Posted on Dec 31, 2014
Any WWII aficionados here? What is your WWII obsession?
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Anyone else on here get obsessive about learning anything you can about WWII? I can't help it. I am especially drawn to the New Guinea and Philippine campaigns because of my grandfather's involvment in those with the U.S. Army 6th Inf. Div. I also love to study the Asiatic-Pacific theater as I am a Marine and have the link to the past. But in general the entire war fascinates me because of the generation that fought it. What is your WWII obsession?
Posted in these groups: 
WWII World War Two
Military History
WWII World War Two Military History
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 53
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Sgt Adam Jennings, I enjoy studying and learning about WWII also. One of the best things I've done about that to date, is to chronicle my father's entire journey through the war. He served in the Navy in the Pacific. He's still alive, but remembers little now. However, over the course of many years I interviewed him many times, I have his service record, he took many photos surprisingly and I also have explicit accounts of the ship's activity as well. With these items, I faithfully captured his time in service.
Both my grandfathers served in WWI. One served but for a few months and neither deployed overseas. However, I've recreated their time in service as faithfully as possible. My father's and grandfathers' histories reside on the Together We Served website.
On a more general note, I've read many books on WWII (documentary and fiction) and watch the TV documentaries with great interest.
The photo is of my father, Ensign Jack Curlee, aboard USS LST-78, JUN45.
1LT L S LTC Stephen F.
SgtMaj James Kuiken, here's an entire piece I did on my father's WWII service. I included additional comments and photos further down in the discussion thread. He passed away on 10SEP15.
Both my grandfathers served in WWI. One served but for a few months and neither deployed overseas. However, I've recreated their time in service as faithfully as possible. My father's and grandfathers' histories reside on the Together We Served website.
On a more general note, I've read many books on WWII (documentary and fiction) and watch the TV documentaries with great interest.
The photo is of my father, Ensign Jack Curlee, aboard USS LST-78, JUN45.
1LT L S LTC Stephen F.
SgtMaj James Kuiken, here's an entire piece I did on my father's WWII service. I included additional comments and photos further down in the discussion thread. He passed away on 10SEP15.
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LTC Stephen C.
CWO2 Shannon Reck, I went to Navsource and checked out USS LST-456. To be a Large Slow Target (LST), the 456 was quite decorated for its participation in some dicey operations. You're lucky that there are so many photos for the 456. Many of the ships have no photos whatsoever.
USS LST-78 was one of the first built, and as such, had no salt water conversion equipment. They were considered expendable (as was the crew, obviously), and not really expected to return, much like the Liberty ships. That's why the early ships were not even named. It was only much later that LSTs were named for the counties of the various states.
Due to the demands of building large ships of prey at traditional port shipping facilities, all of the LSTs were built at one of five inland ship builders, as were both the 78 and the 456. A number of years ago, an old LST was purchased from Greece, made seaworthy and sailed across the Atlantic and now is permanently moored as a museum at the docks in Evansville, IN, one of the WWII inland ship building towns. It does tour different river towns on occasion and I've visited it twice. The photo is of my father when we took him to Evansville to see LST 325 in 1997. He was 75 years old and it was the first time he had stepped aboard an LST in 51 years! I've included a link to the LST 325 Museum, and I hope you have the opportunity to see it someday.
Sgt Adam Jennings and 1LT L S
http://www.lstmemorial.org/
USS LST-78 was one of the first built, and as such, had no salt water conversion equipment. They were considered expendable (as was the crew, obviously), and not really expected to return, much like the Liberty ships. That's why the early ships were not even named. It was only much later that LSTs were named for the counties of the various states.
Due to the demands of building large ships of prey at traditional port shipping facilities, all of the LSTs were built at one of five inland ship builders, as were both the 78 and the 456. A number of years ago, an old LST was purchased from Greece, made seaworthy and sailed across the Atlantic and now is permanently moored as a museum at the docks in Evansville, IN, one of the WWII inland ship building towns. It does tour different river towns on occasion and I've visited it twice. The photo is of my father when we took him to Evansville to see LST 325 in 1997. He was 75 years old and it was the first time he had stepped aboard an LST in 51 years! I've included a link to the LST 325 Museum, and I hope you have the opportunity to see it someday.
Sgt Adam Jennings and 1LT L S
http://www.lstmemorial.org/
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LTC Stephen C.
Sgt Adam Jennings, I found my father's dog tags from his time in the Navy during WWII. I've looked at others from that timeframe, and his are quite similar. Here's a legend for the info indented on the metal blank:
First name
Middle name
Last name
Serial number
Date of last tetanus shot
Branch of service, Blood type
The dog tag is the Navy P1940 model. Although my father was an officer, the information included is the type for enlisted personnel, as he started as a seaman apprentice in the V-12 program. Also, there is no religious preference shown which is of note as it was standard to do so.
CWO2 S R CMDCM Gene Treants PO1 (Join to see)
First name
Middle name
Last name
Serial number
Date of last tetanus shot
Branch of service, Blood type
The dog tag is the Navy P1940 model. Although my father was an officer, the information included is the type for enlisted personnel, as he started as a seaman apprentice in the V-12 program. Also, there is no religious preference shown which is of note as it was standard to do so.
CWO2 S R CMDCM Gene Treants PO1 (Join to see)
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Sgt Adam Jennings
I wish I had some of my grandfather's stuff. I can't even get his service records without hiring a third party researcher because I haven't got the time or money to travel to Missouri to look through the micro film. Maybe when I finally finish college and get a job teaching I can take a few weeks during the summers to go there.
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LTC Stephen C.
CWO2 S R, I like the shadow box. My father's is not quite so elaborate. I did some research on the composition of WWII dog tags, and I think these were either made of a special alloy called Monel and due to shortages of that material they went to brass or stainless steel. My father's may be Monel.
Here's a link to the article I read which is very good (it's about all services):
http://usmcwwiidogtags.com/about.html
Here's a link to the article I read which is very good (it's about all services):
http://usmcwwiidogtags.com/about.html
About U.S. Marine Corps World War II Dog Tags
Authentic Marine Corps, Navy, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine World War II Pattern Dog Tag Reproductions
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Brother, I'm with you! I'm standing by to hear back from my dream job....curator at the National Cemetery on Saipan/Guam. Semper Fi and Greatest Generation RESPECT!!!
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SFC Mark Merino
Liason for the JPAC teams who do the digs and return the bodies to their nation of origin. I hope I don't get it in a way. I want someone way more qualified who has a PhD in Archaeology or History to give them the best person for the job. If I get it............WOW!
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I have been studying WWII for a very long. There is more than enough material than one can study in a lifetime, especially if you begin to look at the detailed history behind the events and study the lives of those making decisions on all sides of the war. That is perhaps what I find most interesting... the personalities and lives of the people who were in charge, how they got there, what were their strengths and their weaknesses. Not just on the American side, but across all nations and militaries.
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SFC Mark Merino
My wife is Japanese and her grandfather died for his country during WWII. My grandfather fought for his in the same campaign. Now, Japan is one of the only stedfast allies in a crazy world. Our enemies are now our friends and our friends are now our........rivals.
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MAJ Rene De La Rosa
MAJ Yinon Weiss, I have to agree with you on the personalities. Allied and Axis. Additionally, I am completely fascinated with the Naval engagements that occurred in the Pacific.
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