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February 10, 2017 Grunt.com Admin

Grandson of USMC 3rd 21st WW2 Veteran Eugene V Burch

As a child from the age of seven to 14 or so Grandpa Gene was bulletproof, and as a kid we knew his handshake would crush your hand. I remember him telling me stories of World War 2 of the Japanese digging tunnels and pulling his buddies underground, but as a child my brain did not believe. He passed away in 1996 when I was 16 from cancer, and I never knew what he had been through. One day in the summer of 2010 I decided to watch Flags Of Our Father, and HBO’s “The Pacific” and it gave me a good kick in the pants. I have never felt like such a fool in my life, and was so oblivious to what he and all of you go through for me. How could my education not show this to me? WHY didn’t we cherish all of you more?

The next day I went back to work and asked to write letters to veterans and was told NO by the dealership I worked at and the following one after! In January of 2015 i was told ” YES” by my then new employer, and on Christmas day was informed over 700 Veterans, Friends, and family had said something about it. I couldn’t believe what I heard, why was this so amazing? After this I decided to form a website dedicated to all of you who serve us in America, and our allies. As on June 2016 it became Non profit, I wish I could find someone who served with grandpa or knew of him, Gene had a purple heart and was one heck of a guy! I am hoping my thanks to all of you makes it’s way, and maybe someone knows of him? If not I will find out one day! Thank you all for what I have, right to vote, love, and live happy is because of your sacrifices! Do not forget that if there is one guy who loves you for what you have done, that I will stand alone for you! Greg Burch Founder and President of Fight For Our Freedom www.fightforourfreedom.com

Filed in: Marine Corps Stories
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Comments

John T. Durant (0844) E-2-12, 55-56 - April 2, 2020

As the USMC son of a 55th Co Marine who was at the outpost at Les Mares Farm with Lt. Lemuel Shepherd I share your regrets. Read, “The “Bloody Angle” of the A. E. F., The American Legion Weekly Feb 24, 1922. I had my father’s War Diary as a youngster and had misinterpreted what I had read and had found it to be a great bore. It wasn’t until 1990 ( twenty five years after his passing in 1965) that I reread it as an adult that I understood its full significance. As the saying goes, “to soon old ,to late smart!’.

Sgt Ted K. Shimono - April 2, 2020

Like the grandson said “to soon old, to late smart”. Even though many have recorded the memories of former military veterans of WW1, WW2, Korea, many of the veterans that served did not record what they had done or went through because of bad memories, lost buddies and nightmares. Much of our military history has been lost forever. We are losing WW2 veterans at 1000 perday. Korean veterans, numbers unknown, and now Vietnam veterans. When I visit the National Cemetery Riverside, where my wife is buried, I see so many headstones of WW2, Korean and Vietnam veterans who may have never told their stories to anyone

chris wesling - April 2, 2020

My father retired from the Corps after serving 30 years as Mgy/sgt=E9. He served from 1942-1972 in WW2, Korea & Vietnam.. I feel really stupid as I grew up with a hard ass Marine & I realize I don’t really know what my dad went through. All I remember is bit’s & pieces. I spent my first 15 years living at places : camp leguene, camp geiger, cherry point, new river etc. From what my mom told me & the bits & pieces from my dad, he was on tinian/saipan & okinawa in ww2, I was born while he was in korea & I was in high school while he was in vietnam. As a kid I would ask dad about war & he would only answer ” you dont need to know”. as I grew older I asked him why he would never take me hunting. His answer was: ” son, if you have ever been hunted you would know what I mean” Some bit’s he did tell about were some marines jumping off the landing crafts into holes & drowning,& the beach red with blood, the extreme cold in korea, how you could smell the chinese when they were attacking & hosing the choppers blood off the medivacs deck in nam.Some memories fade as time goes on but I’m proud of my dad. He was as ‘gung-ho ” as a marine could be SEMPER -FI DAD Mgy/sgt William j. Wesling RIP 1924-1991 miss ya!!

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