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In Memoriam — for This Is The Day

By: GreyCloak (Diary)  |  May 31st, 2010 at 07:57 AM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

My challenge today is to name all the ancestors and relatives who have served and sometimes died in the cause of America’s freedom. It is a challenge I present to all of Redstate. It is a challenge to myself, and I have failed. I do not know everybody in my family that has served or died in America’s cause. My wife and I share Revolutionary warriors, ancestors who fought on BOTH sides of the Civil War, and relatives that fought in WWI, WWII, Korea, friends who went to Vietnam, and cousins currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Names I keep to my heart. This is not a competition. Please remember your ancestors or selves or relatives or friends. And Pray for them. Here’s my list:

The fellow that got off a boat from Ireland and signed up for the Continental Army.

The fellow who served, but whose brother shot and killed the Secretary of the Treasury.

The fellow who served with Napoleon (we should remember all servicemen) in Europe.

The fellow who served with 1st Wisconsin Artillery at Vicksburg … later, he and his brothers were captured and sent to Andersonville … two died, one survived.

The fellows who served with Waul’s Texas Legion … they drove back the only Yankee assault that broached the Confederate lines at Vicksburg.

The Great-Uncle who never mentioned that he had received the Croix de Guerre for his service in the American Expeditionary Force during WWI.

The Grandfather who spent half a century in VA hospitals because of a WWI Cavalry wound. But he was a Founder of his town’s VFW.

The Great-Uncle who lies in Henri-Chapelle, a casualty of Huntgen Forest. Do you know that Belgian children wave American flags on our Memorial Day, and dozens of towns present wreaths for our soldiers?

The folks who piloted or navigated bombers over the Pacific and Europe.

The Army Doctor assigned to occupy Japan; duty station: Nagasaki.

The Marine who carried a machine gun across Korea, and was awarded a Silver Star. He never said why.

Please honor all who have served America, on this day.

–GreyCloak

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COMMENTS

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  • http://moelane.com/ Moe Lane

    Several of my great-uncles were in World War II.

    And my father: Inchon.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    One grandfather was… not a nice person and I never met him.

    The other was always sick as far back as I could remember, thanks to that wonderful combination of smoking and growing up in a coal mining community, and finally died when I was 19, and I never really got to talk with him.

    Either or both of them were probably of an age to have served in Korea but I don’t know if they did.

    Father and uncles came of age just a bit after Vietnam.

    Given where both sides of my family are from though, I probably had both sides fighting on both sides of the Civil War, but who and where I have no idea.

  • ocleverone

    My grandparents came through Ellis Island in 1917.

    My Father – part of the first wave of Marines to land on Nagasaki after the bomb was dropped.

    My Uncle Jim – a career Army man served three tours in Vietnam..

    My Uncle Paul – A Sea Bee in the Pacific during WWII.

    My husband – Career Navy still on active duty.

    My sons – Both served multiple tours in Afghanistan and Iraq.

  • RedBeard

    http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee241/RedBeard_bucket/ASIb24andcousing.jpg

    At one point on a prior mission, with two engines shot out, craft losing altitude, he volunteered to go into the bomb bay, over the open doors, to defuse unused bombs so they would not harm French civilians as they were jettisoned to save weight. An ordinary man, doing extraordinary things. In other words, a hero.

    • RedBeard

      …that my cousin and all his crewmates were lost over occupied France. His remains were eventually found, and he now rests at the American Cemetery, Normandy.

  • Raven

    I can’t even be sure I got them all within 3 generations.

    Let’s see…
    My wife, the older of her 2 younger sisters, her brother (all Army). Their parents were on the other side.
    Myself (Army), my brother (MC), the younger of my 2 older sisters (AF), my father (AF), his father (Army). At least 3 uncles on my mother’s side, 2 Army, 1 AF.
    I don’t know about my dad’s side except for his dad, and on neither side do I know for certain who farther back than that. My mother’s father couldn’t serve (car accident when he was 10), but i think his father was in WWI, but I’m not certain.

    My wife is in Afghanistan now. Her brother just got back from Iraq. My brother has been to Afghanistan several times. 1 uncle in Desert Storm and Panama. Another 2 trips to the jungle (he and his wife took shots At each other over there). The third was AF and served at home the whole time, 8 years, I think.
    My dad’s been a lot of places, but never a combat zone. His father was with Patton and hated it. That’s all we know about his service. He wouldn’t talk about it.

    I Can say my family has fought on both sides of every war the US has been on since the French and Indian War (though technically not the US at the time), including Korea (Chinese) and Vietnam if you include inlaws. No major heroes or hugely important or influential people you read about in history in direct line. We’re just there. Every time.

    • Raven

      My dad’s dad’s dad brought his family from Poland in the 30s, so he didn’t serve.

      And I haven’t been anywhere yet except that “deployment” to recruiting. I look forward to actually going.

  • http://charlemagne-the-hammer.blogspot.com/ DerKrieger

    My ancestors arrived just before the Revolution but I believe were too young to serve in the war.

    My g-g-g-grandfather John who was a Union soldier in the Enrolled Missouri Militia (EMM).

    His brother Adam who was also a Union soldier in the EMM.

    Their brothers Oliver and Elijah who were Confederate soldiers.

    Their cousin Jeremiah who was a Union soldier.

    My dad who served in the US Navy for 20 years including during the Vietnam years.

    My mother, brother, and sister who are all Navy vets.

    My uncle who was a Navy vet.

    And even myself who served 8 years in the Navy.

  • cindermutha

    My 6X great grandfather, who was in his 60s, marched to Lexington and Concord in 1775.

    My 4x great grandfather was a Hessian soldier who jumped ship before it reached port and swam to shore with his buddy, then settled in with the locals.

    My great great grandfather died in N VA of malaria while fighting for the north during the civil war.

    Four uncles, the last of whom passed away only a couple of weeks ago, fought in WW2, one paratrooper, three in the navy.

  • LisaDe

    Domenic Salvo, born May 2, 1923 from Italian immigrants who settled in Philadelphia. The second child of seven. He died serving his country on December 23, 1944 in France. He was only 21 when he was killed. My mother remembered him every day until she died in 1996.

    • Icythus

      My father’s family came to America in the second half of the 19th century, but parts of my mother’s family have been here since the early 1600s.
      On my mother’s side:

      The ancestor from CT, Thomas Brady, who served as an captain in the Continental Army, fought at the Battle of Brandywine, and wintered at Valley Forge with Gen. Washington.

      On my father’s side:

      Both of my great-grandfathers, who served as enlisted seamen in the US Navy in WWI.

      My grandfather, who was a GI in WWII, fought in the Philippines in 1945, won the Bronze Star, and served as part of the Army of Occupation in Japan after the surrender, and saw Hiroshima three weeks after we dropped the bomb.

      My father, who served in the US Navy for 20 years as an officer, participated in Operation Desert Shield, and deployed to theater in 2003 before and during the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He continues to serve today as a civilian in the Defense Intelligence Agency.

  • http://www.theminorityreportblog.com/blog/loren_heal Socrates

    G-g-g went to War of 1812 as substitute for another draftee.

    And that’s all I know.

    • jstjoan

      My 6th GGrandfather Thomas Eastman of Concord, NH fought in the battle of Bunker Hill.

      My 5th GGrandfather William Cotanch enlisted as a 1st Sgt. 23 Feb 1776 3rd NJ Reg. and retired as a captain in 1784. He fought in the battles of Brandywine, Germantown, and spent the winter with the American Army at Valley Forge.

      My 3rd GGrandfather William Cotanch enlisted in the 16th WI Infantry in Nov. 1861, was wounded by a bullet to the head in the Battle of Corinth, He recovered and continued to serve until 12 Jul 1865.

      My other 3rd GGrandfather, Elisha Morris, served in the 1st WI Calvary and was directly responsible in garnering the intelligence that led to the capture of Jefferson Davis in May 1865.

      My Great Uncle Robert Newell Cotanch earned the Distinguished Flying Cross as a B29 pilot in the 315th Bomb Wing in WWII. He piloted the very last mission of the War as described in “THE LAST MISSION: THE SECRET HISTORY OF WORLD WAR II’S FINAL BATTLE”: “The bombing of the two Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki did not prompt a quick surrender by the Japanese. In fact, there was very strong opposition to the surrendering of Japan by high ranking Japanese officers in the Imperial Army. So opposed were they to the idea of defeat that they were willing to kidnap the Emperor to prevent him from delivering a surrender message. The incredible timing of a Tokyo blackout by the 315th Bomb Wing based at Northwest Field, Guam threw the coup off track?the 315th went on to destroy Japan?s largest remaining oil refinery which led to the close of WWII.

      My Great Unlce Joseph Pluth enlisted in US Navy in 1920. His ship the USS Arkasas was on a world tour and he took leave of port in Europe to visit his mother in Yugoslavia. On July 4, 1930 while picnicking on the banks of the Kupa River with his family, He died attempting to rescue a woman who was drowning.

      My brother and I served together in the US Navy in the 1980′s, I as an Air Traffic Controller and he as an Gas Turbine Engineer specialist.

  • pamela1631

    Not sure how many of the boys fought with their father in the Revolution, but there were more than six listed on the family tree my Aunt did years ago.

    My Great-Grandfather is the Sixth Medal of Honor winner. He received it in the mail.

    Don’t know about WWI but Uncles served in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. My Mom-in-Laws brother was a tail gunner in WWII and went down giving covering fire to men who bailed out. Father in law was in the Tank Core coming up through Italy. Ended up in Germany and discovered the prison camps.

    My Dad served in Korea as an enlisted and Vietnam as an officer. He got stuck in Wei when Tet offensive hit. He had all these medals and ribbons. Purple Hearts, Bronze and Silver Stars and one he wore around his neck in full dress.

  • http://pocketchangeproductions.net/ anotherindyfilmguy

    But my Father said he was wounded in Korea during an artillery duel while serving in the 1st Cav Division.
    Uncles served in WW2.
    Beyond that there’s not much ever been said by the family about further back except that Dad’s side was scattered to the west after the burning of Atlanta.
    But that’s just me.

  • CincoSolas_del_Bronx

    On (my) Congregationalist Vermont side:

    Great-great-uncle, who enlisted underage and during first action in The Wilderness vowed to become a minister if delivered alive, and was, and did.

    Great-great-uncle, who started the third day of Gettysburg at the left end of the line atop the hill and was still standing at the end.

    Step-uncle, who was thought dead for months at home until he emerged from the Phillipine jungle, and could never be persuaded to talk it.

    Uncle, who served in North Africa but was sent home after contracting malaria, which weakened him the rest of his life.

    Dad, lifelong farmer/carpenter, who was given Bronze Star; defending Antwerp from buzzbombs, frustrated with the number of pages needing to be flippped before he could call coordinates and fuse lengths from his radar seat out to the gunners, inscribed a circle on a 4′x4′ of plywood and fashioned a mechanical plotter that cut the time markedly and improved the kill ratio.

    On (my wife’s) Jewish Germantown side:

    Great-uncle, wounded when German shell killed the 5 men in the back of the field ambulance he was driving in the Great War.

    Cousin removed, who saw the bottom, but never the top, at Normandy.

    Dad, whose shoe size kept him behind an Army Air Force desk, remembers OTC barrack-mate Clark Gable as “one of the guys” and ranged from Casablanca to Cairo as things were winding down.

  • Adjoran

    Grant magnanimously allowed those Confederate soldiers who had their own horses or mules to keep them, but my ancestor did not, so he had to walk home to the South Carolina Lowcountry, which took him three weeks.

    A great uncle on my mother’s side was a Navy Captain in WWI who attained the rank of Rear Admiral in the early ’30s. He volunteered to come out of retirement when WWII broke out, but was deemed too old.

    One grandfather was a doughboy in WWI – one of my earliest memories was of visiting him and my grandmother. She had reruns of “I Love Lucy” on the television (it was around 1960, but it was already in syndication), an episode where they were about to go to Europe and Fred Mertz broke out in his WWI uniform singing “Mademoiselle From Armentieres” . . . my grandfather began marching in time with him, and knew all the lyrics! He was later a Master Mess Sergeant in WWII.

    My Dad and three uncles served in the Navy in WWII. One uncle was shot down and lost in the Pacific; his brothers retired military in the ’70s.

  • JakePrime

    From my mother’s side, who are recent immigrants, my grandfather and his brother (Filipinos) who fought alongside US troops at Bataan, later escaping as guerrillas until the return of US forces.

    My two cousins, one who fought pirates with the Filipino Coast Guard and then served with the US Navy after immigrating, though he did not see combat during his Navy time, and the other who is currently serving his second tour in Iraq with the Marines.

    Grandfather from my father’s side who served in the Pacific theater, also, coincidentally, in the Philippines.

  • GreyCloak

    As our celebration of independence approaches, it is important to remember those who fought for our liberties and those who continue to do so. Every day should be a Memorial Day.

    Thank you, Red Staters, for sharing and remembering.

    We pray every day for our cousin in Afghanistan, and his son in Iraq.

    • Achance

      A 4G/grandfather who served with the British as a Partisan Ranger and was KIA in the French and Indian War.

      A 4G/grandfather who served as a Captain in the Virginia Militia in the Revolution.

      All of my military age lineal ancestors served in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States, Army of Northern Virginia, most in Hill’s Corps, Anderson’s Division, Wright’s Brigade (though these units also had other names as officers were killed, wounded,or reassigned), some with Longstreet’s Corps, McLaw’s Division, Semmes Brigade (Semmes was KIA at Gettysburg and I don’t recall who succeeded him). Ten members of my mother’s family answered the Georgia muster of 4 March 1862, fathers, sons, brothers, cousins, three were still alive in April 1865. My gg/grandfather, Sgt. Joseph Sherrod, Co. H, 48th Georgia Volunteer Infantry, was KIA in Mahone’s counterattack at The Crater. My g/grandfather, Pvt. Amos Riner, Co. F, 48th GVIR, was wounded by a .69 ball in the left shoulder during Wright’s Brigade’s attack on Cemetery Ridge late on 2 June 1863 (Gettysburg, Second Day). He was treated in a field hospital, walked back to Richmond, fought in Hill’s rear guard action at Manassas Gap where his brother was captured, and was finally admitted to Chimborazzo Hospital on 16 July. He was granted 30 days leave during which he took a new wife and started a new family, the reason I’m one generation closer on that side. He finally died of his wounds in 1914 – tough guy.

      Family didn’t study war much no more after that. Grandfather served in WWI but I don’t know much about that service though I do know that he was gassed which caused him respiratory problems for the rest of his life.

      Father was handicapped and thus 4-F in WWII. He spent the War as a fitter on Liberty ships.

      Youngest step-son was an Army Infantryman who served in Afghanistan and Kosovo and still has a reserve committment.

  • redneck_hippie

    Like many, I suppose, I know of no family member lost to war. Several served, as our family is old in this country. Researching family history, you stumble on an ancestor who fought in King Phillip’s War, one signed the Revolutionary Pledge, and another fought Great Britain for our independence. One fought in the Civil War for the confederacy and I once had a husband who navigated a Willie Fud over Viet Nam while in the Navy. I wrote of my Dad here previously who almost got to fight in WWII. But as far as I am aware the closest to death was my mother’s father who was in training camp, got influenza during the great WWI epidemic and was the only one in the infirmary with him who did not die. But had he, his death would have been no less worthy. He wanted to serve his country and did, but not until after the fighting had ended. Same with my father, whose ship en route to the Philippines, turned its lights back on Sept. 2, 1945.

    I am sure there were others who did good for our country without my hearing about it. My son-in-law’s brother is in Iraq now, a Staff Sgt. in for the long haul. I pray that he and all our people are blessed this day.

    The ordinary people who are called and answer are heros, every one. The flag that they serve is their medal, and their love for their brothers and sisters is their badge of honor.

    For the fallen let us have no unending regret. They and their lives are a monument and inspiration.