Historic Basketball

[nickgyp]

Although this started as a basketball discussion, it has evolved into military experience. I was fortunate to attend Army Ranger school and successfully graduated (in the school's term, I was tabbed). This was by far the best school I had ever attended. When my 2 sons were preparing to attend Ranger School, I gave them the following advise that got me through the training: "They are not intentionally trying to kill you" and "If the guy on my right could keep going, and the guy on my left could keep going, then I could keep going."

Thank you for your service as well as that of your sons, Norwood!!

[edgecliff hall]

We all wish we could talk to our parents now.

[joeabe]

Y'all really need to checkout the WW2 Museum in New Orleans. It's incredible!!! Like 900,000 visitors each year. It covers both Europe and Japan. Takes you through from D day to Berlin on a walk through each country and battle....Speilberg did the video of the D day landing....totally unreal!!!

Thanks to all of you who served!!!

[kyzrex]

Y'all really need to checkout the WW2 Museum in New Orleans. It's incredible!!! Like 900,000 visitors each year. It covers both Europe and Japan. Takes you through from D day to Berlin on a walk through each country and battle....Speilberg did the video of the D day landing....totally unreal!!!

Thanks to all of you who served!!!

+1 ......wife and I spent a DAY going through it back a few years ago, and that was before they did the most recent expansion. My wife enjoyed it and she isn’t a history fan at all.

[nickgyp]

Y'all really need to checkout the WW2 Museum in New Orleans. It's incredible!!! Like 900,000 visitors each year. It covers both Europe and Japan. Takes you through from D day to Berlin on a walk through each country and battle....Speilberg did the video of the D day landing....totally unreal!!!

Thanks to all of you who served!!!

+1 ......wife and I spent a DAY going through it back a few years ago, and that was before they did the most recent expansion. My wife enjoyed it and she isn’t a history fan at all.

I can only imagine how neat that WWII museum must be. I have been watching PBS' "World at War" with my wife; and we have enjoyed the acting and storylines. As for the accuracy of any of the storylines, I cannot say but one can only say that the war in Europe had to have been really bad for the soldiers as well as many citizens. I get the same feeling watching actual footage of Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge. I was of age for the Vietnam war but I had a good draft number as well as a student deferment.

I am not so sure that the young man that I was at Xavier could have survived the rigors of war as confronted by the young men and women in WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. But then again, maybe I could have. Just like the young Polish people portrayed in "World at War" who resisted Nazi aggression, people did what they had to do.

Extraordinary times call for extraordinary efforts. Yes, even heroic efforts much like we see today from those on the front lines of this epidemic. As my wife and I watched coverage of the Covid-19 on its impact on the recruiting and training of new Army troops, we were both struck by how young these recruits appeared to be. Planned war game exercises in Europe had to be cancelled due to the virus with shipments of tanks unloaded from jets destined for use at these practices The thought of what these soldiers were preparing for is harrowing yet they have volunteered to serve.

Sorry for rambling but in the context of sacrifice, being furloughed from work and being "isolated" at home is no real sacrifice. My wife and I thought about Anne Frank in the attic and observed that we really do not have it so bad. History can be so instructive and the World War II museum has to go on my bucket list. And to this day, I will always maintain that of all the "must sees" in Washington, D.C., the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is at the pinnacle in terms of serenity, honor and inspiration.

[edgecliff hall]

Trained at Xavier and at Fort Sil Oklahoma, I served for two years as an artillery officer of the Fist Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kansas. We were well trained, equipped and combat ready, 1955-57. I recently talked to a man who was in the class ahead of me at Fort Sil.
He said, "I knew guys from Xavier. They were good officers." The best battery commander I served under was a Korea vet. also a Xavier grad. He once gave me a one man class in how to avoid being killed by a sniper. He said, "The sniper will look you over, and if he sees that you are an officer and an artillery forward observer, that will be two good reason for him to shoot you in the head. You've got to convince him you're just another dumb GI."
In 1956 we were put on alert for one day. The British and the French had requested American troops to support their invasion of Egypt.
President Eisenhower put a lid on that nonsense. He remains to this day, my favorite President.

[muskieman]

Trained at Xavier and at Fort Sil Oklahoma, I served for two years as an artillery officer of the Fist Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kansas. We were well trained, equipped and combat ready, 1955-57. I recently talked to a man who was in the class ahead of me at Fort Sil.
He said, "I knew guys from Xavier. They were good officers." The best battery commander I served under was a Korea vet. also a Xavier grad. He once gave me a one man class in how to avoid being killed by a sniper. He said, "The sniper will look you over, and if he sees that you are an officer and an artillery forward observer, that will be two good reason for him to shoot you in the head. You've got to convince him you're just another dumb GI."
In 1956 we were put on alert for one day. The British and the French had requested American troops to support their invasion of Egypt.
President Eisenhower put a lid on that nonsense. He remains to this day, my favorite President.

Did you know Jim Korb and Tom Jones from Hamilton?

[edgecliff hall]

MM, I did not know Korb and Jones. In my Fort Sil Officer Basic class was Bob Siegenthaler. We had many tall cool ones at the O. Club. I wrote stories for him at Xavier News. Other friends from XU, Bill Sweeney, Jim Dresen, John Carmichael, Mayo Mohs, and on faculty, Bernie Gendreau, Victor Dial, and John Gilligan who flunked me in Freshman Emglish because he thought I was being a smart ass, when in reality I was just a dumb kid from Indianapolis.
Also from OLC, Dianne Marcaccio, Joan Oden, and others. I'm digging up a lot of past history lately because I'm writing a Bio-File for my two grandchildren. All Best to Ya, JG.

[muskieman]

Jim played football for X unfortunately not all four years because of injuries. He was a running back and holds the record for never losing a yard when he carried the ball. He was a stud and X would have had a heck of a player for four years. Jim also played baseball I believe, I know he played in High School both sports.

Tom was in ROTC, at X, and wound up in Korea in the artillery out of Ft Sill. The first day in Korea, as he emerged from his quarters his Sergent d asked him if the crate outside his quarters belonged to him and when he said no they called the bomb disposal people. Turned out a North Korean sneaked into camp the night before and planted it. Tom is a season ticket holder and has many tales from Korea thanks to the Turks and Greek troops.

I only mention the two because they were at X around or before your time at X. Both are my cousins

[edgecliff hall]

MM, glad to hear that Tom is still around to cheer X on!