All the best to Veterans and Families this weekend

[bwade210]

Excellent threads Spearit, my heart and gratitude goes out to all Veterans and those who are serving our country present day.

[Spearit]

Sharing wierd but true happenings in war. War gives way to some crazy values- that at the time seemed the right thing to do. It showed a paranoia persisted that would seem crazy by todays standards - yet we repeat this craziness over and over.
Vets open up- Many are here to honor you.

1) While the Hiroshima atomic bomb was being built in New Mexico all applicants for menial jobs at the plant did not get a job if they could read. This was because the US authorities didn't want staff reading secret papers.

2) When the battleship USS Arizona was destroyed by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor 23 sets of brothers were killed.

3) Mohamed Ali, who once ruled Egypt, had two infantry regiments in his army that consisted solely of one eyed soldiers. (hoped he put the side where the goodeye was on the the outside)

4) To conserve metal during World War II the movie Oscars were made out of wood.

5) When World War II began the neutral Republic of Ireland banned all war footage from their newsreels.

6) During World War II the Germans considered the classic film "Casablanca" starring Humphrey Bogart, to be a propoganda film and refused it's showing in German cinemas. Even after the war the film was censored in Germany in which all references to Nazis had been removed.

7) During the American Civil War all officers of the Confederate army were given copies of Victor Hugo's book "Les Miserables" to be carried at all times.

8) During World War II the very first bomb dropped on Berlin, Germany, killed the only elephant in Berlin Zoo. (This must have been in the local papers-propaganda?)

9) When the Persians invaded Egypt and were besieging a fort they threw dozens of cats over the walls because the Egyptians would rather surrender than risk injury to a cat. (not going to say anything here)

10) During World War I parrots were kept in the Eiffel Tower to warn of approaching aircraft. They could detect planes long before they came into the range of human lookouts. (Yeah, but who has to clean up the mess)

12) During the Franco-Prussian War in 1870 beef became so scarce that the people in Paris turned to eating horsemeat instead. They still do to this day.

13) During the English Civil War 300 tons of Cheshire Cheese was sent to the Royalist troops in Scotland.

14) During World War II coconut milk was used as blood plasma.

15) During the 19th century soldiers who had died in battle had their teeth pulled out to be used as dentures by other people. (Recycling at its finest)

16) Just before the start of World War II most condoms worn were made in Germany. When war broke out most soldiers making love before leaving for the front were wearing German condoms. (This prevented the French women from messing up the superior gene pool of the German Race.)

17) During World War II Marmite was prescribed as a cure for tropical diseases like burning feet and Beriberi.

18) After the First World War ended it was found that the Armistice was typed back to front. The French clerk who was taking the dictation accidentally put the carbon papers in the wrong way round.

19) During the 19th century the Royal Navy estimated that insanity in its service was seven times the normal. This was thought to be because sailors and marines who had got drunk were constantly banging their heads in the confined spaces between decks.
(The Royal Navy is proud to have only 5 times the normal today)

20) During World War II a German U-boat was actually sunk by a truck. After the U-boat had torpedoed a convoy of cargo ships in the Atlantic ocean, it rose to the surface to see the results when one of the ships suddenly exploded sending it's cargo of trucks flying into the air, one of which landed on the submarine breaking it's back and sinking it.

21) During World War II the military production of the Ford Motor Company exceeded that of the whole of Italy.

22) By the end of the American Civil War between a third and a half of all money in circulation in the US was counterfeit.

23) When Lawrence of Arabia led the British in battle with the Turks in Syria during World War I, he used a fleet of Rolls Royces to transport his men. (Its better to look good than to ...)

24) The US Interstate Highway System requires that one mile motorway in every five has to be straight so that these sections can be used as airstrips in times of war.

25) In France, in 1914, during World War I, French General Gallieni used a fleet of taxis, the drivers still wearing their caps, to transport his troops from Paris to the Battle of the Marne.

26) During the first World War it took about 1 tonne of poison gas to kill a single infantryman.

27) During the first Gulf war in the 1990's the allied forces lost just 4 tanks out of the 3,360 that were deployed.
The Iraqi's however lost 4,000 tanks out of 4,230 they used. (Superior Weaponry)

28) In England, during World War II, Lord Woolton, the Minister Of Food, actually considered a plan by Government scientists to feed the population with black pudding made from surplus human blood bank donations.
This idea was rejected. ( OOOOHHHHH- That would have gone over well!) Next -it would have be human parts- unbelievable)

29) In 1940, during the German invasion of Russia, for every 100 Russian males aged 18, 99 would have been killed over the next five years.

30) Of the 2,332 allied pilots that flew for their country during the Battle of Britain, only 17 of them accounted for ten percent of all German losses! ( Incredible stat- experience and location, location, location)

31) During the English Civil War, Sir Arthur Aston, a Royalist commander, was beaten to death with his own wooden leg by Oliver Cromwell's soldiers! ( Savages )

32) During the 19th century Turkey suffered 13 military defeats and only won one campaign. (Must have been quite a celebration that night !!!)

33) During the second world war over 56,000 carrier pigeons were sent into action with some of them actually receiving medals of bravery. ( I bust my ass on the front line and you give a bird a medal- Criminey)

34) Kleenex tissues were actually developed for use as gasmask filters during the first world war.

35) US General George Custer always slept with his dog on his bed. (Custer didn't get laid much either)

36) Since Bolivia became an independent country in 1825 there have been more than 180 revolutions. (It became dependent because no-one wanted to put up with their argueing anymore)

37) The very last sea battle using oar powered ships was at Lepanto in 1571.

38)
The military tank got it's name when they were first shipped to France during World War I.
For security reasons they were packed into huge wooden crates which were supposed to contain water tanks and the name stuck. (This is interesting- Sorry we have no water for you- we simply threw the water out and packed them with these. You will need to find it on your own-I'm afraid)

39) The very last Roman soldier left Great Britain in 407 AD. (Hope he didn't forget to turn out the lights)

40) In France during World War II a French Resistance fighter shot and killed two German Nazi officers.
When the war was over he was reunited with his family and it was then that he found out that one of the officers had been his mother's lover and was in fact his father.
Also both officers were brothers which made the second officer his uncle! (What a reunion)

41) During the Vietnam War more than 58,000 American soldiers were killed in action.
It has been estimated that nearly twice that many have committed suicide since their return. (This is alarming to me- the action in Viet Nam as we know was no picnic. All wars are not the same- many feel shamed, responsible, grieving and out of touch from this war).
According to this data nearly 116,000 Vets have committed suicide.

42) A British soldier once walked non-stop for 6 days, 10 hours and 22 minutes without a break. ( Would love more facts on this ) Generally lost and moving on before found)

43) During the first world war ordinary yeast was used in the manufacture of high explosives. (If the blast didn't kill them -they will have a white powder on then to be seen better.)

[TwoTonTony]

Semper Fi!!!

[the lumberjack]

Great job guys!!!!!!!!!

[Spearit]

Adding a bit of
Humor in the Air, or Vietnam Wasn't All Sad
John C. Ratliff
We were on a combat training flight out of DaNang. The pilots were training for an actual rescue by flying at tree-top level. The idea in an actual combat SAR (Search and Rescue) mission is to fly as close to the ground as possible, as fast as possible. This way of flying keeps the helicopter from being shot by small arms fire. By the time the enemy can see the 'copter, it has flown out of range.

But it isn't as easy as it seems, when you figure that the helicopter is flying at about 250 knots and that the terrain is not level. The pilots had to fly in concert with the terrain's ups and downs, anticipating the contours of the ground and keeping close to the trees. The risk is that the pilot will fly too low, and hit a tree, or too high, and be subject to small arms fire.

On one run, we came close to the trees. On the final approach, the helicopter must flare out to stop and hover. This nose-up attitude places the tail close to the ground, and in doing so, care must be taken to avoid any obstacles. The crew in the back must be very alert to any problems, and on this run I was the tail observer. I had my harness on, and was watching out the back of the helicopter through the open ramp. As I watched, a tree limb as big around as my leg came into view, andkept coming up toward the tail between the tail rotor and the skid on the tail boom. I shouted "Up, up, up, up" through the mike. The helicopter immediately rotated toward a nose-down attitude. The branch passed safely, inches below the tail rotor. Flying combat SAR is a team effort, and without eyes in all directions accidents could very easily occur.

Another tactical training mission began the same way, flying at tree-top level. We were again simulating a rescue mission, using Monkey Mountain for this mission. The pilot was new to the unit, and had not flown contours (hugging the terrain) before.

We flew up the mountain just above the treetops, and then the ridge fell away. Before we knew it, we were flying at over 500 feet above the terrain. This is a "no-no!" since it provides the enemy time to raise a gun and fire at the helicopter.

The pilot lowered the collective, and pointed the nose of the Jolly toward the ground in an effort to loose altitude. The Super Jolly Green HH-53 is a very large and heavy helicopter, but its controls are quite responsive; it rapidly began it's descent. Unfortunately, lifting a large, heavy helicopter is quite another matter. As the trees approached, the pilot raised the collective, but tentatively at first. Then he pulled it up hard.

I was in the back of the helicopter, again monitoring our rear from the number 3 mini-gun position just inside the ramp. From this position, one can only look backwards. The view is breath-taking since it offers an unrestricted sight of the jungle we had just flown over.

I looked down as we quickly regained altitude to see the precise outline of our helicopter in the top of a large tree. A number of vines trailed from underneath to about twenty feet behind the helicopter.

I keyed the mike, and talked to the pilot "Pilot, PJ, we have vines trailing the helicopter. Do you want me to take a look underneath?" He answered "Affirmative". I put on the safety harness. With the strap fastened to the floor "D" ring, and enough strap let out to reach to back of the ramp (but just enough!), I walked underneath the strap barrier onto the ramp, laid down on my stomach, and put the visor for my helmet down. I then inched out far enough to hang my head over the ramp's edge, and look underneath the helicopter. The vines were trailing from the right wheel, but there didn't appear to be any damage. Then I looked under the helicopter at the bottom of the fuselage, and noted a fluid running back toward me—bad news! I pulled my head up, keyed the mike and notified the pilot of my findings. He asked me to identify the fluid.

Fluids coming out of a helicopter can usually of two types. It can be either fuel, or hydraulic fluid. Oil is a more remote possibility, unless the copter is fired upon and hit. Hydraulic fluid is usually pink in color, but fuel can be colorless. The fluid coming out was colorless. I told the pilot, and he asked that I make sure. It is possible to mistake the problem in the 250 knot air stream, and to only definitive method was to taste the fuel.
I took a glove off, stuck my finger into the fluid and tasted it. It was salty!

I whirled around, looked up the inside of the helicopter and as my eyes adjusted to the dimmer light, I noted a flight engineer using the urinal!

At least, we weren't in as bad a shape as we thought. But I did have some words with the flight engineer.

Copyright 1998, John C. Ratliff
Used with permission by the Jolly Green Giants Association

[Udog]

56 years old
Viet Nam '69-'70 '70-'71
Please do not turn on today's kids. Their failure to get the job done is not their fault!! Once again, it's due to abyssmal leadership and a congress full of professional play-it-safers. Pray every day for these kids and for some real leadership to rise up! May God return His blessings to America!!! Thank you, United States Armed Forces!

[Spearit]

And a hugh thank you for your service to our country UDog and others that have written in or just viewing. Our soul is predicated on the actions of our compassion to our fellow man, our soldiers either in the field or rehabbing mentally, spiritually, socially, and physically from past campaigns, our free country, and even what so many take for granted and have no idea of the consequences of being under another countries rule. God Bless each and every one of you. This is a small way on our part to show honor to you.

[Udog]

Spearit, you and yours are most welcome, buddy! In truth, I would do it all over again today if I thought it would benefit my fellow Americans!

[Spearit]

Thanks Udog. Have a great weekend.
I am presenting Funny Quotes!!!
from mostly talk show hosts on Saddam --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"It was like Ground Hog Day. He popped out of a hole, and we got four more years of Bush." Bill Maher, on Saddam's capture

"Now that George Bush has captured Saddam Hussein, it raises the question, what's he going to get his dad for Christmas next year?" ;Jay Leno

"President Bush says he doesn't want to use the capture of Saddam for political gain. He says he wants a very slow, public trial that would end, oh, about next November." Jay Leno

"For the last four days, they've been interrogating Saddam Hussein. ... He denies knowing Osama bin Laden. He said 'Oh sure, I'd run into him at industry functions, but I didn't really know him.'" David Letterman

"Saddam's daughter defended him, saying the U.S. must have drugged or gassed him. Otherwise, he never would have surrendered. Let me tell you something, the guy was living on hot dogs, Spam and Mars bars, and living in a tiny hole. I think he gassed himself." Jay Leno

"President Bush said today that when he was told Saddam Hussein had been captured he was up at Camp David reading a book. I don't know what's the bigger shock, capturing Saddam or finding out Bush was reading a book." Jay Leno

"When they caught Saddam Hussein, he had more than $750,000 dollars. When he heard this, President Bush immediately invited Saddam to a fundraising dinner"
Conan O'Brien

"According to CNN, before the soldiers pulled him out of the hole, Saddam yelled 'I'm willing to negotiate.' I'm no expert on the art of the deal, but when you're in a hole with 600 soldiers around, what is your bargaining chip?" Jay Leno

"They found several pairs of Saddam's boxer shorts in the hut and, by the way, that is the closest we have come to finding weapons of mass destruction." David Letterman

"One day you're the leader of Iraq, the next day you're being checked for flees on FOX News." David Letterman

"Saddam Hussein just gave himself up. I mean hell, Michael Jackson put up more of a fight." David Letterman

"This guy was a wreck, you saw the pictures. They had to clean him up in a hurry; they had to give him an emergency Queer Eye makeover." David Letterman

"Saddam Hussein has been captured. I'm sure everyone knows that by now unless you've been living in a hole, in which case if you were, you're probably the guy they got." Jon Stewart

"It's ironic that they found him in a hole since the term 'A-hole' has been used to describe him so many times." Jay Leno

Thats enuff.

[Spearit]

Saint Augustine (354-430)
The purpose of all war is peace.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Or close the wall up with our English dead!
In peace there's nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility:
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger;
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favored rage;
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect.
King Henry the Fifth (1598-1600), Act: III, Scene: i, Line: 1

ONE FOR ALL MILITARY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN IN CONFLICT OR BEEN AWAY FROM FREINDS, FAMILY AND LOVED ONES ALL OVER THE WORLD.
AND FOR THOSE WHO HAVE FOUGHT AND DIED.
AS I APPROACH THE GATES OF HEAVEN;
ST. PETER I WILL TELL;
ONE MORE SOLDIER REPORTING SIR;
I'VE SERVED MY TIME IN HELL.
-Mark Anthony Gresswell

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of readiness to die. ~G.K. Chesterton


In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot. ~Mark Twain, Notebook, 1935

[Spearit]

Memorial Day Tribute - 2007

Fact Sheet: America's Wars

American Revolution (1775-1783)
Total Servicemembers ..................................217,000
Battle Deaths .................................................. 4,435
Non-mortal Woundings......................................6,1 88

War of 1812 (1812-1815)
Total Servicemembers...................................2 86,730
Battle Deaths............................................ ......2,260
Non-mortal Woundings.....................................4,50 5

Indian Wars (approx. 1817-1898)
Total Servicemembers...................................1 06,000
Battle Deaths............................................ .......1,000

Mexican War (1846-1848)
Total Servicemembers.................................... .78,718
Battle Deaths............................................ .......1,733
Other Deaths in Service...................................11,550
Non-mortal Woundings......................................4,1 52

Civil War (1861-1865)
Total Servicemembers (Union).....................2,213,363
Battle Deaths (Union)....................................140,414
Other Deaths in Service (Union)......................224,097
Non-mortal Woundings (Union).......................281,881
Total Servicemembers (Conf.)......................1,500,000
Battle Deaths (Confederate).............................74,524
Other Deaths in Service (Confed.)....................59,297 *
Non-mortal Woundings (Confed.) .................Unknown

Spanish-American War (1898-1902)
Total Servicemembers (Worldwide).................306,760
Battle Deaths............................................ ..........385
Other Deaths in Service (Non-Theater)................2,061
Non-mortal Woundings......................................1,6 62

World War I (1917-1918)
Total Servicemembers (Worldwide)...............4,734,991
Battle Deaths............................................ .....53,402
Other Deaths in Service (Non-Theater)..............63,114
Non-mortal Woundings..................................204,002
Living Veterans......................................Less than 25

World War II (1941-1945)
Total Servicemembers (Worldwide).............16,112,566
Battle Deaths............................................ ....291,557
Other Deaths in Service (Non-Theater).............113,842
Non-mortal Woundings..................................671,846
Living Veterans.......................................... 3,242,000

Korean War (1950-1953)
Total Servicemembers (Worldwide)..............5,720,000
Battle Deaths............................................ .....33,741
Other Deaths (In Theater)..................................2,833
Other Deaths in Service (Non-Theater)..............17,672
Non-mortal Woundings..................................103,284
Living Veterans.......................................... 3,086,400

Vietnam War (1964-1975)
Total Servicemembers (Worldwide)..............8,744,000
Deployed to Southeast Asia........................3,403,000
Battle Deaths............................................ .....47,424
Other Deaths (In Theater)................................10,785
Other Deaths in Service (Non-Theater)..............32,000
Non-mortal Woundings..................................153,303
Living Veterans.......................................... 7,286,500

Desert Shield/Desert Storm (1990-1991)
Total Servicemembers (Worldwide)..............2,322,000
Deployed to Gulf...........................................694 ,550
Battle Deaths............................................ ..........147
Other Deaths (In Theater).....................................235
Other Deaths in Service (Non-Theater)................1,590
Non-mortal Woundings......................................... 467
Living Veterans.......................................... .2,260,000

America's Wars Total
U.S. Military Service During War................43,185,893
Battle Deaths............................................ ....653,708
Other Deaths (In Theater).................................14,560
Other Deaths in Service (Non-Theater).............525,930
Non-mortal Woundings................................1,447,281
Living War Veterans..................................17,835,0 00
Living Veterans (War & Peacetime)............23,976,000
* Does not include 26,000 to 31,000 who died in Union prisons.



Source: Department of Defense (DoD), except living veterans, which are VA estimates. Estimates are as of September 30, 2006.


Global War on Terror (as of Sept. 30, 2006)**
Total Servicemembers (Worldwide)...............1,384,968
Deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan....................165,000
Battle Deaths............................................ .......2,333
Other Deaths (In Theater).....................................707
Non-mortal Woundings....................................21,64 9
Living Veterans.......................................... ...588,923***

** For the most current GWOT statistics, visit: http://siadapp.dior.whs.mil/personne...LTY/castop.htm

*** VA estimate does not include those still on active duty and may include veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Last of the Mohicans
American Revolution Last Veteran, Daniel F. Bakeman, died 4/5/1869, age 109
Last Widow, Catherine S. Damon, died 11/11/06, age 92
Last Dependent, Phoebe M. Palmeter, died 4/25/11, age 90
War of 1812 Last Veteran, Hiram Cronk, died 5/13/05, age 105
Last Widow, Carolina King, died 6/28/36, age unknown
Last Dependent, Esther A.H. Morgan, died 3/12/46, age 89
Indian Wars Last Veteran, Fredrak Fraske, died 6/18/73, age 101
Mexican War Last Veteran, Owen Thomas Edgar, died 9/3/29, age 98
Last Widow, Lena James Theobald, died 6/20/63, age 89
Last Dependent, Jesse G. Bivens, died 11/1/62, age 94
Civil War Last Union Veteran, Albert Woolson, died 8/2/56, age 109
Last Confederate Veteran, John Salling, died 3/16/58, age 112
Last Union Widow, Gertrude Janeway, died 1/17/2003, age 93

Spanish-American War Last veteran, Nathan E. Cook, died 9/10/92, age 106


It is estimated that the number of living World War II U.S. veterans will be:

9/30/06.....3,242,000 9/30/07.....2,889,000 9/30/08.....2,551,000 9/30/09.....2,230,000
9/30/10.....1,929,000 9/30/11.....1,649,000 9/30/12.....1,393,000 9/30/13.....1,161,000
9/30/14........954,000 9/30/15........773,000 9/30/16........616,000 9/30/17........484,000
9/30/18........373,000 9/30/19........283,000 9/30/20........210,000 9/30/21........158,000

------------------------------------------------

Veterans and Dependents on the
Compensation and Pension Rolls as of
September, 2006

VETERANS
CHILDREN
PARENTS
SURVIVING SPOUSES

Civil War
-
3
-
-

Indian Wars
-
-
-
-

Spanish-American War
-
113
-
125

Mexican Border
-
18
-
70

World War I
9
3,831
-
7,596

World War II
429,518
15,636
227
232,745

Korean Conflict
226,467
3,423
419
61,423

Vietnam Era
1,103,561
9,819
3,614
151,507

Gulf War (1)
700,560
12,461
776
12,826


Nonservice-connected
329,856
20,362
2
186,074

Service-connected
2,725,824
28,362
6,418
313,091


(1) For compensation and pension purposes, the Persian Gulf War period has not yet been terminated and includes veterans of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom.


# # #

People wishing to receive e-mail from VA with the latest news releases and updated fact sheets can subscribe to the VA Office of Public Affairs Distribution List.

[Spearit]

SAN DIEGO -- While there's no denying that Jerry Coleman's military career effectively cut short his Major League career, one will never catch the longtime Padres broadcaster in a moment of remorse for what could have been.
"The best thing that ever happened to me was my time in the service," Coleman said. "I have said this over and over again, but there's only two things that are more important to me -- the people who love me and that I love my country. Period."

And that's something the 82-year-old Coleman is thankful for each day, even more so on Memorial Day -- the holiday that commemorates United States men and women who died while serving their country in the military.

Coleman -- the only Major League player to see combat in two wars -- is some 55 years removed from the day his active duty in the military ended, though the memories of his time as a pilot are every bit as strong in his mind as his memories of his nine years in the Major Leagues.

While future Hall of Famers Joe DiMaggio, Bob Feller, Ted Williams, Warren Spahn and so many other players had their playing careers cut short by World War II, Coleman actually credits his military time for getting his playing career started in the first place.

"Actually, it activated it," Coleman said. "I was going to college, because I wanted to get into naval aviation and you had to be 18. I ended up playing in the summer of '42 just to kill a summer. I had nothing, so I signed a contract to play baseball. So the war activated my baseball career, though it didn't help it to say the least."

A former standout at Lowell High in San Francisco, Coleman was intent on continuing his baseball career at USC. The summer after he graduated from high school, he signed with the Yankees and reported to the Minor League team in Wellsville, N.Y., in 1942.

Coleman played that summer in Wellsville as a 17-year-old, not yet old enough to enlist. Like many others his age, he got caught up serving his country. For as much as he loved playing baseball, it would have to wait.

"We all wanted to be heroes," Coleman said. "So when that season ended, I was at the ferry building signing up."

Coleman joined the Navy in October as a naval aviation cadet in the V-5 program in his hometown of San Francisco, though he wouldn't stay there long. He trained as a pilot in North Carolina, Colorado and Texas before being commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in the Marines.

A year after training began, Coleman was a pilot. And in August 1944, Coleman was shipped to Guadalcanal to join his squadron (VMSB-341) -- or otherwise known as "The Torrid Turtles."

Coleman was just 19.

"I was 19 when I went overseas and my gunner was 18," Coleman said. "If the Japanese knew what they were up against, they would have never surrendered -- talk about a couple of rhubarbs."

It was adrenaline that got Coleman through his 57 combat missions more than anything. Coleman and his gunner had to be on constant watch, as they flew close air support and on missions in the Solomon Islands and Philippines until 1945.

"Some [missions] would last four hours, two hours there, then your mission and then two hours back," Coleman said. "It depended on where you were sent. If you were sent to the front, you were usually in and out pretty quick. But the front was also the most dangerous, because you had guys on both sides shooting at you from all directions."

When Coleman returned to the United States, he retired to the inactive reserve list and got back to playing baseball, spending the next three seasons in the Yankees Minor League system before finally sticking with the team in the spring of 1949 when manager Casey Stengel took a liking to him and when the Yankees starting second baseman -- George "Snuffy" Stirnweiss -- was injured.

Coleman hit .275 with 123 hits in 128 games for the Yankees in 1949, as New York went on to win the World Series. He was named the Associated Press Rookie of the Year.

The next year would be even better for Coleman, as he drove in 69 runs and hit .287. He made the American League All-Star team and was named the Most Valuable Player in the World Series after driving in the game-winning run in Game 3 against the Phillies, as the Yankees won the series in four games.

In the winter of 1951, Coleman received a call that again put his baseball career on hold.

"I was stupid. I thought I would just come back again and start playing again," Coleman said. "The Marine major at Alameda called and asked me what I thought about going back into the service. I told him I hadn't thought about it. He said they were going to get me. I asked him for how long. He said a year and a half."

When Coleman was 18, the idea of doing his part to help win World War II greatly motivated him. But he found that those same feelings weren't nearly as strong, when he was recalled for active duty in 1952 for one simple reason.

"I was young the first time. ... I was 19, 20, 21. The second time in Korea, I was 28," Coleman said. "I had a family and I didn't think it was that much fun."

Coleman flew 63 combat missions during his time in Korea, and, by his account, detested nearly every minute of it. The missions, for one, were mostly flown at night, making his job even more difficult than it already was.

Hall of Famer Ted Williams -- who like Coleman, served in both wars, though Williams spent World War II stateside -- recalled an incident that involved Coleman during the war for a 2002 article in "Officer" magazine.

"Jerry went out on a bombing run, [and] he had a lot of experience. If it had happened to me, I would have been useless over there. Jerry had a full load of bombs and he was on this dive-bomb mission. He was the third one to go in. He rolled out of formation and started his run. He was lining up on the target behind his buddies gathering speed, and the Corsair right dead in front of him was totally blown away. One minute he was there, the next minute there was a flash, and he was completely gone. Well, that was enough to take the starch out of anyone."

Coleman returned to the state in the fall of 1953 and was eventually honored for his time in Korea, adding to a total of two Distinguished Flying Crosses, 13 Air Medals and three Navy Citations.

He appeared in only eight games at the end of the 1953 season and would go on to play parts of the next four seasons with the Yankees, though he was never the same player as he was before going to Korea due to missed time and a handful of injuries, including a broken collarbone.

Coleman did enjoy one of his finest moments as a player in the 1957 World Series, when he batted .364 with two doubles and two RBIs in the Yankees' seven-game loss to the Milwaukee Braves. That was his curtain call.

"I missed about four years," Coleman said. "I had decent years in '56, '57, but it wasn't what I would have liked to have had."

But, again, Coleman holds absolutely no regrets about his time in the military. And when the Padres begin a three-game series in Pittsburgh starting on Tuesday, Coleman will be behind the microphone calling the game, much like he has the previous 33 seasons for the team.

He considers himself fortunate for that, and, really, for a lot of things.

"Yes. ... I'm lucky, but I don't try to dramatize it," Coleman said. "Things that happened to people in World War II or Korea become more heroic the longer you are away from it. At the time, it wasn't heroic. You were doing a job."

[Spearit]

-Spent the day at the American Legion- boating, dancing, swimming, eating,and laughing with many I have never met. Good to see the old-timers with there WWII hats on!
I lost big yesterday - trying out a theory- I will learn from it. These guys gave their all and many will never return for a second chance!

[THENDY]

PEACE....and god bless the TROOPS ! YESTERDAY TODAY AND TOMMAROW ALL HAVE A PRICE.

[LVJimmy]

Spear, great thread...as some of you know, I'm currently a Captain in the AF, but luckily I haven't been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan...as horrible as it may sound to some of you, I pray everyday that I never go to either of those places, but if I'm called to do it, I will do so without hesitation...on a brighter note, my grandfather was a WWII Army Air Corps pilot, and he shot down 10 Japanese planes making him a 2x Fighter Ace...although he passed away about 5 years ago, I think about his accomplishments all the time...thanks again Spear!

God Bless all those past and present who have given their lives and spend everyday in imminent danger.