Visiting relics of the past
Over Veterans day I decided to take my six year old son out to seem some static displays around base. It was one of those traditional things that my family on my parents side did for me when I was a kid.
We stopped by the Cemetery on post first in order for hem to start understanding what Veterans day is and how we should be grateful for those who have gone into harms way on our behalf. I may have to wait until he his older or a different approach. It did not help that he ran through the grassy area and got water in his shoes. He started to get cold so we moved on to the next site on post that had some static Tank and other military vehicles. We saw tanks from different decades and wars. Lasted longer then I thought he would. Lastly we went to the Air Force side and ran into a few hidden historical gems.
The first one was a F-16(A?) Falcon on display at the National Guard Headquarters. The interesting fact was that this F-16 Falcon had taken part in the Air Patrols immediately following the September 11th attacks. Unless someone took the time look at it, they would never know. The other gems were at a static aircraft display with over 15 aircraft. Two of them were rare finds as it turns out. They were the Douglas B-18 Bolo and the DouglasB-23 Dragon. Both were pre-world war two aircraft and were not used on the war and not very well known at all. But I think that make it more special because it was something new to see in how this history of aviation progressed from the biplane to the monoplane. More so because it seems that number of known examples of these aircraft in the world is in the single digits. I was able to show my son two such aircraft in one day.
So in short I was able to show some history and learn some myself. But given all the things that one can do on Veterans day, it always interesting to find out how much history at each post.
Also on a separate note, what has worked for you in explaining Veterans day to Children of single digits?
Category: Historical, Pointless blather
That ft Lewis cemetery also includes three german pow
Did not know that. Now I see the reference to them in the article.
There are German POW graves at Fort Campbell, as well. Not many, but they are there.
Every Miltary Installation in CONUS housed German POWs during WWII, this there are some buried in US cemeteries. They were often allowed out durin daytime to do things like farm labor.
Last Veterans Day weekend, I took the kids to see the USS Iowa. My kids were 6 at the time, and like you, I couldn’t find a good way to talk about the day, other than to tell them being in the military can be dangerous work and this is when we honor their service.
At this year’s school assembly for Veterans Day, a few veterans did talk about the job that military does for us, namely protect the country. Some also spoke about those who didn’t get to come home. Others spoke about the importance of recognizing the service of veterans.
Not sure if there’s ever a good way to teach young kids this, but the veterans that spoke to the kids that day did a great job.
Nice, the only Battleship that I have ever been on was the USS Texas.
Sporkmaster,
You need to check up on your history a little bit. The B-18 Bolo was an under loved gem during WW2. It was overseas in the PI and DEI during the war but was quickly killed by the superior Japanese aircraft. State side the bomber replaced a whole slew of 20s and 30s era patrol planes in the USAAF inventory as well as free up some units in overseas billets like the Canal zone to be modernized. They preformed yeomans work as an ASW aircraft as the USAAF stripped the US units in thier B-17,24,25,26s from patrol duties against German and Japanese submarines.
The Canadians loved the B-18 from my understanding since it was an aircraft with range and payload compared to what they had before.
I looked into this and I could not find anything that said that the B-18 Bolo served with Military Aviation of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army. The Martin B-10 was used by them. The ones in the Philippines were said to be destroyed on the ground. I did see that the aircraft claimed two U boat kills serving as a anti-submarine duties.
I can’t remember which book it was but one of Martin Caidan’s about the history of the Far East Air Force. Sorry, should have been more clear. Those planes that survived the 8th of December massacre and made the retirement south and over to Java. Nothing significant in turning the battles, or even delaying actions. Just a few bombing raids and patrol duty until the last parts ran out or the Japanese were just over the hill and men not machines were more valuable. They were staving off the death for a few more days like the Asiatic Fleet and it’s join up with ABDA. A few from my reading of other books made it to Australia and were converted to VIP transports.
Yes they only killed two subs, but they did released other units with better equipment to do the job required at the front lines.
Sporkmaster, I just want to say that I think it’s great you talk to your kids about Veterans Day. I came from a family of military tradition and most of the men served at one time or another, including my father — and NOBODY TALKED ABOUT IT. I found out about Veterans Day and Memorial Day at SCHOOL. I asked my mom one time about it, and she told me not to talk to my Dad, that it would hurt him. It wasn’t until I was in my twenties, that I ever talked to my Dad about the veteran’s holidays, and then only briefly. I wish he had talked to me. So, I just wanted to say that I think it’s great that you talk to your kids.
I never reserved for Veterans Day that which I could share year round. When my son was three, I took him to Gettysburg for the first time. We returned there again, and again, and again. When he was older, about 10, I took him to Arlington for the first time and visited the final resting place of Audie Murphy. I can’t say how many times we visited Fort McHenry and there were two or three trips to Aberdeen Proving Ground. Oh, Antietam and, up in the north country, Burlington Battlefield. I’m not done but I’ll stop there. It wasn’t until this moment that I realized just how many military-related sites I took him and, at times, his friends to see. Thanks for asking.
Nice, I was 19 when I saw Fort Sumter for the first and only time.
My kiddos (4 and 5yos) think I fought monsters and bad guys. I think its a pretty good explanation for their age. Broken down to the basics, yea its pretty accurate.
I visit relics every day when I look in the mirror. Bwahahahaha!!!! I crack myself up!
I see the relics of the past at “memorial” parks in my state. The sad truth is; one of those “relics” is a piece of equipment that I worked on towards the end of its military life. I have pointed out that aircrft to my daughters, and got a chuckle in return, and I have pointed it out to my grandson, who thought it was way more cool than my daughters did (must be a guy thing). Time marches on.
No Shit!
Everything I ever hung a bomb on is long retired!
Probably the last was the original Harrier.
Feelin’old.
hymie
When I read “Visiting relics of the past”, I thought you were coming to see me.
Seriously…good thing you did there.
this year i went to the Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier in Philadelphia. A one man honor guard in continental army uniform was standing guard. Very interesting.
Several years ago I lived in housing on Fort Sill. My son loved hearing retreat each day and never hesitated to stand at attention for it or teach other kids how to correctly do it. On a veterens day I took him to the post HQ to watch a ceremony. He liked that and he said he loved hearing the cannons fire in their salute.
Sadly, I lost him this year (he was 20) from an illness brought on by lupus. since he was under 21 years old and unmarried, I was able to bury him at the Fort Sill post cemetery…just about two miles from our old living quarters, and just two blocks from where I have worked since retiring from the Army. Every morning at 0600 and every afternoon at 1700 hrs I know the ground he is in, trembles with the roar of the guns that he loved hearing.
Ben, condolences on losing your son. Way to young for his flame to burn out. I’m sure he looks down twice a day as well.
I spent 8 weeks at Ft. Sill back in ’71, training on the 155 and 175.
OC
OC,
Thank you. He was always very pro USA and pro military. If he would have been healthy, i have no doubt he would have served our nation very well.
I did a career on 155 (ten years) and MLRS (13 years)……all in all it was a very good time.
Thank you for your service…..if not for you and people of your generation, I would not have had an Army or country to serve.