The destroyer that I was on in the early 50s was very active in the Pacific from late 1943 until the end of the war. It was in the major battles earning 10 battle stars. On April 11, 1945 off Okinawa, it was hit by friendly fire during a kamakaze attack.
Three were killed and twenty five wounded. The three KIA were buried at sea.

A couple of years ago a WWII member located the sister of one of the deceased and called her. In the course of the conversation he gave her the longtitude and latitude of the burial site. She was surprised to hear this because all those years the family had been tryingto find out the name of the island they thought he was buried on.

adding my thanks to all veterans, too, as well as to the many journalists who have lost their lives in covering the Iraqi war and others.
Peace.

Just a reminder..thanks to ronkala's post. Each and every day we are losing more and more WWII veterans. If you know one please be sure to thank them for their dedicated service to our country while they are still here amongst us. **==

LoveItaly, my dad was the Grand Marshall in his hometown parade yesterday. He was only 16 when he was in WWII so he's a bit younger than most WWII Veterans.

He's the best guy in the world!

I spent Memorial Day weekend in D.C a few years ago with my friend,her then 8 yr old son and her teenage brother.It was awesome to see that both boys really "got it" over the course of the visit. It was a special weekend...one that they still talk about every Memorial Day weekend since. I look foward to taking my daughter when she's old enough to understand.

May God bless all who have served, are serving now,and those who look at the world today and know that they want to serve our country in the future.

The Smithsonian is doing a Living History project, getting veterans of WWII to tell theri stories in an interview. They are conducting the interviews live, but also have a website where you can get the questiosn to ask, videotape the vet answering them, and get the recording to Smithsonian people to make part of their acrchive project. I have heard about this a few times on the radio here in DC area. I'd like my father in law to participate, and he woudl like to do it. Does anybody know more about that??

Oh GoTravel, sixteen! Truly just a boy but obviously with a mans determination. How your grandparents must have worried about him.

I have a question, maybe you or someone else will know.

Just this morning I was thinking of one of my beloved cousins. He and two of his buddies joined the Navy when there were in HighSchool. I was just a little girl but I remember going to his HS class graduation. He and the other young fellows that had joined the military were not there of course, but a special part of the ceremony was dedicated to these fine young men.

So, my question is this; what was the minimum age for young men when they were allowed to enlist during WWII? Thank you.

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To those who have made the supreme sacrifice, and to those who are protecting our freedom as we speak ... heartfelt thanks from my family and from me. I just watched the Memorial Day Concert from Washington that I'd recorded yesterday ... I start crying when Charles Durning comes on stage!

God bless you all, veterans and current service members! ((L))

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Thank you is just not enough for what all veteran's and active members of our military have given to all of us...

LoveItaly, I think the minimum age was 16 years old. I'll call and ask him!

Gotravel,

When I enlisted in 1951, after hs graduation, the minimum age was seventeen. I needed my parents permission and my father had to back with me to sign the papers. I believe that was the minimum in WWII also. There was a CPO on board with me who lied about his age when he was sixteen so he could get in during WWII.

I'm not sure of the name of it, but there is an organization made up of those who were sixteen years old or under enlistees.

Thank you GoTravel, and also to you ronkala. This is something I have always wondered about. I "think" my cousin was 17 but not positive. His birthday was December 7th and if I remember the family history correctly he enlisted right afterwards. So probably Pearl Harbor was on his 17th birthday.

This Memorial Day has has been more touching then ever for me. No doubt because it is on my dear father's birthday and also because of all the brave men and women we are losing in the current war.

I have a 15 year old grandson who is in the Jr ROTC, I can't even imagine him going into battle within a year, although he can..the next generation of military men in our family it appears.

Blessings to all. **==

Through family research and careful documentation verification, I have relatives who were in the Revolutionary War, and Civil War!
Also, more recent: Vietnam War.
God Bless them all!
God Bless America!

Thank you for the post!!

Well, I haven't been able to catch up with my dad the celebrity ( :-D ) but I did find out some interesting stuff from my father in law.

He said back then that most of the kids at the time were products of the depression and most didn't have the choice of college or other things so they lied about their age to get in the service. It was either that or dead end jobs with no way out. I'll have to check with my dad but that sounds like him as a kid!

My FIL also said the US government really did turn a blind eye to underage enlistees.

MissKiss, the genealogist in our family found out that we have Civil War soldiers in the family...my great great great grandfather :D

GoT.. My uncle was 17 when he enlisted in the Navy, in California. He became an executive of Southern Pacific Railroad after getting out so I guess he got a pretty good education , all in all.
((F))
God bless them all~

Great post - my Dad (81 years old) walked in our local parade on Monday. He was so proud he was the only WWII veteran that walked (all the other "old guys" rode in cars.) I was so proud of him - God Bless America and all the "young people" that are still in harms way.

4merlot, my dad walked too and he was also very proud of that fact. They wanted him to ride in a convertable and he said he was either going to walk or ride his Harley-Davidson.

Since the parade organizers were somewhat taken aback by the thought of an 80 year old on a motorcycle, they relented and let him walk!

I'm so proud!

GoTravel, your father sounds like a fun fellow! My daughter's Godfather who is now around 83 years old (a WWII Navy Vet) just sold his Indian Motorcycle. Guess he decided it was no longer safe for him to ride it. That made me sad. Take care.

GoTravel - Sounds like your Dad is "young at heart" also. We're so lucky to still have them around!

Gotravel,

The organization for those brave guys who enlisted at sixteen or younger is
Veterans Under Age Military Service.
They are known as VUMS and can be reached at 1-888-653-8867. **== **==