Growing up in the south i heard a lot of stories from a LOT of different wars growing up. My favorites always came from my Grandfather who was a demolition specialist in the Korean Conflict. He said that they mostly cleared roads and built temporary bridges lines with explosives. They did this just in case any of the enemy soldiers from North Korea tried to use their bridge. They would just blow it up and that was that. While this was one of his true stories there was one tall tale that Papa told that always made me laugh and at the same time showed his love and admiration of the people and soldiers from South Korea. The tale goes.....Papa and 5 other young and strong American soldiers were trying to clear a huge bolder from the middle of a path. He said they had been at it for 30 minutes and they had only managed to move it a few inches. He then goes on to tell how a small South Korean farmer came over and picked up the bolder all by his lonesome and moved it to the side of the road. This is where i always laugh and where Papa always insists that it really happened and that South Korean's were really strong people even if they were small. Haha I am now dating a 1/2 Korean man and i often wonder if Papa's love for the South Korean people, history and cultures have influenced my choices in love interest over the years. So, What are your Tall Tale stories from the wars across the world?
Well one that ive come across is from Winter war 1939. There actually was a case of Finnish soldier getting wounded from light mortar shell. The "Tall" part of it was that the shell was a dud and it buried itself in the soldiers lower back. From the records it is revealed that field surgeon removed the shell in operation and soldier made full recovery. Can imagine that the soldier had incredible luck. Can also imagine how the Surgeon performing the operation might have sweat removing a shell that might explode on slightest touch. And yes its a true story ive read the casefile personally.
Man, it's just like a real life game of operation! Accidentally touch the wrong thing and BOOM, you lose. Also, how incredibly lucky of that soldier that his surgery was successful and not only that, but he made a full recovery. That's truly amazing. Fun story!
Its a short version of the tale there is full-account of the events available, but it seems it has not been translated to English. I suppose i could translate it and post if there is enough people interested.
My Father told me of his landing at Gold beach, he and his mate were in a landing craft in the second wave. He had a his full pack, plus a Lee Enfield Rifle across his shoulders, in one hand he was carrying a case of bren gun ammunition in the other a case of mortars, as a member of the Royal Engineers he was to form part of the pathfinder group, their job to diffuse booby traps on bridges. His first experience of walking on French soil was underwater, being under fire the coxwain of the LCT was reluctant to go in too close to the beach, especially as rounds were ricocheting off the closed ramp, when Dad stepped off the ramp he found himself in about 6ft of water, he was a shade under 5'8" !, it probably saved his life, struggling to get ashore as the bullets passed overhead. As part of the pathfinders, he was one of the first into Germany, he was one of the first to discover the horrors of Belsen, and hear the tales of the men told of in the film "The Wooden Horse" being shot in the woods. He tells of one night where he and his platoon were camped in the grounds of a large country house, when one of the men decides he has to attend a call of nature, so off he goes with a shovel, he hopped over a low wall, and for some reason while attending to his toilet, decided to light a cigarette, Dad always used to fall about laughing telling us, as they heard shots ringing out, and this figure of a Royal Engineer running back through the grounds of the house with his trousers and underpants around his ankles, trying to pull them up and hold his tin helmet over his manhood, stumbling, diving into the slit trench next to my Dad he was heard to say, "Bloody hell Stan ( my dad) a bloke can't even have a Sh*t in peace !
Hilarious story! Have any more? He sounds sort of like a Lewis & Clark figure, being one of the first into Germany during combat. That would be wild to be one of the first people to enter foreign soil in a country that wants you dead.
