A Veterans Story

[shadowwolf]

panzerjaeger44,
It would be great to see your photos

John, You must be very proud of your famous and heroic Grandfather

Regards to all, Simon.

[panzerjaeger44]

ILL post them on this thread if i get the chance dont expect wonders lol its an old book and small pics but i think its of value purely from the historical point with pearl harbour right now im working on a kit of a P IV H and posting it as i go along so digging out the album is possibly summat for break time lol

[cricketchris1944]

Here my story .I was in school in Germany and my uncle was friend with a old SS soldier he always had stories to tell us that he knew this person and that person ,he did this and he did that. we always thought they were just stories one day we took a car ride with him ,he told us we were going to someone house he ring the bell guess who open the door .It was Bubi Hartmann. well all his stories were true.

[davejb]

John ,thats a great bit of family history, i remember the scene very well.

[shadowwolf]

Chris, Erich "Bubi" Hartmann, what was he like?
Regards, Simon.

[cricketchris1944]

Chris, Erich "Bubi" Hartmann, what was he like?
Regards, Simon.

He was a very nice man ,for the next 4 years we saw him about 2 times a year .He show us some of the stuff he had he had 2 knight crosses I only saw one the other one was at the bank because it was covered in diamonds.but he did give me a nice gift he knew I was a collector.we took alot of pictures but I was only able to find one with my uncle and him I think my dad took them for his collection>

[cricketchris1944]

Nice story, most guys were just doing their duty for their country. This seems like a good time to tell a story that I have and have not shared. I never knew my real father, my step-dad's name was George C. Smith. He wasa WWII vet of the 101st Airborne. When I was growing up he would tell me stories of his time in the army. A few of the specifics were of being a paratrooper and having to walk into Bastogne and bayonetting his own Sergeant when he woke him up one night unexpectedly, he told me it was a mistake as the Sergeant had a German rain smock on. My step-dad was wounded in Bastogne and was discharged as a MSG in 47. He passed away in 1989. A couple of years ago "Band of Brothers" came out based on a true story, this is long after George passed away. Lo and behold I'm watching it and I admit that paratroopers walking into battle isn't unusual but the incident of Pvt. George C. Smith bayonetting his own Sergeant is in there and even the reason, the Sgt. had a German rain smock on. As I'm watching it I was thinking that growing up I just thought they were stories being told by an old guy to impress (when you're 8-9 yrs of age anyone over 30 is old). You never know what is behind someone"s wizened face. I'm 63 now and some day I'll open up and tell my son about some of my adventures. The only thing they had wrong in Band of Brothers is the state George was from, he was from N.J. Thanks for starting this thread

This is just great stuff.

[shadowwolf]

Chris, if I can ask, what was the "nice gift" that Bubi Hartmann gave you?
Regards to all, Simon.

[cricketchris1944]

Chris, if I can ask, what was the "nice gift" that Bubi Hartmann gave you?
Regards to all, Simon.

A silver platter with a luftwaffe eagle on it.

[shadowwolf]

Chris, Very nice
Regards, Simon.