08-30-2008, 03:06 AM
For Alfred, that damn Aussie who can sell ice to an Eskimo, Artsky, and the two super modest forum peoples who have brightened his life. There's others also like that Kirchgoens tankist. From, the Ukrainian Commando, aka, my dad:
It was extremely hot and dry at or near Kanev. My dad's tank got put out of commission thanks to the Germans. So much terrible confusion. My dad tried to hide in a crater. He witnessed the following: Two very strong party member officers were in the process of having the munitions and docs destroyed. Upon completion, the two officers proceeded to each drink a full bottle of vodka and then shoot themselves. My dad said that Stalin made it perfectly known to all: You have 5 bullets, four for the Germans and one for yourself (in case).
Now yesterday, the Commando was sitting inthe backyard enjoying the last remnants of summer. He showed me his disfigured index finger. He said, "Norm, how is it that I once was so poor, lived through hell and now I am like a king?"
Around the time that the Soviet officers did what they did, a German car carrying officers went through a minefield and killed the occupants. Needless to say, the Germans were not happy about this. They shot ALOT of Soviet troops.
My dad surrendered. He said the German who he surrendered to spoke some Polish and yelled "Hotch, hotch." Other German troops were ready to blow my dad away but this one "saved" him and told them that my dad surrendered.
They were put into a barn for the meantime. The stench was horrible according to my dad-hard to breathe. My dad was near a door and tried to get some fresh air from the threshold. The German guard opened the door and with his stick, he swung at my dad to get away and nailed his finger. This is the "souvenir" that my dad referred to sooner. He "set" his own broken finger.
Henry could write this alot better. I have been reluctant to write about this here for quite some time. However, for quite some time some generous dude (who has been SUPER to us!) here who writes lots of books et al told me to write about my dad's experiences. Perhaps its also due to the kindness of Alfred who submitted today? Perhaps it's due to the other very generous expert gentleman sir who contributes almost daily? Then there's that damn Aussie,lol, what can one say about em? Or that guy Kirchgoens who has supplied me with info on the era units?
To this day, and for many years prior, I've had to wake my dad up from nightmares where he has yelled, "Nemchi, nemchi". This is the reality of these vets. Btw, does my dad hate the Germans? Nooooooooo way. We have friends who were on both sides. My dad acknowledges that it was war and a different time and so do they. If you ever get the opportunitity to meet my dad, you'll notice a scar above his top lip. He can show you scars on his legs where German scrapnel put him out of commission later in the war.
They wanted to hack his leg off but my dad would not let them. But that was at Dukla Pass and another story.
Perhaps I will write further on his experiences hereafter. However, in the interim, if you wonder why I am so strongly opinionated in some regards, it's because I just hate seeing these guys get exploited. Respect eachother and the ODM's that you have. Don't rip eachother off-think of the heros whose items you are selling/buying. Just think of the stories that your awards could tell you and the hell that these people lived through?
Enough said for now...............
N
It was extremely hot and dry at or near Kanev. My dad's tank got put out of commission thanks to the Germans. So much terrible confusion. My dad tried to hide in a crater. He witnessed the following: Two very strong party member officers were in the process of having the munitions and docs destroyed. Upon completion, the two officers proceeded to each drink a full bottle of vodka and then shoot themselves. My dad said that Stalin made it perfectly known to all: You have 5 bullets, four for the Germans and one for yourself (in case).
Now yesterday, the Commando was sitting inthe backyard enjoying the last remnants of summer. He showed me his disfigured index finger. He said, "Norm, how is it that I once was so poor, lived through hell and now I am like a king?"
Around the time that the Soviet officers did what they did, a German car carrying officers went through a minefield and killed the occupants. Needless to say, the Germans were not happy about this. They shot ALOT of Soviet troops.
My dad surrendered. He said the German who he surrendered to spoke some Polish and yelled "Hotch, hotch." Other German troops were ready to blow my dad away but this one "saved" him and told them that my dad surrendered.
They were put into a barn for the meantime. The stench was horrible according to my dad-hard to breathe. My dad was near a door and tried to get some fresh air from the threshold. The German guard opened the door and with his stick, he swung at my dad to get away and nailed his finger. This is the "souvenir" that my dad referred to sooner. He "set" his own broken finger.
Henry could write this alot better. I have been reluctant to write about this here for quite some time. However, for quite some time some generous dude (who has been SUPER to us!) here who writes lots of books et al told me to write about my dad's experiences. Perhaps its also due to the kindness of Alfred who submitted today? Perhaps it's due to the other very generous expert gentleman sir who contributes almost daily? Then there's that damn Aussie,lol, what can one say about em? Or that guy Kirchgoens who has supplied me with info on the era units?
To this day, and for many years prior, I've had to wake my dad up from nightmares where he has yelled, "Nemchi, nemchi". This is the reality of these vets. Btw, does my dad hate the Germans? Nooooooooo way. We have friends who were on both sides. My dad acknowledges that it was war and a different time and so do they. If you ever get the opportunitity to meet my dad, you'll notice a scar above his top lip. He can show you scars on his legs where German scrapnel put him out of commission later in the war.
They wanted to hack his leg off but my dad would not let them. But that was at Dukla Pass and another story.
Perhaps I will write further on his experiences hereafter. However, in the interim, if you wonder why I am so strongly opinionated in some regards, it's because I just hate seeing these guys get exploited. Respect eachother and the ODM's that you have. Don't rip eachother off-think of the heros whose items you are selling/buying. Just think of the stories that your awards could tell you and the hell that these people lived through?
Enough said for now...............
N
