Thread: For 239 years, the navy had stood the watch

Geezer, fellow ET here. I hit 20 in January.

Hi Guys,

I have a question for you please (not wanting to hijack the thread and tell me if you believe I am).

I am the first in 2 generations of my family not to see active service.

My parents moved me from South Africa to Australia to make sure of it.

My grandfather on my mothers side serve in the South African infantry and has his allied forces medals and the North African theatre medals amongst others.

My grandfather on my fathers side was stationed on the HMAS Indomitable and I have his medals as well.

My father and his brothers (who are still alive) served in Angola with the South African army.

I have been struggling with the question as to wether it is respectful to my grandfathers to march in the ANZAC parade with their medals, or disrespectful as I have not earned them.

Thanks for making this small rock of ours a little safer to live on....

Originally Posted by Crackers

Hi Guys,
I have a question for you please (not wanting to hijack the thread and tell me if you believe I am).
I am the first in 2 generations of my family not to see active service.
My parents moved me from South Africa to Australia to make sure of it.
My grandfather on my mothers side serve in the South African infantry and has his allied forces medals and the North African theatre medals amongst others.
My grandfather on my fathers side was stationed on the HMAS Indomitable and I have his medals as well.
My father and his brothers (who are still alive) served in Angola with the South African army.
I have been struggling with the question as to wether it is respectful to my grandfathers to march in the ANZAC parade with their medals, or disrespectful as I have not earned them.
Thanks for making this small rock of ours a little safer to live on....

The family's history and yours is great! You are fortunate to be of good stock and had great parents to set you up. Military is not for everyone. I have two autistic grand children that I told, "Do not enter any service!" My heavy handed discipline as a youth made it ok for me but theirs was not optimum, they would have been in deep trouble.

Were it me, I would contact a local Veterans' group and solicit their answer. They are the only ones that make a difference in our lives! Thank you for respecting the services!
~Richard

Originally Posted by Crackers

Hi Guys,

I have a question for you please (not wanting to hijack the thread and tell me if you believe I am).

I am the first in 2 generations of my family not to see active service.

My parents moved me from South Africa to Australia to make sure of it.

My grandfather on my mothers side serve in the South African infantry and has his allied forces medals and the North African theatre medals amongst others.

My grandfather on my fathers side was stationed on the HMAS Indomitable and I have his medals as well.

My father and his brothers (who are still alive) served in Angola with the South African army.

I have been struggling with the question as to wether it is respectful to my grandfathers to march in the ANZAC parade with their medals, or disrespectful as I have not earned them.

Thanks for making this small rock of ours a little safer to live on....

I've seen people march in similar parades, carrying framed photos of the person that they're honoring. Sometimes the frame includes the person's medals and ribbons. I think that's a perfectly acceptable means of honoring your ancestors. You didn't quite say that you were planning on actually wearing the medals, but I'd advise against that; that's often frowned upon, and in some cases doing so may be against the law.

Of course, you'd need to check with the parade organizers to ensure their permission. And Geezer's suggestion about checking with a veteran's group is a good one!

Thanks Guys, appreciate it and some good suggestions there, I really want to keep the memory alive.

Originally Posted by Slawman

Fellow Squid here. Spent 4 years in the fire room on the USS Koelsch FF 1049 from Dec 1975 to Jan. 1980. Lot's of stories to tell sometime.
Got out a BT-3

Dave"Slawman"Huffman

Hola Shipmate! (No! Really! ) I was on Koelsch from '86 to '89 Decom in Charleston. Sold lend/lease to the Pakistani Navy.

1200lb P-fired plant, you guys had your work cut out for you. She was a great ship when we decom'd her, no joke! We'd just finished an overhaul in Portland, ME at BIW, and that boat was making 34 kts over ground on that tired old plant. We'd leave the new Tycos in our wake. Truly.

Oh man, I've got some great stories about that ship...CENTAM '87 (WOOT!). I was in Deck Div., first undesignated, the as a BM.

Originally Posted by Dzanda

It's damned strange, RedcaneI'm a weird one who misses going to sea

You aren't the only one, someone who has spent time on the big blue can understand the attraction she has. I go to the ocean twice a year to recharge...

God bless our veterans!!!