High School Graduate (Page 2): I read somewhere that one of his uncles forged his dad's signature on the permission papers and lied about his age for him. I had a section NCO/First Sgt...

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

JoeN wrote:

It’s likely that many young men dropped out of school to join the Army. One of those was Audie Murphy, the most decorated soldier of WWII. He falsified records at age 16 to get in the Army and at age 19 received the Medal of Honor.

I read somewhere that one of his uncles forged his dad's signature on the permission papers and lied about his age for him.

I had a section NCO/First Sgt in Nam who got a relative to lie about his age and he made platoon sgt in Korea the day after his 18th birthday at a place that got the name "Porkchop Ridge". You might say he inherited the rank as everyone in his platoon who outranked him was either killed or medevacked leaving him jumping from corporal to sergeant to platoon sgt in less than a month.

DaveD65 Loc: Queen City, Ohio

I took a year off in my senior year of college in 1969-1970 to ski-bum in Aspen, Colorado. Upon my return home I had 3 draft notices awaiting me, I asked for a deferment to complete the last part of my senior year. Selective Service said absolutely NO! I enlisted that fall on a delayed program and finished one more quarter. In March of 1971 I found my self at basic training the on to advanced training as a Military photo journalist ( this is where I learned photography). I wound up being assigned to a Recruiting Main Station Back home in Ohio. The let me have every Thursday off to attend The Ohio State University until I received my degree. FREE.

Dannj

melismus wrote:

I was class of 1946; some of my classmates were in uniform before graduation.

Maybe their age had something to do with being drafted...or maybe they enlisted?

Country Boy Loc: Beckley, WV

I joined the USAF in 1965 just after graduation along with 2 friends. I did not register for draft because I was 18 the day I registered. They pulled me out of basic training activities and chewed me out greatly for failing to register. It is a law to register and joining does not relieve that responsibility!

anotherview Loc: California

You have drive, ambition, and motivation to make something out of your life. Commendable.

robertjerl wrote:

img src="https://static.uglyhedgehog.com/images/s... (show quote)

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

JoeN wrote:

It’s likely that many young men dropped out of school to join the Army. One of those was Audie Murphy, the most decorated soldier of WWII. He falsified records at age 16 to get in the Army and at age 19 received the Medal of Honor.

And he wound up with a brief movie career - type-cast, though.

anotherview Loc: California

He had a limited range as an actor.

jerryc41 wrote:

And he wound up with a brief movie career - type-cast, though.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

anotherview wrote:

He had a limited range as an actor.

There was an excellent series on TV a few years ago about the war in the Pacific. It followed a group of men all through the war. When one of the main characters came home, he went to a session a local college was holding to find jobs for the vets. The young girl behind the counter asked him if he could type, if he had any experience with inventory, and other stupid questions. Then she said, "They certainly didn't teach you very much in the army, did they?" He angrily replied, "They taught me how to kill Japs, and I got pretty good at it." Then he got up and left.

EDIT: The Pacific, 2010. https://www.imdb.com/video/vi3159819545?playlistId=tt0374463&ref_=tt_ov_vi

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

anotherview wrote:

You have drive, ambition, and motivation to make something out of your life. Commendable.

And now in retirement(?) I am indulging in the "Lazy", nothing but hobbies and puttering around the house and yard.
Problem, not enough time for those hobbies, house puttering and keeping up with the news.

Often I have the news on the TV while I edit photos or read and stop to watch when something of interest comes up.

Doing nothing gets boring very fast. But I am still a first round pick for the US Olympics "LAZY" team.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

jerryc41 wrote:

There was an excellent series on TV a few years ag... (show quote)

Yeah, when you go in the military during a war just out of HS unless you were a tech of some kind you come home with a bunch of skills that only suit you for a job as a hit man.

anotherview Loc: California

Just a thought: You could get involved in your local community.

robertjerl wrote:

And now in retirement(?) I am indulging in the "Lazy", nothing but hobbies and puttering around the house and yard.
Problem, not enough time for those hobbies, house puttering and keeping up with the news.

Often I have the news on the TV while I edit photos or read and stop to watch when something of interest comes up.

Doing nothing gets boring very fast. But I am still a first round pick for the US Olympics "LAZY" team.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

anotherview wrote:

Just a thought: You could get involved in your local community.

Oh, that is one of the things I am already doing.
Now the city senior center is mostly closed but the Photo Club (I inherited coordinating it in early 2019.) I have been trying to keep alive on Face Book and by e-mails with lessons, links etc. A few people even respond and most are still open to getting the e-mails, a few told me to stop sending them.

And my wife (retired Surgical RN and germaphobe who is strict about Covid-19.) is starting to talk about my starting to go to the Railway Museum and work on the streetcars and trains. The museum is starting to open up with lots of precautions again. The year of mostly closed gave the different volunteer crews a chance at getting work done on things without having to also act as docents and running stuff for the guests.

anotherview Loc: California

Doing good in the community earns its own merit for giving back.

robertjerl wrote:

Oh, that is one of the things I am already doing. ... (show quote)