OT Military Stuff

[Mike P]

My arthritis has been kind of bad the last couple of months so I’ve been catching up on some inside projects rather than working on the Dodge. I’ve been working on this the last month or so and thought I’d go ahead and post it.

As the only one from my generation of the family who went into the military I ended up becoming the caretaker of the family’s military history. Last fall when I was back at home Mom gave me my great great Granddads Civil War Discharge papers. All I had originally planned to do was frame them, but it ended up being a bit more involved. I ended up researching his unit and being in an infantry unit let’s just say he had a long 3 year walk.

When I got his done it was enough motivation for me to decided to do something with my Granddads (WWI) and Dads (WWII) things.

Researching Granddads stuff was easy as I already had the books covering his units history that were printed shortly after the war. Researching Dads service was a bit more difficult. During the Civil War and World War I a lot of units were formed in a local area, they trained, fought and were discharged as a unit. WWII saw units formed from people all over the country and people being transferred in and out so just looking at one units history was not often enough.

When I was researching my dads stuff, I mentioned to my Daughter that I had so many questions I wish I could ask dad and grandpa to fill in some blanks. She asked me what about my stuff? I told her I’d get around to putting my stuff together someday but I didn’t really feel like I had done all that much. Her comment was that my ancestors probably felt the same way about what they had done. Then she got me, she said “don’t you think someday your grandkids or their kids might have questions they wish they could ask you?” So she convinced me to buy one more frame and even write a few notes about what I had done for whoever the next caretaker turns out to be.

Just a thought, I know several of the folks here are vets, and some may just as soon forget their time in service. You never know, a note or two thrown in the old show box with you other military stuff about what you did might be something that really means a lot to someone down the line.


Great Great Granddad 102d Illinois Volunteer Infantry





My granddad 350th Infantry Regiment, 88th Division





Dad 18th Field Artillery Observation Battalion, and Army of Occupation Germany






Me. I hesitate to post mine, all I did was spend 20 years going where they sent me.




You might have noticed that Granddad, Dad and myself were always ready for when they said “smoke’em if you got’em”.



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[34_40]

I did notice the lighters. That's cool!!

And thanks for your service and being the family historian. You have every right to be proud!

[jerry clayton]

I've found that not many around here care anything about the military---I've been trying to give my uniforms to a museum here and all I get is a run around----------

As far as family--My older brother was in Navy for many years----they eventually wouldn't let him re enlist (after several years) because of a shoulder problem (labeled it as disability) then after he was out a couple years called him in and re evalved it, said it wasn't a disability, so removed his disability income but wouldn't re enstate him so he could finish retirement---

Younger bro was Reserve 6 month active---cook!!!!!!!! and then of course the 6 or 8 years ----------

Me----Got my draft notice on a Monday after Kennedy was shot on Thursday------somebody must have been expecting something to happen---------

[Big Tracks]

Thanks for that, Mike. You come from a good line.

Jim

[Dave Severson]

Very interesting and a very worthwhile project, Mike! Maybe it will be the incentive I need to get off my butt and do something with all of Dad's stuff!

[Mike P]

As my daughter basically told me, don't forget your own stuff Dave.

[firebird77clone]

Congrats on a good career.

I did two tours, army infantry.

Total, 7 years and two foreign wars.

[Bob Parmenter]

You have a wise daughter Mike.

I've shared your feeling about the "aw, I didn't do anything special............." . A few years back at a Christmas gathering of my brides family one of her cousins urged her Dad to share some of his career exploits as a AAC/USAF pilot from WWII on up through the Cold War. Somewhere in his engaging tails he made reference to my being in the USAF. The rest of the family turn with looks of disbelief, a couple saying something along the lines of "I didn't know you were in the military. Did you go to Viet Nam?"

It wasn't shame or fear that had kept me from ever mentioning it, just that none of them had any similar life experience so I didn't feel there had been any point in bringing it up. It was probably an offshoot of Dad's good stories, but they showed genuine interest in my brief history in service as well. It was then that the obvious occurred to me. As "big" a thing as the Viet Nam war was as a societal event, those of us who were involved are a comparatively small cadre within the baby boom generation.

I hope someone in your family will have the heart and mind to treasure the mementos you are assembling on behalf of your family.

[stovens]

Thanks for your service and everyone else here. I admire 4 generations putting it on the line to protect this country. I'm proud of my brother who serves in the Army. He's been to Iraq and Afganistan, now he's back stateside for a while we hope.

[Mike P]

One of the things I really enjoy doing when I go back to Illinois to visit mom is listening to her reminiscing about her earlier life and growing up (something that usually takes a bit of prodding on my part).

I thought I knew pretty much most of Mom’s history, after she graduated from High School in 44 she worked as a clerk typist on the Rock Island Arsenal prior to going into nursing training.

What I didn’t know until this last visit home was that her nurses training was under the Cadet Nurse Corps Program. The Corps was established to train nurses during World War II, the nursing students received accelerated training and their services were used even while still in training. Thus, a larger number of graduate nurses could be freed for military service overseas. Upon graduation the students would work in either VA hospitals or serve in the military for the duration of the war (Moms class did not graduate until after the war ended).

Needless to say there is now a new frame on the wall.





I guess it just goes to prove it can be pretty amassing what you learn if you take the time to listen.

I also "discovered" another Civil War Veteran (a Great Great Grandfather from Mom's side). I spent a bunch of time transcribing a very faded letter he had written to his future bride and also scanned some tin types of them to frame. I've still got to get that stuff put together. I need a bigger office, I'm starting to run out of wall LOL.



.

[RichB]

What a great tribute to family history, and a true testament with
the addition of your Moms achievements.

I also have an old zippo (no lid) in a box back in the closet. Lost the
dog tags long ago, got out in 64. Spent most of my tour over seas.

Semper Fi, Rich

[stovens]

Very cool history, and what a great way to preserve it for future generations!