Picture of me circa 1987 USN.
My uncle Orlando(no picture) who died in the Bataan Death March.Filipino Scout for the US Army,captured by Japanese Forces.
My father, second from left back row. Grew up in London during the Blitz, joined the RAF and trained in Canada, deployed to India and then emigrated to the US.
My Dad, US Army 1956-1966. Unfortunately, there are no known pictures of my Dad in uniform. My Grandma hated the fact that he enlisted and never took any pictures. I have his dress uniform, but that's it. I know he was a combat engineer, but beyond that, I don't have a clue. He died when I was only 18 and I never had a chance to talk to him about it.
My son, enlisted in the Indiana Army NG in 2010. My son wants to go active duty and make it a career once he graduates college. I hope he can.
I want to personally thnak all who have served. It is my greatest regret that I did not.
What we read from a diary after my Dad died in 2000, he served on DE42 USS Reynolds. Lied about his age, he was only 16.
1944
7-5 Left with 3 other destroyers an carrier Hoggoh Bay to hunt Jap subs betyween
Caroline an Mariana Islands
7-19 DE42 got its first Sub early in the morning.
7-22 Got fuel at Enewetak an supplies.
7-28 DE42 got her second Sub in the evening.
8-15 Arrived at Pearl Harbor (got 3 days in jaill for telling office of the deck
to go to hell)
8-29 Arrived at Marshall Islands
9-20 Patrolling around Palaua Island
10-9 arrived Manus(listened to world series)
10-10,11 Big explosion, tanker hit by small Jap sub in Ulithi.
12-22 200 miles east of Phillipines.
1945
1-5 What a convoy! 18 carriers, 26 tin cans, 30 DE's, 9 Battlewagons an
15 Cruisers.
1-8 DE42 gets her first Jap plane! We are glad! Carrier planes got most, if
I'm still alive will let you know tommorrow...
1-10 I'm still here!
1-13 Got another Jap plane...that makes 2 subs an 2 planes.
The Marine on the left, (my fire team's SAW gunner) lost part of his leg from remote detonated IED in Helmand Province. 3 months after this picture was taken.
Marines of 2/8 that made the ultimate sacrifice during our 7 month deployment.
My father, Louis Joseph Dispenza, USNR, GM2, USS Hissem (DE 400), 1943-46. Bronze Star for actions against Luftwaffe aircraft while escorting convoys in the Mediterranean.
this is my immediate family. Males only from left to right standing;
Me US Army 1974-1976, Ken US Army Apache Pilot 1980's,Father Robert USN WWII Pacific Theater, Pat USCG retired, currently DIA, Tom USN retired, center foreground my nephew Chris FBI in training.
This photo is from the early 1990's
I have a couple of cousins and an Uncle that also served.
My dad never talked about the war, I had to piece things together from documents and stories told to his younger brother. I'm sure many of you had similar circumstances.
I know there are many that chose not to post and I respect that. But please remeber this is INGO and we are a family and I, for one, am proud to be a part of it..