World War II Hero’s Legacy To Help Local Veteran
We get a lot of things sent to us. I need to do a better job of letting people know how many times we do a little bit of digging and confirm the honorable service of a legit veteran. It happens every day.
Lest we not forget the heros that walk among us. Harry J. Rockafeller was such a man.
Category: We Remember
Dammit Hardin. Dusty in here. A great man from the Greatest Generation lives on in memory, still helping people.
Great story!
Awesome. Salute sir. (BTW, I always liked that tan uniform…my first Class A’s)
Thought the pollen season was over. I must need to change the filter on the central unit.
Good story Dave, keep posting these and we’ll keep reading.
BZ to the General for his outstanding service. BZ to the Police Officer for their tribute to him. BZ to the folks that provide services for our fellow Veterans.
And BZ to the troops whose service caused them a sacrificial loss of life, limb, mobility, or senses.
Hand Salute!
Correct me if I’m wrong, but is the Khaki uniform that Col Rockafeller, was that the old school Tws (Tropical Worsted)? Always liked that myself.
Yep. TWs. There was also a long sleeve shirt with rank etc for less formal occasions. Found it terribly hot at Fortress Bragg.
Yep and they were mostly worn by officers, probably due to cost. But during the brief time I was in the US Army Exhibit unit and on display to the public, part of a small group of NCO’s representing the 101st Airborne Division, we purchased and wore them because they held their creases in heat and humidity better than khakis, on par with the green dress uniform but not nearly as heavy, even with the aforementioned long sleeves.
Sharpest uniform the Army ever had.
Yep Poet. I recall the BN CO “suggesting” all us 2LTs purchase them. And Blues. On a base pay of $222.30/mo in 1963. But there was jump pay.
Tanks men. It was pretty much phased out for most use by the time I came along. It was mainly dress greens, khakis, dress blues for formal, or mess dress for the deep pockets. Did see a very few of them on some of the “old timers” that nobody was gonna say that they were “out of uniform.” Was told by many that a lot of the troops preferred it over the dress greens, others bitched that it was way yonder too hot for many areas. Heard the whole “holds a crease better” many a time.
I still have my first pay voucher, it was for $305. Thank God for jump pay of $110 per month after jump school and during my time in the 509th PIR.
The $110 jump pay bugged me in 63 and still does. My troopers got $55. More responsibility? Nope. 90% of the time the jump master was an NCO. I think we would all splatter the same. My meager atonement was funding beer calls. Glad they fixed this decades later.
Apologies the General for the thread hijacking.
I still have my TW khakis that were tailor-made in Hong Kong while I was on R&R. Except they were just the pants an a short sleeve shirt. Loved wearing them, but opportunities to do so were few and far between. I had hoped to wear them for a Veterans Day parade with my ex-door-gunner Veterinarian who wears his each year at the parade. But even after losing 55 lbs. I couldn’t fit into that 32 inch waist.
Yep and they were mostly worn by officers, probably due to cost. But during the brief time I was in the US Army Exhibit unit and on display to the public, part of a small group of NCO’s representing the 101st Airborne Division, we purchased and wore them because they held their creases in heat and humidity better than khakis, on par with the green dress uniform but not nearly as heavy, even with the aforementioned long sleeves.
Sharpest uniform the Army ever had.
What the hell happened there? Old Farts Disease?
Hope it ain’t contagious. Lotta Old Farts around here. Bunch of them prolly ain’t had their shots.
It was worth hearing twice…
It’s great hearing these stories!
Kinda restores a little faith after all the phonies.
Like this one, one of my favorites:
https://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=55771