Things have changed a lot
Nowadays, people share/blab about EVERYTHING personal. Before someone ever even meets someone, they have probably seen multiple pictures, know their sexual orientation and history, their politics, and every intimate thought. Didn’t used to be that way. When my Grandma delivered my dad, the doc asked for a name. Finding none had been chosen, he said “how about after your husband?” who was known as either Charles or C.L. Sounded good to Grandma…but she never knew what the L stood for! They were busy folks, and it hadn’t come up. The doc asked “Maybe Louis?” and Grandma said “Maybe. Sure…” so Dad wound up named Charles Louis after his father, Charles Larkin.
Didn’t hurt him any…as a Reservist, he was activated 8 December 1941 and didn’t return home until during the Occupation. He kept busy in the interim in Coast Artillery, worked on the project linking radar altitude-ranging to anti-air guns (so all you duck-hunters cursing a balky radar now know whom to blame), commanded an artillery battalion with Patton north to the Bulge and afterwards eastwards to Dachau on liberation day, and eventually retired as an LTC with a Bronze Star to his credit. After a successful business career, he and Mom are both at Arlington together, like they were for 60 years before that. Today would have been his 106th birthday. Happy Birthday, Dad.
Category: None
Karl Malden?
Nope, but Dad got mistaken for George Gobel for years.
My dad is 105 in his grave with my mom at Bourne.
The VA will also allow my disabled sister to join them.
A fitting peace.
Happy birthday to your dads memory.
One of a truly Great Generation that shouldered what was given, regardless of outcome.
Rest Easy, Sir. Thank you for so very much.
Hooah! Happy Birthday!
Thanks, David.
Another Gun Bunny that done good. Wonder if LTC CL fired any Time On Target Fire Missions with my Papa? Their paths were very similar in the ETO. Happy Birthday, Good Sir.
I recall he mentioned one outside LeHavre: He said he heard this ripple of fire from all directions and then a second of silence…then the most gawd-awful single explosion he had ever heard and the ground shook like an earthquake – from 20 miles away. He speculated that the impact was about equivalent to a low-dollar atom bomb.
C Btry, 741st FA. 741st were 8 inchers, fought from Cherborg til the end of ETO Hostilities. And yep, a Time On Target Fire Mission from a battalion of 8’s would make a boom…and shake the ground. Were scheduled for movement to PTO when the Big Boyx were dropped. A Google Foo brought this up from a FakeBook Post. No Fakebook account required to view. Other sites were behind pay walls. Pretty interesting read.
https://www.facebook.com/WWIIARTILLERYSUPPORT/posts/248472233344892
A life well lived a service well and honorably completed. Thank you for our freedom.