69 years ago today, my late FIL joined thousands on Omaha Beach

[rurallib]

for the invasion of Europe.
He only spoke of it briefly in all the time I knew him. He seldom said anything about WWII.
He had lived the horror of war and never wanted to talk about it. He put his medals in a dresser drawer never to look at them again.
With the 50th anniversary coming up his cousin, a nurse in WWII, asked if he would join her in going over for the event. He said no saying that once was more than enough. He had no desire to relive the bullets flying over his head or slogging through the mud or seeing his fellow soldiers get killed.

I wanted so badly to ask him lots of questions, but I learned early on to let him deal with this aspect of his life as he wanted and that was to leave it in the past.

Thanks, Bob, for your service.

[Puzzledtraveller]

1. Thank you for sharing this.

[mnmoderatedem]

2. War is war

Events like D-day and the fact that WW2 ended favorably tend to glamorize things. But it is hell no matter the context. Not surprised your father in law didn't want to talk about it, and you were right for not pushing him.

[senseandsensibility]

3. My father in law also fought in WWII

He enlisted at age 17 and is still alive. He has been awarded many medals and went on to serve in Korea and Vietnam. Very modest, as was your father in law, and not one to talk about it.

[MurrayDelph]

4. My dad treaded water off the coast

His brand new tank had a defective flotation collar and sunk like a rock.

Other transports came by offering him a ride to shore, but with no weapon, he didn't see the point.

[murielm99]

5. My dad did not talk about it much, either.

When we were kids, he spoke about the things he had seen, like the Taj Mahal and the people and places in China. We did not know until very late in his life that he was part of an historic group of soldiers. He was one of the first army rangers.

He spoke to someone who was part of his group, another survivor, who was writing a book. He went to the World War II memorial in D.C., and opened up more to us after that. He had seen a lot of death and disaster.

I am glad he spoke a bit. Now, he had dementia and is in hospice care. He is nearly eighty-seven, and won't be here much longer.

[rurallib]

6. we are losing a lot when we lose that generation

[curlyred]

7. Four uncles fought in WWII

Two in Europe, two in the Pacific. Many decorations and one Silver Star. My dad was in Korea.

None of them talked much about it until they were quite old. We have been able to record some of their conversations and they are priceless.