M1 Carbine: Surprised My Grandpa (Korean War Veteran)

[Joniki]

Fantastic story! Kudos to the OP...

 

[mainjet]

Love it! That is some bonding that you are NEVER going to forget. Nice job OP!

 

[jblomenberg16]

Thanks for all the kind words everyone. I forgot to add that after that day, I asked him if we could sit down in the coming weeks to dig through his pictures. I expressed how I wanted to hear all about everything and he was very open to having me come over to dig through old photos, etc. After that happens I plan to either record it all somehow, or just jot notes down while we're talking so that I can write up a paper about my grandpa's history. That way, my aunt and 3 uncles, plus 18 cousins can realize how much he did for all of us.

We've convinced my grandpa to allow us to scan in his old photographs from the war. My uncle is slowly going through them with grandpa and taking similar notes. Our goal is to have a digital photo album of sorts that has descriptions as well. Grandpa has a lot of pictures from France in the weeks and months following the Normandy landings. I vividly remember a picture of the port in Lehavre of several ships the Germans scuttled to make the port harder for the Allies to get operational again.

 

[dak109]

I got something in my eye.

i never had the chance to talk with either of my grandpa's.

 

[bloodandgutsmurphy]

I really enjoyed your story. I wish my grandpas were still alive. I could spend hours talking to them about their lives.

 

[saleen4971]

thats awesome! i wish i could do somethign similar for my grandfather, but he is very much anti-gun, even after serving in WW2

 

[BE Mike]

That was a wonderful thing you did. You have an amazing relationship with your grandfather. For having been married for 60 years, he looks like he still has a lot of spring in his step. That photo of you two standing together says it all. Good man (both of you).

 

[CMB69]

My dad and uncle enjoyed handling and shooting my DCM M-1 Garand. And like your experience, they both told stories I had not heard before.

The Library of Congress is sponsoring a program called The Veterans Oral History Project. The idea is to collect as many personal accounts of military service as possible, written, audio, video. I encourage everyone who is close to a vet to try to get them to participate.

Veterans History Project (Library of Congress)

 

[Kirk Freeman]

What a great story.

Do you think that "burying the letters" was a thing then? Like from a song or something?

I have an uncle who buried letters sent to him in Korea. He put them in a 100 cigarette can (cigarettes used to come in sealed mini-cases of 100 or 200 to pass around at parties, very Mad Men) and buried them.

I have always thought that strange but never asked him why.

Cigarette tin:

 

[rbMPSH12]

Cool story! My grandpa was also in Korea and when he died I ended up with his M1. It's a great gun. I don't know if it's one he actually had in combat, though, because it's in great condition and the wood is a lighter shade than most I've seen. Maybe he had it re-finished when he got back? I dunno.

 

[jbombelli]

That's awesome. Repped.

 

[indiucky]

Thanks for sharing and kudos for you....I was blessed to have my grandfather (papaw) until I was thirty years old and I cherish every memory I have of him...If the Good Lord let's me slip into Heaven I already know what I am going to say to St. Pete when I get to the gate.....

"Can you tell me where I can find John R. Geary? I miss him and have thought of a thousand questions that I forgot to ask him while we were here on earth..."


Treasure every second with your grandparents...Like can be said of certain firearms, "they just don't make 'em like that anymore.."

 

[J81s82]

That's an awesome experience.

 

[TheBigLebowski]

Thank you for sharing your story.

 

[Ford Truck]

Awesome story!!! I'm glad you had this time with your grandfather.

 

[darend505]

Very nice thing you did for your grandfather and kudos for saving the family history!