Matrix Games Forums

Who has never been in the military?

Whew. Tough one. Let's see: I know my mom was not. My secretary has never been in, though her son just got out of the Navey. Um . . . Clinton apparently never was, but I think he did more than Gee Dubyah.

Hold on. Let me get the phone book out. This is going to take awhile . . .

When I was 7-8 years old (mid 1970's) I started writing letters to the US Navy department. Not just once and a while but like every month. I would just ask for information on battleships and aircraft carriers. Within a few years I had a pile of documents and pictures about 2 feet tall. I found out later that they had sent me free copies of portions of books that the Navy publications dept sold.

From then on the military always fascinated me. Used to play Panzer Leader, Victory in the Pacific, 3rd Reich, Hitler's War, Axis & Allies with my buddies in high school.

In the 80's I started playing the early computer games available. Haven't stopped since although now I don't have as much time. Plus funding it is a problem for the first time since I left my job with a $WallStreet$ firm to go back to college and study -$History-$.

Did you ever play the really huge board wargame based on the Normandy invasion? Can't remember what it was called, but I think it was by AH. Map was so big I had to play it on the lawn cos it wouldn't fit in the house. You get a big breakthrough on Caen, then the dog passes by and leaks on it....Hitler sure was desperate in those days, but I never worked out how he communicated with the dog![&:]

Never played it but I know what your're talking about. I'm guessing your board was a real board not the paper stuff that I had for Pacific War (board game by Victory Games I think?). A 6' by 6' map held together with paperclips and paperweights to keep the folds down. Unfortunately we spent more time setting it up and putting it away than playing it.

Luckily playing wargames has nothing to do with being in the military... well, I did my compulsory stuff, but been a buff all my life.

Can't come even close to the stories about Polish pilots etc. but in one of my jobs I was the replacement (or successor?) of the grandson of one of the highest scoring Finnish WW2 fighter pilots, Ilmari Juutilainen... gee, I guess that makes me famous, too?

--Mikko

ORIGINAL: IanLister

Did you ever play the really huge board wargame based on the Normandy invasion? Can't remember what it was called, but I think it was by AH. Map was so big I had to play it on the lawn cos it wouldn't fit in the house. You get a big breakthrough on Caen, then the dog passes by and leaks on it....Hitler sure was desperate in those days, but I never worked out how he communicated with the dog![&:]

The Longest Day by Avalon Hill - only about 500 printed. Recently fancied buying it on e-bay. $250 for a second hand game!!!!! WitP is much better value[:)]

Never in the real military, but I went to military school when I was a freshman and sophemore in high school. Fork Union Military Academy for those who are around the VA/MD/DC area. Applied for the Naval Academy, got denied, and was going to just do NROTC, but once I saw how hot the girls were in San Diego, and how dorky the guys were in NROTC, I just became a regular college frat boy.

I had wanted to be a naval aviator ever since I got a behind the scenes tour of the USS JFK when a friend of the family (who worked in the Pentagon) was dating some Marine Colonel. Was so cool watching him grab some poor seaman and ordering him to give us a tour of everything from the bridge to the flight deck to the radar room. This was about 6 years before Top Gun came out... which also rekindled my desire.

I got hooked on World War II history after listening to a collection of war themes on a record when I was about 7 (mid seventies). I remember John Wayne was on the front, and there was a couple of planes atacking a bridge. Weird way to get started, but it sparked an interest in hitory as well as WWII.

I have no military service (I don't think I'd have what it takes) and had no military ancestors until I met my wife, whose (sadly departed) Grandfather served in the British Army during the second world war. I'm in the process of putting together (a laborious process) his service history. He served in an AA unit in france, I think, before being pulled out before the German offensive and sent to Norway. He spent a couple of weeks there before being evacuated. Then he went to Africa, his AA unit seems to have been disbanded and he was transferred to the 50th Infantry. He then invades Sicily (albeit after being torpedoed on the way and being returned to Africa first). He then Goes to Italy, before being pulled out with Monty for D-Day. He lands at D-Day + 45 mins then serves in NW Europe until the end.

Some wonderful stories.

Regards,
IronDuke