be well and all blessings on you.

:patriot:

[Pushed To The Left]

4. Hello Bill!

We appreciate everything you have done!

[calimary]

5. Thank him for his service and his sacrifice.

My kid went to his seventh Boy Scout Flag Decorating ceremony at the local VA cemetery on Saturday. We read the names, wars, and dates on some of the grave markers before poking little American flags into the grass in front of them. Bless his heart. There are many, here, who would rather bow to his Purple Heart than sneer at it to "git" somebody politically. I'm glad that in his day, our soldiers weren't lied to as much as their children and grandchildren are, today.

I salute your dad. Thanks for posting this.

[joneschick]

6. Thank you!

Thank you for your service and all you endured for your country. You are fortunate and blessed by your child---you done good. Blessings on you and yours.:hug:

[rodeodance]

7. I wish you well, thanks

[bahrbearian]

8. Thank you for defending our Constitution.

[deadparrot]

9. Hi, Bill!

Thank you so much. There are no words for the kind of bravery that you and all veterans display...it's far beyond what I could handle. You are a patriot in the truest sense of the word.

:patriot:

[Bob3]

10. Dear sir

thank you for your brave service to our country - any man who survived the attack on the Philippines in 41, the Bataan death march and 3 years in a Japanese POW camp has done his duty and then some by a huge margin. In the darkest moments of the war you kept faith. I for one have not forgotten. Again thank you for your service. Without men like you, we would not be here today.

[welshTerrier2]

11. hi bill ...

it's great to have a genuine hero join our little online community ...

many people talk a good game about fighting for justice; far fewer actually do anything about it ... those of us here who see some wars as just and others as "just wrong" salute you ...

we honor your service and your dedication and wish you well ...

[bemildred]

12. Hello on Memorial Day, Bill. I have not forgotten.

:hi:
:applause:
:toast:
:beer:

[RetroLounge]

13. Hello BIll!

Thank you for your service to our country. You are not now nor will you and your generation ever be forgotten.

My great-uncle was a Bataan Death March survivior and a POW at Cabatuan(sp?) in the Phillipines and in Japan.

RL

[Wilms]

14. Forgotten? Heck no, Bill.

Though I suspect many are only beginning to realize. (It's not as if you guys bragged a lot.)

Tell Laugle the stories, man.

And thanks. I appreciate.

[katinmn]

15. Hello Bill, and thank you!

Most of us can only imagine the kind of hell you went through in defense of our country.

Thanks from the bottom of my heart.

:loveya:

[jimshoes]

16. Hello Bill,

My dad also fought in WW2 as a sailor on a troop transport. Rest assured that all the sacrifices that you brave men and women made during that time shall not be forgotten. We here in this country owe a huge debt of gratitude to those who saw fascism for the evil that it was and took steps to eradicate it. We need your kind of bravery and the spirit with which you fought against the axis powers now more than ever.

[seito]

17. We will never forget your service and sacrifice

Thank you so much. :patriot:

[yorkiemommie1]

18. hello, Bill!

my parents witnessed Pearl Harbor ( saw the planes flying over the mountains )

and my dad and uncles all served in the Army, the Air Force, the Navy.

No, I haven't forgotten. Thank you.

[murray hill farm]

19. Thank you, Bill!!!

Thank you very much! We thank you today...and everyday! Hope u are well today...and enjoying our group here at democratic underground...and that u know that we will never forget what u gave for us and our country.

[Mythsaje]

20. Thank you, Bill

Not all of us younger folks have forgotten what you did. You stood up against hideous tyranny and faced down one of the greatest evils of the modern world.

We owe you and the rest of your generation a great debt that we can never repay.

[autorank]

21. Thanks Bill. Both my father and my uncle fought in the Pacific.

My dad got married and three weeks later, he was in Miami of all places (he enlisted in CA) at basic training. Somehow he made a film while there. What a great bunch of guys. My uncle was a hard charger in the Army Air Force. He was involved in some stuff on the Burma Road and flew gliders in one operation. My dad was more practical. He flew supplies around and apparently made sure that many GI's had their choice of alcoholic refreshments. He must have been popular because his buddies would drop by whenever they visited our home in CA.

You did a great thing for all of us and saved us from a terrible fate.

Thank you for your service. You must be a great dad because you've got a son who really loves you.

[BattyDem]

22. You are not forgotten!

:hug:

Thank you so much for your service. At a time in our history when so many false patriots surround us, it's comforting to know that true patriots like you still exist. :patriot:

[Wickerman]

23. Bil,, we will never forget what your generation did

The ideals you fought for are why we now are all so disturbed by what the neo-cons are doing to this great country.

Thanks for all you have done and the inspiration you continue to provide.

[Fleshdancer]

24. It is an honor to have the chance to say hello to you Bill

Thank you for everything. Your service means so much to me and your heroism is far too great to forget. My one wish is that you tell your stories...write them or record them, whatever it takes. The generation of tomorrow must learn through your experiences so please allow them the opportunity to know you.

Seven medals, prison camp, Bataan death march....WOW. I can't even begin to process all that you have endured.

[Lindacooks]

25. Thank you, sir.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your courageous service. Your sacrifices have NOT been forgotten, nor will they.

[housewolf]

26. Thank you, Bill, for your suffering, sacrifice and all that you did..

You, and all the others who took a stand for freedom, traveled far from home and gave so much so that those who came after you would have a better world. Your truly was the Greatest Generation. You, and all others who have fought for freedom for America and other countries of the world, have our deepest, gratitude, pride and respect.

P.S. "Bill" was my dad's name too. He fought in England, Italy and North Africa.

[Love Bug]

27. Hello, Bill, and thank you for your service

During WWII my dad and his brothers all served in the Canadian forces. My mother and her sisters made parachutes in a converted corset company. We in this current generation have no idea the level of sacrifice the men and women of your generation made because we are too comfortable and think of war as something that happens "over there." Very few of us here can possibly understand what you went through and how it changed you.

You and your contemporaries are truly The Greatest Generation. Thank you for your service, your sacrifice and your honor.

[asjr]

28. Bill, you are indeed a hero. The Bataan death march was one

of the most horrific episodes in US history. I had three uncles in WW2; one in England, one with Patton's army in Europe and another one in the Pacific. They all got back safely and today, they are still my heroes. You and they saved our country. God bless you.

[noamnety]

29. Hi Bill

I marched today as a veteran in the memorial day parade for the first time ever, even though I've been out of the military for 13 years. I really enjoyed hearing stories from the other vets - some of them were from WWII as well.

If it's not too much to ask, I'd love to have you post some of what you've experienced, so we can read it. There's so much wisdom in what a lot of the folks I marched with had to say ... it's a shame not to share your experiences with the rest of us.

[Stinky The Clown]

30. Bill, you are NOT forgotten.

Just today we were at the Memorial in DC that you and others of your generation waited for far too long. You and Lou and Bill, and so many others.



I salute you, Sir.

I honor you, Sir.

I thank you, Sir.

:patriot:

<edit to add image>

[lavendermist]

31. Thank you, Bill

Thanks for your sacrifice for your family, my family and our country. There are lots of us who haven't forgotten and we won't let others forget. My brother was 18 in 1943 when he lost his leg in France to a "booby trap". I was born a month before that happened. I was told stories, and I think I remember, going to the mailbox with my mother to see if we had a letter from either of my brothers who were serving at that time. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your service.

And thank you, DU veterans, for your service to our country. We will take it back. We have to.

Beverly

[samsingh]

32. Hello Bill

thank you so very much.

[LibertyorDeath]

33. .

.

[LibertyorDeath]

34. Your service will never be forgotten.

It is kept alive in the hearts & minds of people of good conscience.
and passed on from generation to generation.

My Grandfather WWI taught my Father & Uncles what it means to Serve
and they all did WWII, Korea & Cypress with distinction.

In turn they taught me what the price of freedom is & about the
Evils of Fascism.

My son turned a year old the other day and I will teach him what was
taught to me.

Your service and the service of millions like you will never be forgotten.

Thank You for your Courageous Service.

& thank you for sharing this laugle

[Career Prole]

35. God bless you Bill, and thank you for your heroic service

as well as that of your many friends who were lost.
You heroes are what Memorial Day is all about.
We love you, Sir, and are proud to salute you! :patriot:

[Deb]

36. Hello Bill!

:hug: It's wonderful that you have a special son/daughter to share time with today.

My Grandfather, Dad and Uncle are/were WW2 Vets too. I hope you know how incredibly important you men and women are to us.

It's been a hard year with loved ones or friends serving in Iraq and maybe that has reminded us to be a little more appreciative of the time we do have together. We skipped the BBQs and spent time with Dad.

I hope we(children)prove to be worthy of every sacrifice you made. WW2 Vet's stories of bravery and courage are being passed down through the generations, you will NEVER be forgotten.

Thank you and God Bless.

[imax2268]

37. Hey Bill...

From a Gulf War vet...I salute you sir...

[Divernan]

38. We are grateful to you and proud of your true patriotism.

I had two uncles in the Pacific - one left his little law practise in Kansas to become a Navy PT boat commander; the other dropped out of Notre Dame and became an Army Air Corps pilot - flew flying boxcars "over the hump" in Burma, if I recall it correctly. They both survived and have lived good lives.
My dearest friend (Dutch) lived in Indonesia. She and her family took a very dangerous ocean voyage being attacked by Uboats, to reach England, where she served in the military. One of her brothers was captured by the Japanese and died in one of their camps.

Your generation did us all so proud, and made the whole free world admire and respect America. We have our work cut out for us to return our dear country to that status, but your example inspires us.

[Rex_Goodheart]

39. Thank you, Bill

Bataan death march... I don't have to hear anything else to know that you're a very brave and strong man.

Long live the USA.

[Dem2theMax]

40. Bill, you are not and never will be forgotten.

Both of my parents are WWII veterans. And the flag flies every day in front of the house in honor of all of you, for what you have done for this country and the world.
It is an honor to say 'Thank you Sir.'

[wtmusic]

41. Bill, your service will never be forgotten

You fought for a truly just purpose and brought worldwide respect and admiration to the USA.

Thank you.

[stevedeshazer]

42. Hello, Bill, my dad and his uncle were WW II vets

Thanks for your service.

My dad's uncle was also a Japanese POW, for 40 months. He was one of Jimmy Doolittle's Raiders. He was the bombardier on the last plane to leave the deck of the USS Hornet and was forced to bail out over China where he was captured. He is still well at age 91.

Dad was a combat engineer in Europe. He was among the first to cross the Rhine River into Germany at Remagen in March 1945. He died two years ago.

Your sacrifices will never be forgotten, sir.

[Robbien]

59. Thanks Bill

and surprisingly Steve_DeShazer, my dad was a sailor on the USS Hornet. How about that, Small world.

Thanks Bill for your service and thanks to all our Vets.

[stevedeshazer]

60. Small world indeed.

[Upfront]

43. Bill

Thank you so much for the life I lead today. So glad you came home.

[Triana]

44. THANK YOU Bill!

My dad and uncle were WWII vets. You are NOT forgotten...

:applause: :hug:

[Garbo 2004]

45. Wow. Not forgotten by me. A genuine "thank you" sir for your service &

all you endured on behalf of your country.

[Blue_In_AK]

46. Hello, Bill...

Happy Memorial Day, and thank you a thousand times for your service and sacrifice.

[villager]

47. thank you, Bill

for your service to this country in what was, perhaps, the last truly "necessary" war we've been in.

The struggle to keep America living up to her promise, however, continues.

But thank you again for your service to during that dark time. Enjoy the day...

[alcuno]

48. Hello Bill. Thank you for our world.

I am grateful for what you have given to us and deeply value your service. I hope that you have participated in the oral history project for our country because it sounds as though yours is a story that we need preserved.

My uncles were in Europe in WWII and my great-uncle is buried in Belgium. There is a reason why yours is called the greatest generation and I hope that God continues to bless you and your family.

[roguevalley]

49. Bill, thank you for the service you gave our country. the Bataan

death march was so terrible, I could hug you. My colleague at school was a child in Manilla during the take over and he was a prisoner at the university with his missionary family. He tells me about it and I know you and him would understand each other without words spoken.

You are part of the Greatest Generation, that I will agree. You sacrificed without guile or complaint. We love you and honor you and miss that so many are passing. My uncles and my dad are the only ones left of a multitude of uncles and cousins who served in Europe and the Pacific. I shudder to think what the world would have been like if you, as a young man with all sorts of promise hadn't stepped out and put stop to the bullies, maniacs and fools that tried to take over our world.

The world will not forget you. we will always remember what you and your generation accomplished. It is the foundation of the world we know and even if things are shaky right now, we will prevail in the end. After all, we were raised by you weren't we?

God bless and much appreciation and love on this, Memorial Day,

Cathy and her family in Alaska

[Bake]

50. Thank you so much, Bill! And Pop, this one's for you too.

My own Dad is a WWII veteran also. You are very much appreciated (Bill, Pop, and all WWII vets)!

Bake

[HeeBGBz]

51. Hello Bill

My uncle was also a survivor of the Bataan death march and was a POW for 3 years. He got TB and lost a lung but he made it through.

Thank you for your service. I wish you peace and happiness, dear sir.

[CBHagman]

52. Hello, sir.

Thanks for visiting this message board.

Yesterday I was at the U.S. Capitol listening to the National Memorial Day Concert and thinking of all the veterans I've known who are no longer with us, including my father (Army medic, Pacific Theater of Operations, including Okinawa).

I'm glad you're still with us and able to share your stories with new generations. You are part of history, and we cannot forget your sacrifice.

We honor you today and for all the Memorial Days to come.

[johnaries]

53. Thank you, Bill, for what you have given our country.

You are a TRUE hero! My father was a Sargeant in the Army Air Force during WWII. Luckily, he was a B-24 mechanic so didn't see much action. We will never forget you, or any of our heroes of the Greatest Generation!
:patriot:

[ewagner]

54. Hi Bill!

It was my pleasure to know another survivor of Bataan who unfortunately passed away a few years ago...he was a very modest man who would never talk about the experience but his sons found letters and notes that he had written. There is something very special about that generation.

We're proud of you Bill and all those who served with you.

[DeepModem Mom]

55. You are a hero, sir...

and as long as young people need heroes to follow, and causes worth fighting for, you must not be forgotten. Thank you for your valiant service to our country, and to the cause of freedom.

[lucca]

56. Hello Bill!

You are a true hero.
I honor and respect you.
Thank you Bill.

[StaggerLee]

57. Your service is not forgotten

I have studied the Bataan death march and have educated friends and family over the years on this subject. Someday I will visit the Philippines again and trace the march routes on foot in honor of you and your fallen comrades.

I salute you sir. And would like to leave this quote which is so appropriate for yours which was indeed the greatest generation.

"Never in the face of human conflict has so much been owed by so many to so few."

Winston Churchill-

I am deeply honored to reply to this post. Thank you for your service.

[Califooyah Operative]

58. hello bill

thank you for your service. god bless you and your family.

[Sparkly]

61. We'll never forget your service!

My Dad was also named "Bill" and also served in WWII. As my husband posted upthread, we went to the WWII veterans' memorial today. It's a magnificent tribute to your service, and will stand to honor and thank you for many generations to come.

:patriot:

[MissMarple]

62. God bless you, Bill. We owe you and your friends too much to say.

There are just not words enough. :hug:

[leftofthedial]

63. hello, Bill.

Thank you for your service. Thank you too for raising a DUer!

[bumblebee1]

64. Hello Bill

You belong in a very small fraternity that included my late father, his brothers and my mother's brothers. My father and two of his brothers served in the Pacific just like you. His oldest brother served in Europe.

[lavenderdiva]

65. Hi, Bill!

Words can't really express how thankful we are for your service to our country. All that you have been through and endured certainly cannot be forgotten, and hasn't been. It sounds like you have given so much for our country, and must love it, to have sacrificed so much for it. We honor you today for repeatedly putting yourself in harm's way, for such strength of character, mind, and spirit to survive what few would have in the same circumstances.

I am praying for your health and spirit to be healed, and that you will personally feel all the admiration that each of us here at DU are sending you today!

Thank you again Bill for your lifetime of service and all that you have given to each of us, for us to be able to live in this country. God bless you! :hi:

[ebayfool]

66. Hi laugledad! Bill, you & your comrade's service will never be forgotten.

It was men like you that made this country strong & resilient! You can't possibly receive enough 'thanks' that are due you, but we can sure try. Thank you, Sir! Thank you & the men you served with, you done us proud!

[Tux]

67. His service forgotten?

Not with liberals it's not. Bill, you suffered a lot over there but your deeds weren't in vain nor disrespected. Earning 7 medals in our nation's highest service is no small feat. People may not care for history, want to ignore that hardships our veterans had to endure, but we'll always appreciate WW2 vets, and the rest, for doing the greatest good in military history. Bill, I hope there is time for you to tell your story to the current generation. Some of us will listen so the lessons you learned the hard way would be passed on to others. I never served (mental problem) but, Bill, never doubt your service. You did your duty so others wouldn't have to experience such horrors. You protected America, our allies, and democracy itself. For every drop of sweat and blood you shed, 100s of people should thank you.

Bill, thanks for your service and your sacrifices. DU and other liberals and Americans are proud of you. At my next UU Soulful Sundown meeting, I will light a candle in your honor so your deeds will shine.

Edit: Bill, I created a DU account for you so you can past on what you learned and tell us what you think about today's world. I need a PM to give you the account's password though. The user name is BillWW2Hero.

[alphafemale]

68. Thank You, Bill. Your generation achieved and gave unimaginable things

:hug:

[OneBlueSky]

69. hi, Bill . . . and thanks for your service . . .

my own father also served in WWII . . . he was an aerial artillery observer during the Battle of the Bulge, and was awarded the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters, among other medals . . . he passed in 1987, and we still miss him everyday, and particularly on Memorial Day . . . I salute you, sir, and wish you good health and good cheer . . . what you and your generation did for our country will never be forgotten . . . :patriot:

[alittlelark]

70. Hello Bill, My grandfather survived a similar WW2 experience..

He was also WW1 and died 20 years ago. I respect your service to this country to the point of tears.

Our family has lost members in all but Gulf War 1 from Revolutionary onwards.... I understand the military mind-set (I'm an AF brat)...

I get all teary eyed thinking about the honorable role this country played before the early 60's....


We had sooo much potential....

[bookman]

71. Hello Bill

My dad served in WWII. He's no longer around to say thanks too. Could you substitute for him?

A big thanks!

[Vektor]

72. Happy Memorial Day, Bill and thank you for your service!

Thank you for your bravery and courage in serving this country. Your heroism will never be forgotten.

[Swamp Rat]

73. You are a real American hero Bill! Thank you very much!

:hi:

May you enjoy your remaining time on Earth with the knowledge that your heroism will not be forgotten. You made America great and we will do our best to continue your legacy! :)

[Maine-ah]

74. Hey Bill, Thanks!

our thoughts are with you, you and your service will not be forgotten!

[Dinger]

75. Hi Bill, Thank You From The Bottom Of My Heart : )

I am a teacher, and each year my students send cards to veterans on Christmas, Veteran's Day, Valentine's Day, and we also send cards of thanks, several times of year. I make participation voluntary, yet 100% of my 15 little fourth graders make cards every time. They appreciate your service, I appreciate your service, and so does every person I know. Bless you sir!

[CarolNYC]

76. Hi Bill

And thanks for your service to our country. It will never be forgotten.

I hope you had an enjoyable Memorial Day.

Please take care, Carol

[sendero]

77. Yesterday...

.... one of my sons asked me "what is Memorial Day"?

I guess I was a little embarassed that he didn't know (he is 12).

I told him that it is a holiday set aside to honor and remember those who have sacrified for America during wartime.

It was set aside to honor and remember people like you Bill. Thank you.

[xmas74]

78. Sorry I missed it last night but hello!

And thank you for your service.
My grandfather just passed on in January. He was one month from 80. He wasn't at in Japan but you both have something in common-he was also a POW.
POW's tend to be the most forgotten of all. When they come home people tend to forget about the real contribution that they made. You have given more than most people ever will for our country. For that I can't even say thank you. It will never be enough. But please take my thank you and remember that I never, ever take this contribution lightly.

[Lochloosa]

79. Sir, my Grandfather also served in WWII. He passed when I

was to young to understand his sacrifice. So, in his honor, I thank you Sir. Man, that felt good.

[Lochloosa]

92. And to add...

"The Greatest Generation"

[Historic NY]

80. Hi Bill.......you are not forgotten...

My Dad, he is gone now many yrs, kicked Jap butts across the Pacific hoping they could get enough of you guys out. He was with Doug and made the landings in the Phillipines. You were not forgotten then nor now. We are glad you made it home. Thanks for your service.

[TriMetFan]

81. Tell your dad

Thank You for fighting in WWII. His serve will never be forgotten.:patriot:

[DinahMoeHum]

82. Bill, my father was also a POW/survivor during World War II.

He was in the ill-fated US Army 106th Infantry Division, and was taken prisoner in the Belgian town of St. Vith December 16, 1944, at the start of the Battle of the Bulge. He was liberated April 12, 1945 by Patton's boys.

He was a member of AXPOW for many years. So he and his buddies and their families/relations certainly have not forgotten men like yourself.

He passed away on January 30, 2005.

I am very proud of my dad and I miss him.

Tonight, I will say a prayer for you and ask my dad to keep an eye out for when you finally "come home".

:hug::hug::hug:

[Rainscents]

83. Hello, Bill!

All of us here at DU would never forget out vets! You'll be always remember as great American hero.

[yorgatron]

84. Hi Bill! my father was stationed in the South Pacific in WWII

i haven't forgotten,thank you.

[AmBlue]

85. Hi Bill and thank you

About 6 weeks ago, I picked up some dated copies of Smithsonian Magazine from a used book store and read, for the first time, about the Bataan death march. I was amazed at what I read. It was horrifying to me that so many of our soldiers could be simply surrendered to the Japanese because of piss-poor planning. Sad to say, looks like we're not much better at it today, either.

Anyway, thank you, Bill. Thank you for your service to me and my family, and to our country. I cannot imagine the depth of your sacrifice, but I can give my thanks. :patriot:

[Texas_Kat]

86. Thank you Bill

for the legacy of your courage!

[July]

87. Hello, Bill. Thanks for your service.

I'm sorry you had to go through the suffering you experienced while serving.

Your generation is not forgotten. Too many of us have WWII veterans in our families to ever want to diminish the hard job you all did.

My dad would be your age this year, but, sadly, died before he was 60. He was a fighter pilot in Europe in WWII. Six of my uncles also served.

Thank you, again.

[Greybnk48]

88. Thank you Bill! You are a true hero!! n/t

[bunkerbuster1]

89. Never forgotten.

I am sorry to hear that Bill believes we've forgotton the horror the Allied POWs endured at the hands of the Imperial army. I know we have to make peace, and we have to recognize the strides modern Japan has made as a productive, responsible nation.

But rest assured, I will never forget Bill's hardship, and my generation, born after WWII, will be forever in his debt.

[yewberry]

90. Hello and deepest thanks--my grandfather was a POW, too.

His name was Jock, and he was shot down over Germany. He was kept at Stalag Luft One until the Russians rolled in.

He came back a changed man and only found some of his fellow prisoners a few years before he died, but we were all so glad that he'd found them, as he never could bring himself to talk openly of his experiences.

You, like he, will be in my thoughts.

[Daphne08]

91. Hello Bill. I'd like to thank you for your service to our country.

My father served with the USMC (11th Marines) in the Pacific in WWII.

:patriot:

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

93. Bill, as the daughter of a WWII Pacific vet,

I thank you for your service to your country under the most horrific conditions imaginable.

Bill Clinton moved me to tears on June 6, 1994 when he spoke these words at the 50th Anniversary of D-Day: "These were the men who saved the world". President Clinton was not only speaking of the men of Normandy, but for every man and woman who gave up their jobs and defended their country.

Bill be proud. You saved the world....

:applause: :applause: :applause:

[ChickMagic]

94. No way!

My father is a survivor of the Bataan Death March too! He was also shipped to Japan as slave labor in the Mitsubishi coal mines. PM me - my dad would love to send him a book he wrote, printed at home and had them bound.

I salute your father for his courage and sacrifice for all of us.

PM me - My dad may know him. Was he at Camp O'Donnell?

[elehhhhna]

95. Dear Bill: Thank you, Sir.

You may not be rich & famous but you & your peers are still heroes to us. Here's a song for you:

My Hero

Too alarming now to talk about
take your pictures down and shake it out
truth or consequence say it aloud
use that evidence race it around

There goes my hero
watch him as he goes
There goes my hero
he's ordinary...



(by Foo Fighters)

[Kurovski]

96. Dear Bill,

Know this truth; you are the reason good has greater sway over evil in the world today.

Your sacrifice, bravery and endurance, your enormous will and loyalty as a soldier and as a man--all summoned at a young age when life is mostly unknown to us--is nothing less than remarkable.

You and your compatriots will never be forgotten by us. You will never be forgotten by those who understand and appreciate the mechanism of democracy and the workings of those who despise it. It takes a great summoning of will to overcome those who seize power and would prefer to keep the world in shackles for their own self-serving purpose. You were one of many men and women who stood up to it, and you remain standing today.

You will never be forgotten in the world, not just America, but the world, as long as history exists and people embrace and comprehend freedom.

You fought in a great battle that once and for all defined the line between freedom and that of fascism and totalitarianism. We now recognize clearly how you lifted the world from the depths of that which strangles freedom and Democracy.

Your sacrifice set the lesson in stone: the world now easily recognizes that which continues to threaten what you fought to preserve.

Have no concern that we will let these memories slip into disregard, instead take our appreciation and love and awe for you and bask in the real honor we give.

Although a good soldier is humble, there is nothing arrogant in filling your mind with assurance, and your heart with the love that's given for a job well done.

Thank you, Bill.


:patriot:

[markus]

97. Dear Bill

I recently made a present to my daughter for her confirmation of a rosary my mother strung heself and had blessed for my father to take to Europe in '44. My 13 year old daughter never knew new grandfather, but she will always have a token to reminder her of the sacrafices of the Greatest Generation.

[MadisonProgressive]

98. Dear Bill,

Bless you for all the suffering you experience on behalf of me and my family and all Americans. We are truly grateful beyond any words.

[underpants]

99. Hi Bill and Thanks

:hi: :patriot:

[Mairead]

100. Thank you for all you did, Bill.

No one will ever forget what you went through. You left home and family to go do a job, suffered brutality that 60 years on is still a byword for inhumanity, and you survived. Only a giant could do that.

I'm proud to share this planet with you.

[Javaman]

101. Dear Bill,

Thank you for you service to our great country.

Serving our country in the capacity that you did and surviving the march and imprisonment, is a testimony not only to your will to live, but to the depth of your courage. You had the power and strength to live through a truly horrible yet remarkable experience.

I salute you.

[whatelseisnew]

102. The Bataan Death March

The Bataan Death March began at Mariveles on April 10, 1942. Any troops who fell behind were executed. Japanese troops beat soldiers randomly, and denied the POWs food and water for many days. One of their tortures was known as the sun treatment. The Philippines in April is very hot. Therefore, the POWs were forced to sit in the sun without any shade, helmets, or water. Anyone who dared ask for water was executed. On the rare occasion they were given any food, it was only a handful of contaminated rice. When the prisoners were allowed to sleep for a few hours at night, they were packed into enclosures so tight that they could barely move. Those who lived collapsed on the dead bodies of their comrades. For only a brief part of the march would POWs be packed into railroad cars and allowed to ride. Those who did not die in the suffocating boxcars were forced to march about seven more miles until they reached their camp. It took the POWs over a week to reach their destination. (49) Those on Corregidor would suffer the same fate as their fellow soldiers on Bataan did as they too were transferred to Bataan.

http://history.acusd.edu/gen/st/~ehimchak/death_march.html

[driver8]

103. Hello Bill...your sacrifices will never be forgotten...

[AzDar]

104. Thank your Dad (and his fellow soldiers) for saving the World!!!

[grace0418]

105. I hope this isn't too late.

Bill, what you experienced I can never hope to fully comprehend. I can only say thank you. My father turned 18 in 1945 and joined the Navy, but never saw combat. He was a pacifist his whole life but told me that WWII was one war he would've gladly fought because of what was at stake. My mother's brother (who died before I was born) fought and, though he returned home in one piece, was never the same again mentally.

I grew up hearing the stories of the many vets in our family and community, but I have to say it took a movie for me to put together some kind of understanding of the horror these brave men and women faced. I'm not suggesting Saving Private Ryan was the best or most historically accurate film about WWII, but something about seeing these men (boys, really) face the carnage, the terror, the pain they faced really hit home with me. At the time I had an 18 year old nephew and tried to imagine him on a beach, being barraged with bullets, having his friends suffer horrible injuries and die agonizing deaths all around him, yet still having to fight on. Then I imagined him being in a POW camp, starving and mistreated, missing home and those he loved. It broke my heart. Not just because it was horrible to imagine that fate for him, but because so boys his age faced it.

Anyway, I mostly wanted to say you have not been forgotten. Those of us that REALLY care about the troops remember and honor you, NOT with stupid magnets on our cars but with our daily struggle to continue to protect the freedom you paid for with your sacrifice.

[laugle]

106. No it is not too late, I have

added your letter to my compilation of letters which I will present to dad on Fathers Day. Thanks so much for writing.

[October]

107. Hi Bill

My late grandfather (who raised me) served in the Army in the Pacific Theatre during WW2.

I am fortunate enough to have all his letters, photos of the Japanese islands, and other memorabilia from those days.

He was hospitalized on the Hospital Ship called the S.S. Hope, and since he was an artist, he drew sketches of things while recuperating. (As an artist myself, I'm especially overjoyed to have these items.)

My most favorite thing though, is his Zippo lighter. On it, he had carved all the islands he'd visited...and the very last entry on the lighter..."Home Sweet Home."

My "Pop" came home from the war, a man of peace and tolerance. A true pacifist.

He always hung the flag properly, and took it down by sundown. He was a true patriot.

The story of your 7 medals and POW status moved me. Please accept my family's gratitude for all you've done.

[DearAbby]

108. Dear Bill

From one American to another, I thank you for all that you had to endure for the sake of our country. I thank you for your service.

As long as I live and breathe, your story will never be forgotten, You Sir are a living breathing HERO. A Patriot. You will live on in the hearts and mind of All Americans as long as her flag waves, As long as the oceans touches her shores. You sir, will never be forgotten.


SALUTE!

[understandinglife]

109. Good evening Bill,

I am grateful for the opportunity to express my gratitude to you for your selfless service to America and humanity.

Much of the motivation behind our efforts is to do everything possible to prevent your sacrifices and those of so many others, to protect and build America, from being squandered by Bush and his neoconster gang.

Thank you,
UL


www.missionnotaccomplished.us - how ever long it takes, the day must come when tens of millions of caring individuals peacefully but persistently defy the dictator, deny the corporatists cash flow, and halt the evil being done in Iraq and in all the other places the Bu$h neoconster regime is destroying civilization and the environment in the name of "America."

[Amonester]

110. Bonjour! Hello, Bill.

My dad "Larry" was a RCAF's B-29 Navigator stationed in England from 1942 until the end of the Third Reich. During one of his nightime bombing missions over Germany, all crew members onboard got either killed, or badly wounded enough to lose conscience, except him. As the plane began "spiralling" down, he quickly ran to the cockpit, and flew it back to the base through the dark of the night. Got decorated for saving the lives of those who survived that night. The next day, they counted 47 holes in the cockpit. On a subsequent mission, though, while flying through dark fog over the Netherlands, he made a mistake in his calculations, and unfortunately was told the bombs hit in the middle of our own Canadian troops down there. He could never really forgive himself after that dreadful "mistake" of his. He came back home hooked on alchohol. He would be very sad of seeing this Third Reich's "remnant" rising to power again some 60 years later today. I thought WWII Courageous Vets asked us to never let "them" rise ever again, especially not at the top of the most powerful military on earth today. Well, we have a long way to go. Take care.

[Booster]

111. Hi, Bill. I sincerely want to thank you for your service to our

country. We would have never gotten this country to be as great as it can be without your efforts. I do not support this Administration, but I certainly do support any man or woman who serves our country. Bush can't hold a candle to you and he never will. You're the real thing and he's a fake.

[Skittles]

112. my beloved English grandfather was at Dunkirk

you WWII soldiers were the finest :hi:

[senseandsensibility]

113. Thank you so much

Words are inadequate, but your sacrifice will never be forgotten. Americans will remember as long as we continue to live in a free, democratic country. The fact that we do so is a tribute to you, Sir.

[chieftain]

114. Thank you for your service to the world, Bill.

PBS had a special on last night about the Bataan Death March and the prison camp that was liberated after our landing on the Philippines.
Needless to say, the treatment our brave soldiers and Marines was an atrocity. One of the men without going into detail, said that he saw things, that to this day he has a hard time believing happened.
My Dad was a
Marine , wounded twice. Once when the U.S.S. Chicago was sunk and then on the landing at Pelilieu. My uncle fought with the Army all over the Pacific from Attu to Kwajelain to the Philippines.
I am staggered by all of you who displayed such valor and constancy and I salute all veterans of all of our wars.

[rockymountaindem]

115. Thanks Bill!

I didn't see this thread earlier. Thank you for your service. My grandpa also served in the Philippines during the war as part of a USAAC ship crew. He passed away shortly after I was born, but I'm glad there are still WWII vets among us to remind us of the sacrifices of all the others.

Hats off.