My WWII veteran grandpa is dying.

He's in hospice care, my mom said he might live 1 week, to as much as 1 month. I'm very sad to lose the old man, he's been a part of my life for, well, my whole life.

When he found out I had a huge interest in WWII, the nicest thing a relative has ever done for me, he gave me his old WWII-vintage Army-Captain bars. He finished the war as a Captain.

I got them in a display case along with my Uncle's Purple Heart and Bronze Star my Uncle got in the Battle of the Bulge.

My grandpa mainly fought in Africa and Italy during the War. In Italy in particular, he had a much higher opinion of the German's general, Albert Kesselring, than he did his own, Mark Clark.


My favorite story about Grandpa, one day we were sitting down to play a game of scrabble, and he spells out "A-N-Z-I-O" Anzio, with a triple word score with a Z. I tell him he can't use that since it's a proper noun. He then starts telling his old war stories about fighting in the Battle of Anzio, and god damn, it was such a great story, we wound up allowing it, and he WON the game.

Sad to hear this. I wish I had more to say, but it sounds like he lived a very treasured life and you are as important to him as he is to you. I hope for all the best in whatever comes and wish for it to be as painless as it can be, for everyone involved. GL

On a more inquiry sidenote, did you know that he is one of the few remaining? Less than 800k if I am not mistaken are still alive to this day.

At least you knew him, my great grandfather was a WW2 hero and my grandfather barely even knew him lol...i barely know anything about him except his purple heart,medals and that he was somewhere on the western front. Also, my family discovered he had a sizeable weapons cache in his basement, hand grenades and all.

Much respect to your grandfather. I can only wish him and your family best of luck. You're lucky to have such a great man by your side most of your life... Cherish every seconds left with him while you still can. Not many WW2 veterans are left and i'm afraid that 1 day, not many even know what WW2 even was. Very sad that it's already happened somewhere... Share his stories to those you know, let everyone remembers him.‎

He's in hospice care, my mom said he might live 1 week, to as much as 1 month. I'm very sad to lose the old man, he's been a part of my life for, well, my whole life.

When he found out I had a huge interest in WWII, the nicest thing a relative has ever done for me, he gave me his old WWII-vintage Army-Captain bars. He finished the war as a Captain.

I got them in a display case along with my Uncle's Purple Heart and Bronze Star my Uncle got in the Battle of the Bulge.

My grandpa mainly fought in Africa and Italy during the War. In Italy in particular, he had a much higher opinion of the German's general, Albert Kesselring, than he did his own, Mark Clark.


My favorite story about Grandpa, one day we were sitting down to play a game of scrabble, and he spells out "A-N-Z-I-O" Anzio, with a triple word score with a Z. I tell him he can't use that since it's a proper noun. He then starts telling his old war stories about fighting in the Battle of Anzio, and god damn, it was such a great story, we wound up allowing it, and he WON the game.

There's a life after death, so dont worry..
Good luck!

Not many WW2 veterans are left and i'm afraid that 1 day, not many even know what WW2 even was. Very sad that it's already happened somewhere... Share his stories to those you know, let everyone remembers him.‎

Well, take a look at what happened with WWI. I think games, movies, series bring interest on the subject and if done correctly they help giving some kind of background and superficial knowledge about this events.


My grandfather passed away 2 weeks ago at the age of 94. He was on the Pacific theatre (Japanese). Unfortunately i know too little about what he experienced cause he didn't like to talk about it, which is understandable.
The few things i know are fragments of what he or my grandmother could mention about it. He survived a bombing run to the transport boats near Okinawa (500ish out of +3000 survived) and had to swim back into the island. For some time he was part of the Shinyo, basically Kamikaze boats and at the end of the war, he went to Hiroshima in order to clean the city. From my grandmothers words: "He dropped any religious belief after going to Hiroshima. There couldn't be any god as that place was hell in earth".

Well, take a look at what happened with WWI. I think games, movies, series bring interest on the subject and if done correctly they help giving some kind of background and superficial knowledge about this events.

I agree.

My grandfather passed away 2 weeks ago at the age of 94. He was on the Pacific theatre (Japanese). Unfortunately i know too little about what he experienced cause he didn't like to talk about it, which is understandable.
The few things i know are fragments of what he or my grandmother could mention about it. He survived a bombing run to the transport boats near Okinawa (500ish out of +3000 survived) and had to swim back into the island. For some time he was part of the Shinyo, basically Kamikaze boats and at the end of the war, he went to Hiroshima in order to clean the city. From my grandmothers words: "He dropped any religious belief after going to Hiroshima. There couldn't be any god as that place was hell in earth".

War played havoc with faith, I think: my mother lost her faith after her pilot brother was shot down; but my father became quite religious, especially after V-J night, which was the only time he ever became drunk, knowing he was not going to have to fight the Japanese.

Nice to see that you appreciate your grandfather. I´m sure he noticed.

When I asked my parents what my relatives did in the war I usually got superficial replies ("everybody served") since nobody here wants to talk about it... not even in the family. I only know that my great-grandmother had four sons of which one survifed the war. By coincidence I stumbled on an old photobook and it turns out my great-uncle was in a Panzergrenadier-Division, yet because of the self shaming trip we Germans are on, I got to know way too late.

Best wishes for your grandfather.

I agree.

War played havoc with faith, I think: my mother lost her faith after her pilot brother was shot down; but my father became quite religious, especially after V-J night, which was the only time he ever became drunk, knowing he was not going to have to fight the Japanese.

Your parents? You must be an older fart than me!

My father's generation were too young. They were children during the war. And his parents' generation (he had a few dozen aunts and uncles as his father was one of 10 and mother one of 9, almost all married) were too old, being in their 30s and 40s.

One Uncle served in the French Resistance (he has a page about him on the French Resistance website) and was caught by the Gestapo and interred at their HQ in Drancy and then at Auschwitz and finally liberated from the Gusen sub-camp of Matthausen.

Find out the units with whom he served and get their unit histories. Maybe contact them and find out what exists in the archives that refer to him or that he wrote. Officers had a lot of report writing responsibilities (see how often they show in Band of Brothers the officers at typewriters) and if he was a Capt he no doubt wrote a bunch of them. They may not be riveting descriptions of combat, but they will probably give you a good idea of what his responsibilities were.

I don't know how much your name reflects your beliefs or those of your grandfather, but my grandfather found much comfort in the Book of Psalms. #121 is very apt for when someone is facing their last days.

He's in hospice care, my mom said he might live 1 week, to as much as 1 month. I'm very sad to lose the old man, he's been a part of my life for, well, my whole life.

When he found out I had a huge interest in WWII, the nicest thing a relative has ever done for me, he gave me his old WWII-vintage Army-Captain bars. He finished the war as a Captain.

I got them in a display case along with my Uncle's Purple Heart and Bronze Star my Uncle got in the Battle of the Bulge.

My grandpa mainly fought in Africa and Italy during the War. In Italy in particular, he had a much higher opinion of the German's general, Albert Kesselring, than he did his own, Mark Clark.


My favorite story about Grandpa, one day we were sitting down to play a game of scrabble, and he spells out "A-N-Z-I-O" Anzio, with a triple word score with a Z. I tell him he can't use that since it's a proper noun. He then starts telling his old war stories about fighting in the Battle of Anzio, and god damn, it was such a great story, we wound up allowing it, and he WON the game.

And his parents' generation were too old, being in their 30s and 40s.

How is that too old? Isn´t fighting age 18-45 years? I know my grandfathers father was drafted at age 40 something though for 2nd line duties. Still was involved in combat.

All my ancestors along the line of my father are tankman:
My great-grandfather - was burned in a tank at Kursk
My grandfather is a tankman
My father is a tankman, he served in the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany
But I'm not good for the army (health) and high for the tankman

Moved from Lobby to the Library.

How is that too old? Isn´t fighting age 18-45 years? I know my grandfathers father was drafted at age 40 something though for 2nd line duties. Still was involved in combat.

Probably depends on what country you are in.

The ones who were in France were not getting drafted into anything and most were in hiding because they were Jews. The ones who made it to the US were not yet fluent in English having arrived here in mid-late 1940, and they were all already married and with kids. My grandfather taught himself English starting at the age of 40! By his death (at 98) he considered it his "first" language.

My grandfather made a machine design that he sold to a US manufacturer for $25,000 (at that time!) and used that to start a company that fulfilled gov't contracts during the war.

He also assisted the OSS on European (and particularly German) industrial knowledge since he was an expert in his field of was glass and optics. (He showed them every German company that did or could manufacture military optics.)

Your parents? You must be an older fart than me!

My name is not Heinz.

My father's generation were too young. They were children during the war. And his parents' generation (he had a few dozen aunts and uncles as his father was one of 10 and mother one of 9, almost all married) were too old, being in their 30s and 40s.

Part of the good fortune of being born American. The call-up age for UK went as high as 51 apparently But of course, UK is and was a far smaller country, both wrt population, as well as geographical size

One Uncle served in the French Resistance (he has a page about him on the French Resistance website) and was caught by the Gestapo and interred at their HQ in Drancy and then at Auschwitz and finally liberated from the Gusen sub-camp of Matthausen.

We both know he was extremely lucky to survive that.

Sorry to hear that.

My grandfather who served in the RCN (Royal Canadian Navy) passed away a few years ago. Sadly more and more of our Second World War veterans are passing on.

I understand that doesn't make this any easier for you, I wish you and your family the best in a difficult time.

Part of the good fortune of being born American. The call-up age for UK went as high as 51 apparently But of course, UK is and was a far smaller country, both wrt population, as well as geographical size

Well, none of them were US born at the time. Most of the adults had been born in Poland or Russia and the kids in France. But being older, in the US, with kids, non-English speakers I can't see how they were high on the list unless they would actually enlist.

We had one family friend (my grandfather's first employee) who was on a boat that left Poland the day before the Nazis invaded. But he was young (11-13?) and by the time he was 18 and it came time for him to be drafted he spoke English (and had been working for my grandfather almost 4 years). His first deployment was in an armored division for the invasion of Japan. They were en route when news came the atom bombs were dropped and those units became the first occupying troops.

We both know he was extremely lucky to survive that.

It gets better. He escaped Auschwitz once, was recaptured, and was recognized by someone he knew when they were going to kill him. That person had him picked out for forced labor. I didn't realize until recently just how few actually escaped Auschwitz. Many many more survived the camps somehow than escaped them.

And he escaped death again at Gusen. That was where tunnels were where rockets and planes were built. The SS planned to blow the tunnels with all the laborers still in them but US forces got there a day before that happened.

He died early in the morning earlier today. I think it's hard on my mom.

Well, take a look at what happened with WWI. I think games, movies, series bring interest on the subject and if done correctly they help giving some kind of background and superficial knowledge about this events.


My grandfather passed away 2 weeks ago at the age of 94. He was on the Pacific theatre (Japanese). Unfortunately i know too little about what he experienced cause he didn't like to talk about it, which is understandable.
The few things i know are fragments of what he or my grandmother could mention about it. He survived a bombing run to the transport boats near Okinawa (500ish out of +3000 survived) and had to swim back into the island. For some time he was part of the Shinyo, basically Kamikaze boats and at the end of the war, he went to Hiroshima in order to clean the city. From my grandmothers words: "He dropped any religious belief after going to Hiroshima. There couldn't be any god as that place was hell in earth".

Wait, so your grandpa fought on the Japanese's side?

My grandpa, it took him til 2008, to buy a Japanese car, I guess that's how much of an effect WWII had on him.

I love Japanese culture, it's nice that we were fierce enemies in WWII, but then when the war was over, became close allies.

I've always said the two worst theaters in WWII in terms of War Crimes was the Eastern Front for Germans/Russians, and the Pacific Theater.

I've always questioned if the Atomic bombing of 2 Japanese cities were really necessary, as I understand it we had Japan militarily defeated even without the bombs. Some people have strong opinions on it.

If you're from Japan, I use to LOVE Japanese sports cars, still do. Thought I'd share a couple pics of mine. I mostly built mine for quartermile drag racing, but they could go around corners really good too.