There's a lot happening in our little town today. Services at the Court House at the War Memorial, an old fashioned picnic, guest speakers, a fighter jet fly over and fireworks.
We take the honoring of our Veterans seriously.
As far as my mother and father's families go, there has been at least one person in each of the major wars. There could have been someone in the War of 1812 and the Spanish American War, but I don't know if any.
Starting with the American Revolution, we can trace back to three different men.
There was someone in the Texas War of Independence.
I'm not sure anyone fought in the Civil War, but I know family left the South not wanting to have anything to do with it.
My great-uncle faked either an eye or hearing test to get into the military during World War I. He may have lied about his age too.
My father, his two brothers and one of my mother's brothers all served during World War II.
Dad and his brother's were in the Navy. One night Dad's mother, Nana, woke up yelling, "Jump Emerson! Jump!" She later found out the ship he was on in the Pacific had been torpedoed. My uncle survived.
My mother's brother, Uncle Ralf, was a Marine in the Pacific. He survived one of those Japanese suicide missions, when a Japanese prisoner sprayed everyone with machine gun fire.
My mother's cousin Jack was in the Korean War.
My Cousin John-John was a Marine Sergeant in Vietnam. He was nearly killed when a land-mine exploded near him. (It wasn't the first time he'd been wounded.) I could give you the horrible gory details of his injuries, but I won't. Suffice it to say they got him to a hospital 20 minutes later and managed to save his life. After many operations and a year in and out of hospitals, you can't tell that his forehead was blown away. He is married, has children, is an engineer and has held a good job all these years.
Another cousin served in the Navy during Vietnam too.
John-John's wife served during Desert Storm.
I don't know if there's anyone currently in Military. But I wouldn't be surprised if there was some second cousin somewhere who is.
Are there Veterans in your family? Even if there aren't, this is the day to remember them all. They are the back-bone of our country.
There was a Hartwell from Ohio in the Civil War. He survived. It is from the Civil War that we celebrate Memorial Day.
ReplyDeleteWWI was also covered by at least one Boulon and probably a Hartwell. Don't know for sure about the Denham's in that one.
Currently, John Eric is in the armed forces, and as a reservist, Sandra was on call throughout the Gulf War.
Way on the other side, Enilda has a cousin who has done at least one tour in Iraq. So, yes, the family has been well represented in every major conflict, but like you, don't know for sure if anyone was involved in the War of 1812 or the Spanish-American War.
Glad your town makes a fuss over our veterans. It's becasue of them that we're able to enjoy wha freedom we have.
Both my grandpas were in WWII and two great-uncles. My grandpa was a paratrooper and loved being in the army. He said it was some of the best times of his life! He loved the comraderie and closeness of the troops.
ReplyDeleteA 17 year old cousin just joined the national guard too. It's weird to think she is learning to clean and fire guns!
A big THANK YOU to our military!
Veterans in our family as well ... on both sides, which some people think is strange since we are immigrants. There's my brother, my brother-in-law, my nephew, and father-in-law for now.
ReplyDeleteI think I've told you how emotional Memorial Day was when we went to one of the US cemetaries in Belgium (we lived very close to one). It's probably the first time I understood what sacrifices these boys made. They're not called the greatest generation for nothing ...
God Bless America.
My father was in WWII; his ship was torpedoed too. His grandfathers were both in the Civil War, one on either side. We had ancestors in the War of 1812 and the Revolutionary War. Honestly, I feel so sorry for all of them -- and the men they ended up fighting, too.
ReplyDeleteRick comes from a military family. He was born in a Navy hospital in Hawaii. He was 3 months premature and had the Rh factor thing going on, so he got a complete blood transfusion at birth. Almost didn't make it had it not been for a man in the military!
ReplyDeleteMy FIL was in the Navy in the Korean War, on a sub. My BIL was in the Army and spent some time in Iraq.
Great post, Bish!
That's quite a history. Interesting anecdote about your grandmother.
ReplyDeleteWow,what a family history! Yup, my Dad and my husband's Dad, all my uncles were in WWII. My cousins were in VietNam and the Gulf War. Our neighbors are being deployed to Afghanistan, so we have future veterans around here, too.
ReplyDeleteNice post!