Comments on: Kris Williams: WWII – American Servicemen in Australia

By: » Kris Williams: WWII – American Servicemen in Australia

» Kris Williams: WWII – American Servicemen in Australia — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 03:51:51 +0000

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By: Bob Thomas

Bob Thomas — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 15:43:43 +0000

I just found by birth father Russell Means and I only got to talk with hima few times , he was in his 90′s he told me his story of being a C-47 pilots in Austalia
He said they were wonderful people

what a great generation

By: Don Dixon

Don Dixon — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 01:05:45 +0000

edit to above comment.
The park doesn’t show fountains or statues, but rather a large pond or lake with a walking bridge over it. Another has a large memorial stone dedicated “their name liveth for evermore”. Any ideas where this was?

By: Don Dixon

Don Dixon — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 23:36:03 +0000

My dad was with the 380th Bomb Group.
I know some things of his experiences, but have several questions and would very much appreciate learning from others if they know answers.

I think his group arrived in Australia in 1943. Not sure where – perhaps Darwin (Brisbane, Sydney, & Melbourne seem too far south).
They moved on to New Guinea and later to the Philippines.

I have photos of him on leave in Australia in a park with fountains & statues. I always assumed it was in Sydney, but the distance suggests probably Darwin.

I’d enjoy hearing from anyone with information.
thanks, Don

By: Michel Bryson

Michel Bryson — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 01:47:38 +0000

My uncle was a submariner stationed in Darwin in WWII under Nimitz. Although he did tell some stories of his patrols in the sub, most of the stories he told were of the time he spent in Australia. It’s a chapter of American history that only a few of us are lucky to have heard about first-hand.

Thank you for writing about it!

By: Lynn Freeland

Lynn Freeland — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 23:05:43 +0000

Kris,
Your grandfather’s experiences sounds so much like the experiences of my father during WWII.
And with this sentence “Sometimes it seems as though our loved ones’ service in the South Pacific during World War II isn’t covered as extensively as our involvement in Europe.” you have captured it!
My father was a paratrooper, but finding out anything about “non-European” combat jumps and service can be a challenge! Luckily I was able to talk with him quite a bit, but once you start trying to put it all together in a story – oh – how I wish I could go back and ask more questions!
Fortunately some veterans put together the 503rd PRCT website … you might enjoy looking at it and reading some of the articles, even if your granddad wasn’t a paratrooper.
Thanks for your blog post!