Calling all WWII vets for a vital mission

The Orange County Register ^ | July 30, 2002 | Gordon Dillow

[EveningStar]

He's an old man now, frail and sick and lying in a bed in an Orange County nursing home. But there was a time when he was a friend to millions of Americans, a man who brought laughter to countless guys who had precious little to laugh about.

[FreedomFarmer]

Putting the Jeep (with the broken leg) out of its misery was always my favorite.

ETO bump.

[meandog]

...Saw Bill Mauldin starring with Audie Murphy last night in John Huston's adaptation of Steven Craine's "Red Badge of Courage". Although it was mainly Murphy's role, Mauldin gave the movie the real depth and was a pretty good actor. Loved the scene where Mauldin's character told Murphy's character (after he confessed to cowardice during his baptism of fire); "Shucks, Henry, I was so scared I almost skedaddled myself...only the captain caught me and made me stay. Being scared ain't no cowardice!"

[AnAmericanMother]

So sorry to hear this about Bill Mauldin. My dad served with him in Italy.

Dad always says that Bill Mauldin's cartoons are 100 per cent accurate. So much so, that when my daughter interviewed my dad for a school project, in the report we put photos my dad took during the war next to Mauldin cartoons . . . we were able to match up about 4-5 situations in cartoon and real life.

Here's one of my favorites:

Dad lives about as far away from Orange County as you can get, but I'll pass this on to him.

[snippy_about_it]

bumping the USO canteen.

[AnAmericanMother]

Here ya go -- the cavalryman sadly putting his "horse" out of its misery:

But I have so many favorites. I have all his books.

[VOA]

...he's had a long and colorful and successful life.

Today's understatement

[paddles]

I like the cartoon with a private who's scolding a major:

"one more crack like that and you won't get your job back after the war."

[AnAmericanMother]

couldn't find that one (it's in "Up Front" though, along with the major sitting in a jeep telling the dogface private with the mine detector, "Take your time, son. I like to see a young man take an interest in his work.")

I have this one on my workstation at work, along with "I feel like a fugitive from the law of averages."

That M-1 carbine in the foreground reminds me of one of my dad's stories. He (a combat engineer) was carrying an M-1 carbine as American troops were entering the small Italian town of Biela. You need to understand that one of the (many) idiosyncracies of the M-1 carbine is that the safety and the clip release are 'WAY too close to each other, just in front of the trigger guard!

Anyhow, my dad walked around a corner and literally bumped helmets with a German soldier. Fortunately, Fritz was more scared (or quicker on his feet) than my dad, because he threw down his rifle and ran like h#!!. Dad swung up his M-1, went to hit the safety, and dropped all his bullets in the street. Fortunately, Fritz kept running and is probably in Bavaria by now. ("Why did you have your safety on Daddy?" "I didn't want to shoot myself in the foot.")

Dad threw away the M-1, picked up a Garand from a dead GI, and carried that the rest of the war, regulations be &@###!

[alfa6]

Bump for the afternoon folks!!!

I am not a WWII vet but pickep up a copy of his bookmof cartoons from WWII. Bill loved to skewer the brass. Two of the cartoons that stand out are the one where the officers are looking at a sunset and wondering if there is one for the enlisted men and the other was where Willie and Joe call in to let the captain know that they will be taking a long detour to miss Patton's Third army.

Maybe one you HTML wizards could find these and post em, eh.

Thanks Bill Maudlin for the insights into the life of the GI and Best Wishes. Deepest Regards alfa6 ;>}

[EveningStar]

Another bump for the afternoon folks.

[nimc]

"Just give me the aspirin. I already got a Purple Heart."

I'll keep looking for the one you mentioned.

[nimc]

Bumping for all WWII vets. Please add your applicable bump lists.

[alfa6]

Much obliged and thanks as well, another bump for the evening crowb to boot.

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[Snow Bunny]

This has me crying so hard, I wish I was a WW11 vet so I could write to him. What a touching wonderful thread about this special man.

Thank you Mr.M for telling us about this at the Canteen.

And thank you Evening Star for this wonderful thread about Bill Mauldin.

[EveningStar]

Snow Bunny, if you know a WWII vet or someone who knows a WWII vet, contact him. A lot of WWII vets had a copy of "Up Front" on their bookshelf. My dad did. That's how I new about Mauldin. :)

[EveningStar]

new=knew. Good grief! :(

[EveningStar]

I posted the same thread in the VetsCoR section and got some good comments. :)

[weegee]

BUMP

[EveningStar]

I found out a short time ago, that Mr. Mauldin has Alzheimer's. :(