Venting over my family

[inmemoryofruze]

I am new to this website and have read a number of posts in this forum with great interest. My grandfather was a Pfc in the 422nd Regiment during the opening days of the B.O.B

When I was about 17yrs of age, my grandfather and I were on our way to hunt for some salt-water clams along the west coast of Florida. As he was driving he started talking about his war experience. I never said anything but he must have felt I would be listening. Listened I did.

That was 20 years ago and I'm finding it difficult to remember if he mentioned specific names and areas he was at. He passed away on December 27, 1998 at age 73.

Something triggered recently to start on a massive research tandem of my grandfather. I have found out quite abit, in fact stuff my grandmother never knew (still living at age 78).

She too started to revive at the knowledge I was learning over my grandfather and has been very interested as to what I've shared.

On the other hand, my uncles, mother, step-father, brothers, and the younger generation of my family have no interest. I've tried to tell them things I've found out and they seem to swish what I share to the side. I tried to show a video I found online about the 2 106th's regiments surrendering and my stepfather literally walked away from it to continue to watch a T.V. show. My brother had no interest at all and kept watching his basketball game. I felt hurt and angry at them. My grandmother tried to share with my uncle what I told her and his responce was, "thats all history, who cares". It made my grandmother tear up.

I now feel totally alone besides my grandmother on the excitement of discovering my grandfathers history. No one in the family cares which is making me bitter towards them all each passing moment. Everyone is in there own little world and wrapped up with modern problems of all kinds. They seem to forget that if it hadn't been for our forefathers during WW2 we probably would speaking German or Japanese now.

If my grandfather was alive today, I would have told him if I could go back in time, I would have been honoured to join him in the fight during the B.O.B I also have a new found honour for the living veterans and deceased of that dreadful time. God bless each one of you.

[floydragsdale]

Hello New Member:

I have some of the same problem. I was in the 424th Regiment in the B.O.B. Much of my family (mostly the young) could care less about my war service.

I wrote my B.O.B. story and gave it to our local library. They are eager to have eye witness memories. They said to me, "we (the library) have volumes of books about WWII; however, there are very few personal accounts of the war in our files.

You could prepare some talks (20 minutes long ) & do them for school kids, Jr. H.S. & H.S., also you could do them at luncheon clubs; program chairmen are always looking for a source of new programs.

If you attempt this, keep the story real, make people think they are there, right along with your Grandfather on the front lines in Belgium. Let them know they are outnumbered by German soldiers; ten of them to one of American G.I. Tell them the winter of "44" was the coldest one in over 100 years in the country of Belgium and the temperature was as low as 25 degrees below zero during the B.O.B. Let them know it was 41 days and nights of freezing hell.

Above all, allow time for questions and answers after your talk. People will like to know about your research, and your Grandfather.

Although your information is not an "eye witness story", your own research is much better than a history book about WWII.

Floyd,

424th Regiment

[Carl W.]

Hi Chris,

Glad to see that you were able to register after all.

The first thing that comes to mind is “You have come to the right place”. All of us here on this board are in some way connected to the 106th division, either veterans of the unit, relatives of 106th members or simply people interested in the division like myself. I’m more than sure that you will find what you are looking for here.

The other thing that I want to say is “I know what you mean”. It is very sad when people don’t realize the sacrifices made by veterans, including their own familymembers, that fought for our freedom. Luckily there are people like yourself that do care.

It is a very good thing that you are keeping your grandfather’s story alive to share with others like us. If these stories are not recorded they will be lost to history. People should take the time to remember what the generations before have done to preserve our freedom. They made it possible for us to live the lives we have today. They did, so we can.

Welcome!

Best regards from Belgium,
Carl

[connie]

Welcome to the site!

Yours is a familiar story. I repeat what has been said already: you've come to the right place. A warm hello to you and to your grandmother. No matter what you encounter from those around you, here you will find people who get what you're experiencing and who will appreciate what you have to share. You have just become part of a much larger family who do "get it."

You are the lucky one in your family. It is so good you got to share some of your grandfather's memories and can share some of your grandmother's, too. You will be the richer for this. But, I do know how frustrating it can be to have learned or found something that is exciting to you only to be met by a blank wall of indifference. I'm glad you didn't let that stop you.

I'm guessing that your grandparents were married after the war? We have yet to get a wife's point of view represented here. What you find and what she has to share would all be welcome here. (I enjoyed your slit trench story!)

As to the rest of your family, I can only hope that some day some more may come to appreciate what you are doing. I have to admit that my interest came long after it should have emerged. As a kid I just took my parent's at face value. The past was the past. Anything that came before me really seemed like ancient history. It was only when I began working with Dad's letters I began to realize how closely we are all connected to the impact of this time...

Welcome!

Connie

[engineercutoff44]

I can relate to this,but in another way,there are hoards of people up here mataldetecting in such an Irresponsible manner just to make a fast buck on the backs of those brave men who fought and died up here,it is such a crying shame!!