My Band of Brothers

[2 Bit Bill]

I used to hang with Wilbur at our meetings.
One time he showed us a Broomhandle Mauser he took from a surrendering Officer(1945 Rhine).
That baby was production-line fine!
4 Combat Blasts:salute:

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/cantonrep/obituary.aspx?n=wilbur-a-wright&pid=148717431

This one's for you, Brother:salute:
You are what the Airborne is all about!
[video=youtube;0KonxiEQ8oM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KonxiEQ8oM&feature=related[/video]

 

[Ray Woloszyn]

Bill, no offense but you have to stop reading onl those obituaries although many of those passing on have certainly done a lot more in their lives than the usual dirtbags that seem in inhabit the pages of the local newspapers or newscasts. This is so typical for NE Ohio and my hometown area of Western Pa where seemingly only the old folks remain. Curious, about the "RIP" with vechnaya pamyat...Russian/Polish for "eternal memory". Where did that come from? Anyway good of you to mention this to others.

 

[2 Bit Bill]

Bill, no offense but you have to stop reading onl those obituaries although many of those passing on have certainly done a lot more in their lives than the usual dirtbags that seem in inhabit the pages of the local newspapers or newscasts. This is so typical for NE Ohio and my hometown area of Western Pa where seemingly only the old folks remain. Curious, about the "RIP" with vechnaya pamyat...Russian/Polish for "eternal memory". Where did that come from? Anyway good of you to mention this to others.

No offense taken Ray, but I don't read obits; I go to funerals.

You call yourself a hunky? :laugh:
Ever been to hunky funeral? :crosseye:

 

[Ray Woloszyn]

As assistant general manager in Estonia I had to go to three funerals of colleagues. A Russian pominki is an excuse to get really drunk. After the first one, my colleagues unceremoniously dropped me half dead back at my apartment.

From the web..."Pominki, as I've been given to understand them, consist of drinking and eating to the memory of the deceased and leaving a little food and drink behind for them to enjoy. Besides happening every year after Easter, pominki happen right after the funeral (at home, not graveside like the Easter pominki); on the third, ninth and fortieth days after a death; six months after a death; and yearly on the anniversary of a death."

 

[Calimero]

Bill, this is sad.
I also note that today the last American WWI (yes, "I") veteran died. He had lied about his age to engage at 16, and died at 110.
The last French died a couple of year ago (Lazare Ponticelli ... actually Italian, enlisted in the Legion). the very last one survivor seems to be Claude Choules but he apparently never knew the trenches, being a sailor.

It's a bit sad and depressing that the people who could recount first-hand of these experiences have left us : now the only way we can know WWI is through books, pictures and the very few existing films ...