2013 Tahoe Front and Rear Hellwig sway bars

[rdhogg]

Totally agree.

My dad flew TBM's off those ******'s (he called them jeeps) your dad had to divert to when the Saratoga was unable to recover him. He flew mostly amphibious and ground support missions in his time in the Pacific.

As a kid, I never understood why he wouldn't swim with us when we were at a pool or lake. He never took a bath, always showers. One day I was bugging him to come into the water on a river we were vacationing at that summer. After enough, by big brother jerked me aside and told me to knock it off and told me the story why he never went in the water. On his last mission he had been shot down, his crew was dead and he was wounded. He was in the water for two days until a Catalina found and picked him up.

He never spoke of the horrors, just the technicalities of life on the ship, flying the TBM, stuff like that. The Greatest Generation by a very large measure indeed.

No wonder your dad didn't want to get in the water after that experience. WOW.
My dad called the ****** carriers 'jeeps' as well, I never ask him why. He is 95 now and dementia is got him pretty bad. He still can tell great stories.

 

[wsteele]

No wonder your dad didn't want to get in the water after that experience. WOW.
My dad called the ****** carriers 'jeeps' as well, I never ask him why. He is 95 now and dementia is got him pretty bad. He still can tell great stories.

Savor the time you have left with him.

My dad has been gone a long time. We were pretty close once I got old enough to really understand his depth. He died suddenly and I was a very long way away. We spoke a lot in those days, but there was a lot I had left to say to him that unfortunately went unsaid, no day is promised.

 

[rdhogg]

Savor the time you have left with him.

My dad has been gone a long time. We were pretty close once I got old enough to really understand his depth. He died suddenly and I was a very long way away. We spoke a lot in those days, but there was a lot I had left to say to him that unfortunately went unsaid, no day is promised.

Amen brother, today is a gift.

 

[Geotrash]

Totally agree.

My dad flew TBM's off those ******'s (he called them jeeps) your dad had to divert to when the Saratoga was unable to recover him. He flew mostly amphibious and ground support missions in his time in the Pacific.

As a kid, I never understood why he wouldn't swim with us when we were at a pool or lake. He never took a bath, always showers. One day I was bugging him to come into the water on a river we were vacationing at that summer. After enough, by big brother jerked me aside and told me to knock it off and told me the story why he never went in the water. On his last mission he had been shot down, his crew was dead and he was wounded. He was in the water for two days until a Catalina found and picked him up.

He never spoke of the horrors, just the technicalities of life on the ship, flying the TBM, stuff like that. The Greatest Generation by a very large measure indeed.

Wow. Impressive story - those guys were tough and stoic. My dad never spoke of the horrors of his experiences either, save for a few things he wanted me to learn from. But for all of his toughness, my dad loved kids and I learned most of what I needed to know about being a good dad from him. I can still hear his laugh and singing when he'd hold his grandkids.

 

[rdhogg]

An update and the final chapter to my dads story. I am sad to announce that my dad passed this Sept 24 at the age of 95. COVID has touched the lives of too many people.

 

[wsteele]

An update and the final chapter to my dads story. I am sad to announce that my dad passed this Sept 24 at the age of 95. COVID has touched the lives of too many people.

View attachment 354107View attachment 354106

My deepest condolences. A card carrying member of this country's greatest generation. RIP.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

I am very sorry to read about your Dad. My Mom has a plaque on the living room mantle next to a photo of my deceased Dad, and it reads, "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.".

 

[rdhogg]

I am very sorry to read about your Dad. My Mom has a plaque on the living room mantle next to a photo of my deceased Dad, and it reads, "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.".

Thanks Joseph, that is so true. We were thankful that he did not suffer a long and painful time. He was still at 95 good physically but he had Dementia for several years and was handling it pretty good. The COVID even though he beat it, pneumonia was more than he could handle. I owe him so much for the 'life lessons' he taught me, not to mention crankin' wrenches.