Do you have relatives who are veterans?
It seems almost everyone has been touched in one way or another by WWII veterans and I appreciate the opportunity recognize a few of them. I realize this article deals exclusively with Pacific theater but I'd like to acknowledge a few friends and family members.

Elmer Ording (uncle)
Army - Normandy

Alvin Ording (uncle)
Navy - Pacific

John Ording (father)
Army Air Force - wars end mopup

Philip Junk (father in law)
Army - Battle of the Bulge - German POW

I also have two friends who's fathers I'd like to recognize
-- Bernie Beltz, Royal Australian Navy - Pacific
-- Ed Chabot, Army Air Force - B-29's off Tinian

They rarely talked about their involvement in WWII (in some cases not at all, not even with their wives) Sadly, they took it with them to their graves, all but my father (who was the youngest) have already passed away. I know many veterans don't care to revisit those day's but unless we keep their stories alive, I'm afraid future generations may not know (or care) about what their grandfather's endured.

Another veteran I would like to recognize is Mark Gagnon. He never talked about it either, in fact until about two year's ago. I didn't even know he was a veteran. Once I learned he was at Leyte I would occasionally ask a basic question which usually got a short one word response. He recently started reading Dan Bailey's new book and told me he found it interesting. I saw the door crack open, so I tried a few questions regarding the Pacific in general. His wife Alice joined in with a few questions of her own hearing some of it for the first time.

Many details remain a little fuzzy, but some of it he remembers like it was yesterday. He served aboard the Gambier Bay (baby flattop CVE73) His ship participated in the attack at Saipan and Tinian and his job (at GQ) was to feed the 40mm anti aircraft guns. He recalls (his gun crew) desperately trying to shoot down a (head on) incoming torpedo bomber. Moments before impact they all dove for cover figuring their time had come. But the aircraft flew right over their heads barely clearing the flight deck crashing into the water behind them. "I thought we were goner's, he (the pilot) must've already been dead".

After that they were ordered to the Philippines. During their participation in the battle at Leyte Gulf, he vividly recalls the noise of armor piercing shells punching in one side of the ships hull and right out the other without exploding. He said "we were lucky our ship had paper thin walls." But once the Japanese had their range the Gambier Bay took a direct hit near the engine room which sent her to the bottom off Samar. " That ship was our home, and suddenly it was gone!"

While they were floating in the water a Japanese cruiser and destroyer headed right for them and again they all thought their time had come. The Japanese sailor's were pointing and shouting at the rail's, but they never fired a shot. He wasn't sure if it was compassion or just saving ammunition. It didn't matter, he was just thankful they were left alone. But the situation only grew worse. The surviving crewmen were pulled from the water on the morning of the third day. He also had a friend aboard the Indianapolis.

Yes, It's difficult (if not impossible) for me to comprehend the magnitude of the collective effort and sacrifice by all those involved in WWII fighting for the freedom's many of us take for granted. We are all indebted to those who answered the call.

Philip Junk

Alvin Ording

John Ording (right)

Elmer Ording

Bernie Beltz of HMAS Canberra lost in Iron Bottom Sound.

Gambier Bay shortly after her commissioning January 16, 1944

Gambier Bay under attack during battle of Leyte Gulf. Shows Gambier Bay going down and the Japanese cruiser which sunk this ship all in the same photo (in the circle)