If you don't mind, on this Memorial Weekend, I'll share a bit of a call I had with the last survivor

Home > Forums > The Open Forum

| Register

Upvote this post.

5

Downvote this post.

If you don't mind, on this Memorial Weekend, I'll share a bit of a call I had with the last survivor

Author: TyroneIrish (24572 Posts - Joined: Oct 8, 2020)

Posted at 9:53 pm on May 30, 2021

View All

"Joe" (97 yrs old) of my Dad's WWII B-17 crew...we went on for well over an hour re-visiting some of his combat and life experiences...here are some interesting pieces...

>Joe grew up in FLA and as a 13 year old he was Babe Ruth's preferred caddy at a local country club during annual Spring Training for the Yankees..
- The Babe had a "Huge" golf bag that held 50-60 clubs (many of which given to him by companies)...but knowing no kid could carry it, he'd take out 4 or 5 clubs to play with a let Joe carry them
in his hands..
- The going rate for 9 holes was $0.25 for caddies, but The Babe would always pay Joe $2.50...a "Huge" sum for the 1930's, which Joe would take home to his grateful Mother...The Babe only
played on Thursdays and only for ~3 holes...often challenging Joe to a "Match" out of sight of the clubhouse, which somehow, Joe always ended up winning...needless to say, Joe loved The Babe, but not just for the money...he treated all the kids with love and respect and never cursed at anyone...no preaching...just a great example.

>Joe was the Radio Operator on the crew and on one mission he ended up saving all of them...when on the final "Bomb Run" planes could end up right on top of each other, so my Dad and Joe worked out a plan whereby Joe would keep an eye out of the window 'above' his station to make sure no other bomber was in such a position, and if so, Joe was to yell out on the intercom "Jump It!" and my Dad would quickly slew the plane to the side...and that's what happened on this mission...the bombs from the other plane missed them by 6 feet.

>Returning after the war, Joe took advantage of the GI Bill and became an attorney, spending a good part of his career with the U.S. State Department traveling to the Middle East and Moscow. He's still enjoying his life near his family and listening to opera performances.

I'm sure there will be future generations that will remember today's warriors, but if you see any of the WWII Vets this weekend...give them a 'sharp' salute and handshake in thanks.

Replies to: “If you don't mind, on this Memorial Weekend, I'll share a bit of a call I had with the last survivor”

If you don't mind, on this Memorial Weekend, I'll share a bit of a call I had with the last survivor - TyroneIrish - 9:53pm 5/30/21 (76) [View All]
- God bless the greatest generation.... - Domer From Hell - 2:37am 5/31/21
  - Thank you, Domer. [NT] - TyroneIrish - 3:23am 5/31/21
- Well, so much for trying to honor a veteran...fortunately, Joe doesn't have to read this thread. [NT] - TyroneIrish - 2:12am 5/31/21
  - Because he doesn’t exist? [NT] - notredame678 - 2:21am 5/31/21
    - "You're making that up!...No!...YOU'RE making that up!....Damn It!...YOU ARE MAKING THAT UP!!!" - TyroneIrish - 5:34pm 5/31/21
      - Ty tries and fails completely.Pathetic [NT] - eftg1 - 6:01pm 5/31/21
      - No, it’s very sad that you would stoop that low. [NT] - notredame678 - 5:41pm 5/31/21
- they won't forget your imaginary person [NT] - Hank the Tank - 11:12pm 5/30/21
- You’re full of shit. [NT] - notredame678 - 11:02pm 5/30/21
  - I post a true story about a fine veteran, and all you can do is vent your dislike for me...i'll - TyroneIrish - 11:22pm 5/30/21
    - It's just that you seem to make a lot of stuff up. You've lost the trust of the board. - NedoftheHill - 4:07am 5/31/21
      - Ned, unless you can prove a falsehood on my part...it's YOU who is making stuff up. BTW, I'm not - TyroneIrish - 7:12am 5/31/21
        
        Ty you have a misinformation agenda and you are pathetic with the veteran lie,go away [NT] - eftg1 - 11:18am 5/31/21
        
        There’s nothing to”prove”.This is an opinion forum,not court. Now, I have a date w/Morgan Fairchild - BaronVonZemo - 10:27am 5/31/21
        
        I was expecting Ned to reply, but I'm glad you did..."Opinions" are expected on a forum, but - TyroneIrish - 4:58pm 5/31/21
        
        It’s not about your made up veteran, can’t you see that? [NT] - notredame678 - 5:27pm 5/31/21
        
        That's so cool, since I heard she's finishing up her - ColeyO - 3:54pm 5/31/21
    - See what Rush, Hannity, F@ux News did to these guys. They purely drink Haterade. [NT] - Quest4twelve - 12:10am 5/31/21
      - Sounds like you have some hatin' going on your own self................. - ELP - 2:58pm 5/31/21
      - So the reason Ty is full of shit is a TV show? - notredame678 - 12:22am 5/31/21
        
        Umm yeah that's it... [NT] - Quest4twelve - 1:34am 5/31/21
        
        Qwest is roommates with Jim. Pay no attention. [NT] - Stark Raving Dad - 12:39am 5/31/21
    - You made your bed a long time ago. [NT] - notredame678 - 11:36pm 5/30/21
    - At least part of the story is BS. You know it. [NT] - Aragoto - 11:28pm 5/30/21
      - Golf bags hold 14 clubs-very old rule. He says Babe’s held 50-60. Why are you being so generous? - BaronVonZemo - 12:45am 5/31/21
        
        Your golf knowledge is clearly limited...the 14 club rule took effect in 1936...before then, the - TyroneIrish - 1:53am 5/31/21
        
        Now you’ve dropped it from 50-60 down to 40-50. Just stop. - BaronVonZemo - 10:06am 5/31/21
- Babe Ruth’s last Yankee spring training was in 1934. Your friend would have been 10 years old. [NT] - Aragoto - 10:32pm 5/30/21
  - Aragato just blew lying Ty out of the water,Ty stolen vicarious valor guy [NT] - eftg1 - 12:21am 5/31/21
    - Thank God he wasn’t in the DMZ. [NT] - notredame678 - 1:17am 5/31/21
      - Notredame678 Ty is a garden variety fraudster [NT] - eftg1 - 3:45am 5/31/21
  - You're right about that...Joe may have mis-remembered his age at the time...but the man is not - TyroneIrish - 10:41pm 5/30/21
    - Agree that your longwinded Joe and The Babe story is irrelevant to Memorial Day. [NT] - Aragoto - 9:16pm 5/31/21
    - This is up there with Ivy League ICU Doc on Speed Dial Who Turned Down Harvard To Make A Difference - BaronVonZemo - 11:33pm 5/30/21
      - I throw you an olive branch wrt to your failings on the "MIT Report", etc...and you step on it... - TyroneIrish - 1:22am 5/31/21
        
        Are you stroking out? [NT] - notredame678 - 1:27am 5/31/21
        
        Apparently. He looked up Harvard residencies in response to sarcasm. - BaronVonZemo - 10:21am 5/31/21
        
        Baron, what's surprising here is that I knew enough to bring up the distinction regarding "Harvard" - TyroneIrish - 4:33pm 5/31/21
        
        I was mocking you silly. I spent some time at their system. - BaronVonZemo - 11:31pm 5/31/21
        
        Nice try, Dude, but in case you haven't noticed, there are a few others on this board who have - TyroneIrish - 9:25pm 6/1/21
      - . [NT] - TyroneIrish - 12:48am 5/31/21
    - On his deathbed he will receive total consciousness. [NT] - notredame678 - 11:16pm 5/30/21
      - Which is nice. [NT] - Stark Raving Dad - 11:24pm 5/30/21
    - We can honor Veterans without bullshit. - Aragoto - 11:12pm 5/30/21
      - I'm really sorry that you're so bitter and dis-trustful of others...you should work on that. [NT] - TyroneIrish - 11:18pm 5/30/21
        
        The math doesn’t add up...that’s on you. - Aragoto - 11:26pm 5/30/21
        
        Humiliated?...No, but I am embarrassed that a fellow ND grad acts the way you are...are you so - TyroneIrish - 11:43pm 5/30/21
        
        You are surprised an ND grad tells the truth? Shame on you. - Aragoto - 11:58pm 5/30/21
        
        Truth telling and you are not well acquainted. See GOAT persona story. Biggest pile of BS shoveled - Frank L - 2:57am 5/31/21
        
        Aside from the fact that you have no proof that my retelling of Joe's story is untrue...I'm not the - TyroneIrish - 1:39am 5/31/21
        
        Now he saved your fathers life? Have you no shame? [NT] - notredame678 - 1:51am 5/31/21
        
        You should probably stop. You're digging a deeper hole. [NT] - MAS - 1:46am 5/31/21
        
        He picked a bad week to stop sniffing glue. [NT] - Stark Raving Dad - 3:13am 5/31/21
    - The world is full of BSers. - MAS - 11:07pm 5/30/21
      - Maybe Joe's an ICU doctor too. [NT] - Stark Raving Dad - 11:24pm 5/30/21
        
        Ever seen a golf bag that can fit “50-60 clubs”? [NT] - BaronVonZemo - 12:40am 5/31/21
        
        Just in caddy shack. [NT] - Stark Raving Dad - 1:31am 5/31/21
        
        Caddyshack is blacklisted. Treatment of Wang is causing violence against Asian-Americans... [NT] - TakethetrainKnute - 9:58am 5/31/21
        
        “Let’s see, 60 clubs to choose from.....Wang, hand me my 27 and 1/2 wood”. [NT] - BaronVonZemo - 10:12am 5/31/21
        
        Check out my reply to you above, but here, I'll just repeat...it's a "Figure of Speech!"...there is - TyroneIrish - 5:12pm 5/31/21
        
        Babe reportedly drank quite a bit during his rounds of golf. Not sure why you'd want 60 clubs... [IMAGE] - TakethetrainKnute - 11:36am 5/31/21
        
        Use your whole brain...it was a "Figure of Speech" by Joe to convey the situation...no - TyroneIrish - 5:23pm 5/31/21
        
        You may want to lighten up, Francis. Enjoy your whole day...while remembering those who gave all. [NT] - TakethetrainKnute - 5:53pm 5/31/21
        
        I think you may have hit on it...but who's going to believe that's even real? [NT] - TyroneIrish - 1:57am 5/31/21
      - Your response is surprising...and disappointing...you can do better...start now. [NT] - TyroneIrish - 11:13pm 5/30/21
        
        Gullibility isn't a virtue. BSers come in all ages. - MAS - 11:37pm 5/30/21
        
        So, are you saying the recounting of the bombing mission is also "BS" and that my whole post is made - TyroneIrish - 2:06am 5/31/21
        
        I have no idea if you knew it was bogus. - MAS - 3:46am 5/31/21
        
        You are one sick puppy, MAS... [NT] - TyroneIrish - 4:33am 5/31/21
        
        He’s a sad person who projects his own flaws onto others. - Frank L - 2:54am 5/31/21
        
        One thing is for sure, your bullshit has no bounds. [NT] - notredame678 - 11:50pm 5/30/21
        
        Gimme an example. [NT] - MAS - 11:51pm 5/30/21
        
        Meant for Ty. [NT] - notredame678 - 12:08am 5/31/21
- Great story. Thanks for sharing. [NT] - irish93 - 10:10pm 5/30/21

Consent Management