I feel so warm and cuddly inside

[ryanglavin]

I am so happy right now. I'll tell you what happened
By PURE chance, i met a submarine veteran today, at a local restaurant. The wierd thing is, I met him on the way out, and i was holding the door for him and his wife. I noticed on his veteran's hat is said
"SS Porpoise" and under it "SS 172"
So i'm driving away from the restaurant, and i just get this feeling to go back to the restaurant. I find them inside after a few minutes of searching
( its a huge restaurant). i ask him some basic questions, like where you in WW2 and where did you serve" and stuff like that. Turns out he served on The porpoise for 3 years, out of Portsmouth. He was a Diesel mechanic, think. I feel warm and cuddly now, because there aren't many veterans out there. I pass him a $20 to pay for his meal, and he says "thank you for caring." Then i say, "Hell, if i had my way, you guys would be rich right now." I just can't believe today.

[Rafael]

I am so happy right now. I'll tell you what happened
By PURE chance, i met a submarine veteran today, at a local restaurant. The wierd thing is, I met him on the way out, and i was holding the door for him and his wife. I noticed on his veteran's hat is said
"SS Porpoise" and under it "SS 172"
So i'm driving away from the restaurant, and i just get this feeling to go back to the restaurant. I find them inside after a few minutes of searching
( its a huge restaurant). i ask him some basic questions, like where you in WW2 and where did you serve" and stuff like that. Turns out he served on The porpoise for 3 years, out of Portsmouth. He was a Diesel mechanic, think. I feel warm and cuddly now, because there aren't many veterans out there. I pass him a $20 to pay for his meal, and he says "thank you for caring." Then i say, "Hell, if i had my way, you guys would be rich right now." I just can't believe today.

Great story!

Feels good that this sailor from WWII is still alive. Never forget that we owe them our freedom! :salute:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Porpoise_%28SS-172%29

[Jimbuna]

Top marks matey http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/thumbsup.gif

[ryanglavin]

Is there any way to look up the crewmen that were on the porpoise and see if they are deceased or not? or possibly where they live? because that would be interesting, because I'm getting a book idea ;).

[popcorn2721]

I delivered to the wife of one of the last living double aces in America last year. Her husband was away doing a shoot for Discovery Channel while we were there.
We walked into one of the back rooms of the house and there were tons of pictures taken from aircraft carriers. I asked her if he husband was the pilot of the Corsairs featured in the pictures. I think she was surprised that I was interested in such things. She went on to explain and show that he had been awarded two navy crosses and was a double ace. By that experience, even though I never met him, I would say he was a great person.

Without a doubt you've had a great experience...
I do have to say that offering to buy that gentleman lunch was classy in a way that many folks do not express these days.

[ryanglavin]

Hell, i've even noticed most people ignore the WW2 vets nowadays, except for a select few like me and hopefully you guys... I say this, because i noticed i was the only one that went up to the man and thanked him for serving our country in the World's darkest days.

[Wildhawke11]

ryanglavin

Your our kind of guy, that was nice of you to do what you did my friend. You think it made your day, yes it did. But it also made his day and he wont forget the kindness you showed. It will make him feel that what he went through was worth it and people do really care.
Thank You Buddy

[sunvalleyslim]

Ryanglavin,
I salute you Sir. For taking that extra moment with this Sailor. It meant a lot to him to wear his "Colors". "Showing who he was." There are many stories out there, lurking under the surface...So many of those Era Vets are not computer literatre enough to tell their stories here.....There is so much history in everyone's feelings that we could write a book......You Guys have the ability to closely fallow (sic) what it's like to be a Sub Sailor............but to be there is the ultimate challenge ahead.............

[Kpt. Lehmann]

ryanglavin,

EXTREMELY cool of you sir.

At work, I see our veterans leaving us for the final patrol nearly every day... at an alarming rate.

...All that living history... is gone from us forever... person by person... minute by minute.

I thank them and shake their hand every chance I get.

I've met Flying Tigers, paratroops, fighter pilots, Iwo Jima survivors, anti-aircraft gunners, D-Day survivors from the Omaha and Utah beaches...

... but I've also met those who answer with... "Well, I was just a cook... or a supply sargeant" or "I was with Graves Registration..." ...or "I was rated '4F' so all I could do was work in the factories... I wasn't allowed to serve in the military..."

I answer with, "... and you left your home, family, and friends to serve us all, and the cause of freedom during the world's darkest hours."

To all our veterans both old and new...

THANK YOU for giving so much to protect our freedoms... and our way of life.

[JMV]

ryanglavin

Fair play from you. :salute:

I hope you can meet him again, and introduce him to the delights of SH3, or rather SH4 ( as he served in the Pacific war )...

[ryanglavin]

So, does anyone know where i can find his adress? The navy must do something like that,?

[JMV]

Persevere...Try standing at the restaurant for a fortnight on a row, or more if needed ( Opening hours only, you're lucky ) and may be you will stumble upon him... :haha:

[Brag]

On my first day of leave from Vietnam, in San Francisco I was accosted by a hippie who made my blood boil. I floored him. Now I am sorry I did it. Now I am strong anti war, but blame the politicians not the grunts. :|\\

[ryanglavin]

Persevere...Try standing at the restaurant for a fortnight on a row, or more if needed ( Opening hours only, you're lucky ) and may be you will stumble upon him... :haha:
thats the tough way, lol. but you'd think the navy would have some archives of some sort where you could look it up... hmm..

[JMV]

I was joking of course...

This is what I got, but have never looking for any retired member of the US Navy, so it's no guarantee you can ever get the relevant info :

http://www.csp.navy.mil/
http://www.sublant.navy.mil/
http://www.history.navy.mil/
http://www.navsea.navy.mil/nuwc/default.aspx
http://www.navy.mil/swf/index.asp
http://www.mikekemble.com/ww2/silent.html
http://www.history.army.mil/
http://www.usna.edu///homepage.php
http://www.valoratsea.com/main.htm

[ryanglavin]

I was joking of course...

This is what I got, but have never looking for any retired member of the US Navy, so it's no guarantee you can ever get the relevant info :

http://www.csp.navy.mil/
http://www.sublant.navy.mil/
http://www.history.navy.mil/
http://www.navsea.navy.mil/nuwc/default.aspx
http://www.navy.mil/swf/index.asp
http://www.mikekemble.com/ww2/silent.html
http://www.history.army.mil/
http://www.usna.edu///homepage.php
http://www.valoratsea.com/main.htm

thanks dude, its better then what i coulda found

[Bosje]

On my first day of leave from Vietnam, in San Francisco I was accosted by a hippie who made my blood boil. I floored him. Now I am sorry I did it. Now I am strong anti war, but blame the politicians not the grunts. :|\\

I was the hippie

[ryanglavin]

I was the hippie

i had a feeling

[Chad]

ryanglavin, you're a good man.

I work at a local retailer and I see veterans from all eras come in and shop with those hats on, and I wish I had a little more courage to thank and shake their hands :oops:

I treat them with the upmost respect, and help them out anyway I can, I guess being a more shy/timid guy, that's my sort of respect.