Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: ARSNishi on January 31, 2014, 08:20:54 PM

Title: Lost my hero....
Post by: ARSNishi on January 31, 2014, 08:20:54 PM
Today we buried my hero, he passed Sunday.  He was 90 years old and tough as nails.

I became so passionately interested in history and WW2 because my Granddaddy lived it.  

He drove an M3 in the 42nd mechanized cavalry, fought under Patton in the Battle of the Bulge among many others.   I had the honor some years back of taking a video camera over, and in essence, interviewed my grandpa about his experiences in ww2 for an hour and 45 minutes.  

He told me in vivid detail of how he narrowly escaped death in the Battle of Luneville...  matching almost word for word the version recounted here by his Lt. : http://www.battlefront.com/community/showthread.php?t=53316   The first shell fired by the Panther exploded close enough to my grandfather to knock him unconscious for a time and ruined his hearing for the rest of his life.  When he came to, German soldiers were surveying their victory and the only fellow Americans around him.... were dead.  He got up and ran the fastest he's ever ran in his life....  back to friendly lines as a hail of bullets whizzed by him....  Thankfully he made it or else you wouldn't be reading this today because I wouldn't be here to tell it.

Hearing "Taps" today in honor of my grandfather was one of the hardest things I've ever had to deal with...  but it was also one of my proudest moments.

 :salute R.I.P. James Earlon Killette aka Granddaddy
(http://[URL=http://s241.photobucket.com/user/Nishizawa_photos/media/Mobile%20Uploads/0918131645a_zps42d1bb66.jpg.html])

(http://[URL=http://s241.photobucket.com/user/Nishizawa_photos/media/Mobile%20Uploads/0928131659_zpse24d065f.jpg.html])

Thank you for reading and honoring his memory.

 
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: morfiend on January 31, 2014, 08:23:16 PM
 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: Delirium on January 31, 2014, 08:23:45 PM
Good read, forgive me while I attempt to help you fix the pictures.  :salute

(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff68/Nishizawa_photos/Mobile%20Uploads/0918131645a_zps42d1bb66.jpg)

(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff68/Nishizawa_photos/Mobile%20Uploads/0928131659_zpse24d065f.jpg)
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: ARSNishi on January 31, 2014, 08:25:59 PM
Dont know how you did it but thanks Delirium

 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: Oldman731 on January 31, 2014, 08:27:19 PM
Dont know how you did it but thanks Delirium


Thanks to you both.

Sorry for your loss, Nishi, but you have good cause to be proud.  Appreciate your sharing this with us.

- oldman
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: Tracerfi on January 31, 2014, 08:35:31 PM
 :salute :salute :salute :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: Karnak on January 31, 2014, 08:39:24 PM
<S>

My condolences on the loss of your grandfather.  He sounds like he was a special one.
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: Shifty on January 31, 2014, 08:49:41 PM
Sorry for your loss. I'm glad that you got to enjoy a wonderful Grandfather as long as you did.  :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: BluBerry on January 31, 2014, 08:58:16 PM
Today we buried my hero, he passed Sunday.  He was 90 years old and tough as nails.

I became so passionately interested in history and WW2 because my Granddaddy lived it.  

He drove an M3 in the 42nd mechanized cavalry, fought under Patton in the Battle of the Bulge among many others.   I had the honor some years back of taking a video camera over, and in essence, interviewed my grandpa about his experiences in ww2 for an hour and 45 minutes.  

He told me in vivid detail of how he narrowly escaped death in the Battle of Luneville...  matching almost word for word the version recounted here by his Lt. : http://www.battlefront.com/community/showthread.php?t=53316   The first shell fired by the Panther exploded close enough to my grandfather to knock him unconscious for a time and ruined his hearing for the rest of his life.  When he came to, German soldiers were surveying their victory and the only fellow Americans around him.... were dead.  He got up and ran the fastest he's ever ran in his life....  back to friendly lines as a hail of bullets whizzed by him....  Thankfully he made it or else you wouldn't be reading this today because I wouldn't be here to tell it.

Hearing "Taps" today in honor of my grandfather was one of the hardest things I've ever had to deal with...  but it was also one of my proudest moments.

 :salute R.I.P. James Earlon Killette aka Granddaddy
(http://[URL=http://s241.photobucket.com/user/Nishizawa_photos/media/Mobile%20Uploads/0918131645a_zps42d1bb66.jpg.html])

(http://[URL=http://s241.photobucket.com/user/Nishizawa_photos/media/Mobile%20Uploads/0928131659_zpse24d065f.jpg.html])

Thank you for reading and honoring his memory.

 

Nishi,

I am so sorry for your loss, he sounds like he was one hell of a man and grandfather.  :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: lunatic1 on January 31, 2014, 09:10:47 PM
 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: Triton28 on January 31, 2014, 09:10:52 PM
Thoughts and prayers to your family Nish.  I'm glad we had people like your grandfather.

 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: Canspec on January 31, 2014, 09:13:51 PM
 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: BFOOT1 on January 31, 2014, 09:21:22 PM
I lost my grandpa last July. He was an Omaha Beach vet. He had lots of stories, he ended up getting transferred to Patton and fought with them from November (I think) till the end of the war.  :salute
Taps was also very difficult for me.
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: RedTop on January 31, 2014, 09:27:25 PM
Sorry for your loss bud...Words kind of fall hollow...but prayers for you and yours...sounds like a hell of a nice man...your pride in him is well placed.

Jeff
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: ARSNishi on January 31, 2014, 09:29:16 PM
I lost my grandpa last July. He was an Omaha Beach vet. He had lots of stories, he ended up getting transferred to Patton and fought with them from November (I think) till the end of the war.  :salute
Taps was also very difficult for me.
:salute   to your grandfather as well.  The greatest generation is alive and well in our memories.
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: Kingpin on January 31, 2014, 09:29:47 PM
My condolences on your loss.  

I'm sure you will honor his memory so that while gone he's never forgotten.

 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: mechanic on January 31, 2014, 09:42:01 PM
S!
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: bacon8tr on January 31, 2014, 10:26:47 PM
 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: lyric1 on January 31, 2014, 10:46:25 PM
 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: SkyRock on January 31, 2014, 10:46:33 PM
 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: Arbiter on January 31, 2014, 10:46:54 PM
 :salute to him, and one as well to his grandson.
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: HL117 on January 31, 2014, 10:58:31 PM
 :salute

Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: JOACH1M on January 31, 2014, 10:58:40 PM
 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: EagleOne on January 31, 2014, 11:22:13 PM
 :salute  Nish
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: Puma44 on January 31, 2014, 11:25:12 PM
 :salute to another of The Greatest Generation.
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: Brooke on January 31, 2014, 11:31:42 PM
Sorry, Nishi.  <S>
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: RotBaron on January 31, 2014, 11:54:50 PM
 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: madrid311 on February 01, 2014, 12:22:41 AM
 :salute        he looks like he was a bad ass. 
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: Debrody on February 01, 2014, 12:36:53 AM
 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: SIK1 on February 01, 2014, 12:39:25 AM
Sorry for your loss.

 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: Vortex on February 01, 2014, 01:46:28 AM
 :salute

Do not morn for a life lost, rejoice for a life lived
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: CASHEW on February 01, 2014, 03:12:26 AM
 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: Slash27 on February 01, 2014, 04:30:29 AM
 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: WEZEL on February 01, 2014, 06:26:04 AM
Sorry for your loss  :pray
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: ReVo on February 01, 2014, 07:00:05 AM
 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: mbailey on February 01, 2014, 07:40:41 AM
Very Sorry for your loss Nishi...prayers for you and your family.
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: LCADolby on February 01, 2014, 07:41:41 AM
 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: waystin2 on February 01, 2014, 08:34:59 AM
My sincerest condolences.

 :salute

Way
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: ink on February 01, 2014, 08:46:01 AM
 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: SmokinLoon on February 01, 2014, 08:46:51 AM
It is never easy losing a loved one.  Having such a history behind a loved one makes for two things: First, it is that much harder to say good bye.  Second, as a loved one you have that more of a reason to stand tall and be  proud of him and his service.

Both of my g'pas were in WWII and the older I get the more I appreciate them and their kind, including your own grandfather.  Most of us have no clue what they went through.  

May his passing not leave you in tears for long, but instead may it provide a platform in which you can stand that much taller and that much more proud of who is was and who you are.  Share his story and pass it along.

 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: JimmyD3 on February 01, 2014, 09:30:21 AM
 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: dmdchief on February 01, 2014, 10:21:47 AM
So sorry for the loss, sounds like a great man, and one I would have loved to sit and talk to for hours

SALUTE

dmdchief/ab8aac
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: craz07 on February 01, 2014, 10:22:41 AM
An honor to have known and loved a man of such bravery.. rest in peace..
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: HighTone on February 01, 2014, 10:24:31 AM
 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: Pepprr on February 01, 2014, 10:28:09 AM

Sorry for your loss Nishi.
My thoughts are with you and your family...  :salute

Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: BaldEagl on February 01, 2014, 11:11:55 AM
 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: redcatcherb412 on February 01, 2014, 01:00:05 PM
 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: Bear76 on February 01, 2014, 03:59:19 PM
 :salute to your Granddaddy Nishi and sorry for your loss.
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: ozrocker on February 01, 2014, 05:49:39 PM
 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: Changeup on February 01, 2014, 08:32:41 PM
<S>My friend and go easy...you got to see him, talk to him and hear his story.  That's a wonderful gift.
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: mthrockmor on February 01, 2014, 08:42:46 PM
What an awesome experience to have had in your life!!

boo
 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: stealth on February 01, 2014, 10:51:25 PM
Very pleased to read this. If all the stories of mankind were to be put into a book. It would be the best book ever created in the history of mankind. I was thinking of that little phrase when ever I read/see something emotional.
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: Biggamer on February 02, 2014, 03:57:16 AM
  :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: Saito on February 02, 2014, 10:45:08 PM
<Salute> Grandpa  Our prayers are with you and your family Nish.
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: fbEagle on February 02, 2014, 10:55:12 PM
 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: TOMCAT21 on February 04, 2014, 12:08:44 PM
 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: gyrene81 on February 04, 2014, 12:43:25 PM
 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: RELIC on February 04, 2014, 06:46:54 PM
 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: Nurminen on February 05, 2014, 03:13:43 PM
 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: Tr1gg22 on February 05, 2014, 09:30:18 PM
 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: GhostCDB on February 06, 2014, 12:09:48 AM
 :salute
Title: Re: Lost my hero....
Post by: McShark on February 11, 2014, 12:11:44 PM
 :salute