Welcome to Veterans' Highway! (7 Viewers)

[Chungas Revenge]

Man, I feel so ashamed...I'm 59 years old and haven't served in any service branch.

Skip, .....Brother that's not what this is about....Welcome my friend..the 30-06 was a very popular caliber brought home by the "boys" from WWI. In fact, the Marines did not want to give it up in WWII. The Springfield is an incredible weapon...Kinda like the TLC. Iconic..Reliable and proven...Welcome aboard friend.Welcome!!! Can U post pics of your TLC for this thread?

 

[Chungas Revenge]

I bought my 78 new in Dec. 77 and immediately left on Westpac

Todd - Yes sir, please "come aboard"..I rode the Tarawa past "Iwo" one early morning as a 19 yr old Marine..I still get cold chills just thinking about it....Thanks for being part of this thread!!! Please post a couple pics of your original TLC and any photo (s) from your experience as a "knight of the Kingdom!!! Also, if you will, please pass to any vet(s) who owns a TLC (and vice-verse) this thread...Looking forward to anything you can share.....

 

[Chungas Revenge]

get that rod busy with some fish!

I am in!!! Been trying to work the kinks out of my casting....! Really liked your post with the TLC and the "other bad habit".....Lets make a tenative plan and go after a "skillet full"...

 

[fj401978]

Fun times...

 

[JohnVee]

@spotcruiser My wife's grandfather served on the Big E throughout WWII. He's definitely got some tales to tell. I went with him to an Enterprise reunion 3 years ago...quite the experience. He's the only person I don't correct when they call my 40 a jeep. He still refuses to get in a Japanese car, so the entire family watched in horror the first time we drove it to a family gathering and he climbed in and asked for a ride! I kind think he knows but I'm still not gonna say anything.

I never served, though my dad surely dreamed that I would. He spent 20+ years in the Army. VMI grad (my mom was actually one of the first few women to ever take a course there, unofficially of course, when my dad went back for ROTC duty in the mid 60's), Ranger, tanker (I still remember Ft Hood), 2x tours in Nam, Armor magazine editor (I remember the Patton museum and gold vault well), media relations, Joint Chief of Staff entourage, etc. Got out of the Pentagon at full bird so we could stop moving around and I could have a normal schooling. I know he wanted to make general and gave that up for me. All the people I grew up calling Major-this and Lieutenant-that I've been calling General for 20 years now. One day my 80 will be painted in my dad's "special mix" of OD and black that he used to stop his command jeeps from getting stolen in Nam. Maybe the 40 will get it before the resto.

Thanks to all of you folks for serving and not looking down on those of us who didn't.



...via IH8MUD app

 

[Chungas Revenge]

20+ years in the Army.

JohnVee - 20+ years in a military family is not, by any measure, a small task! And, in my opinion, "families" do not receive their due recognition. When I served as an APMS (ROTC) at WVU, one of the NCO's who worked supporting my class(es) had moved nine times in twelve years. His wife would have made any Air Force load master green with envy. I am convinced, given twenty minutes notice at noon, that woman could have packed an entire household, three kids, a dog into the family tank and made three hundred miles before taps. Three years in ROTC was the longest he had ever stayed in one spot!!! So, thanks for your "service"...Any pics?

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Welcome, one and all!!

As Jeff said, the intent is not to look down our collective noses at anyone... we prefer to celebrate those who served... regardless of where, when or how they served!!

So... my Father was a veteran of WWII. He joined the Army on 24 Sep 1940, at the age of 22 and went from civilian farmer/truck driver to Infantry Basic Training.

After Basic, he rose from Rifleman to Gunnery Squad Leader to Section Leader, attending Alpine Skiing Training in Mich (I think). He then trained, in the states (Camp Bullis, TX, I think), with a 50mm mortar crew, as an Indianhead e.g. 38th Infantry, 2nd Division.

He landed in Northern Ireland, with his unit, on 19 October 1943 and was injured in training (broken ankle, I think) and was not able to rejoin his old outfit until Jun 1944.

The Indianheads landed in Northern France (Omaha Beach) on D-Day+1 and fought from Omaha Beach to the hedgerows around Saint-Lo, France.

He fought through the entire stalemate at Saint-Lo and was wounded on 27 Jul 1944, in the right elbow, during the Breakout at Saint-Lo.

He was eventually evac'ed to London, where he underwent numerous surgeries, to recover mobility in his right elbow.

That was the physical end of WWII for my Father, but mentally... he spent the rest of his life drowning his memories in alcohol and died from the ravages of alcoholism at age 76.

He never spoke of his military experiences, until just before he died... he told me that his best friend was screaming for help and he couldn't do a thing for him...

Please don't misunderstand... my Father was a good man, who never understood how to cope with the horrors that he had seen and endured. When sober, he was wonderful... when drinking, he was not... but, I loved him nonetheless.

 

[fj401978]

Wow Danny, a very touching story!! Thanks for sharing!

 

[rkymtnflyfisher]

he spent the rest of his life drowning his memories in alcohol and died from the ravages of alcoholism at age 76.

he told me that his best friend was screaming for help and he couldn't do a thing for him...

These are two huge issues that our young veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan are dealing with now, I see it every day at the VA hospital I work at, reach out and call your buddies, a simple conversation may help to prevent a suicide..............we all owe each other that much.

 

[Solace in Solitude]

These are two huge issues that our young veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan are dealing with now, I see it every day at the VA hospital I work at, reach out and call your buddies, a simple conversation may help to prevent a suicide..............we all owe each other that much.

War never changes, it simply endures...

 

[spotcruiser]

Thanks, Guys.
I don't think I have any photos of my 78 back in the day. I wish I did have old photos of the truck, along with photos of all my friends in the service, but taking photos just wasn't something I did back then. It probably would have been different if digital cameras (especially phones) had been around back then and you didn't need to screw around with film and processing.

I do have a fairly recent artsy-fartsy photo of my '78 in the snow.

A current photo of old Spot.

And my 76 trail truck (front right) in the Cascades with some friends a few years ago.

And the 76 I bought to save from the scrapyard (red one, sitting alongside Spot).

Thank you for your service, Todd!! (@spotcruiser)

Please post up some pictures of your TLC.

 

[UltraFJ40]

Marine Corps Infantry 89-93, Gulf War Veteran (FO/FAC) TF Grizzly stationed out of Okinawa as permanent personnel.

I got the fever back in 97 or so, I bought a 71 40. I have since owned 3 40's, four 80's and a couple of 100's. Currently in the garage is an 05 that I bought new and have vowed that it'll be the last new one I ever buy. Luckily for me, Toyota R & D has done nothing but help support that idea.

Eventually I hope to make the move back to a 40 but a BJ if things work out.

To all the Vets out there, thank you for your service. We are truly grateful that others have also stepped up to the plate to put one's self behind our collective need (questionable at times, but need none-the-less). There aren't many things that are as unwavering in it's commitment to duty as a service member but the Land Cruiser is right there.

Semper Fi.

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Thank you for your service @UltraFJ !!

Please post some pictures of your favorite TLCs - or all of them

 

[Chungas Revenge]

Marine Corps Infantry 89-93, Gulf War Veteran

SEMPER FI - Thanks for posting...I spent six weeks in out at the northern training area, with BLT 1/3...6 weeks of monsoon....Pulled into red beach if I recall. That's been a whole lotta moons ago.

 

[dieseldog]

Was graduated from the Blue Zoo School for Boys (USAFA) in Colorado Springs in 1981, but took a turn and accepted a commission in the USMC. First came TBS at Quantico, then Arty School at Ft. Sill, then spent thirteen months on the Rock as a Platoon Cmdr and FO with Echo Battery 2/12. During the that tour, we deployed for about six weeks to S. Korea for CAFEX '82 during the winter, and enjoyed some quality time in the field up near the DMZ. Next posting was back to Quantico, assigned to OCS, worked with the S3, S4, and spent some time out at good old Camp Upshur (Camp Rupture). Got out in '85 and continued to march . . .

Got into LandCruisers in 1992 with the purchase of an old, beat-up FJ40. That one is gone now, but there have been several others to replace her--most of which have been diesels.

 

[UltraFJ40]

Here are some pics, probably too many but here they are anyway. Some of my more interesting rides.

 

[UltraFJ40]

SEMPER FI - Thanks for posting...I spent six weeks in out at the northern training area, with BLT 1/3...6 weeks of monsoon....Pulled into red each if I recall. That's been a whole lotta moons ago.

Camp Gonsalves, Jungle Training Warfare Center. In fact, I'm wearing an NTA training area t-shirt right now. My buddy sent it to me a few years ago. Good times up there, not Kin-ville fun but still fun.

 

[UltraFJ40]

Was graduated from the Blue Zoo School for Boys (USAFA) in Colorado Springs in 1981, but took a turn and accepted a commission in the USMC.

Some would have considered that a wrong turn.

Semper Fi DD.

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Was graduated from the Blue Zoo School for Boys (USAFA) in Colorado Springs in 1981, but took a turn and accepted a commission in the USMC.

Thank you for your service DD !! Please show us your TLCs.

 

[Chungas Revenge]

Camp Gonsalves, Jungle Training Warfare Center. In fact, I'm wearing an NTA training area t-shirt right now. My buddy sent it to me a few years ago. Good times up there, not Kin-ville fun but still fun.

Thanks for your service Devil Dog!! Nice rides!!!!! Any pics of "OKI"....I have grew rather fond of that drenched to the bone, rot your socks off, don't even think about wear'en skivvies training area...Good warm up for The seven steps in Philippines !