My heartfelt thanks to all of those, Doper and otherwise, who have served in the United States armed forces. I think at this time about my father (U.S. Army vet) and father-in-law (U.S. Navy vet) in particular.
I give thanks to my hubby, six years in the Navy.
To all the vets, thank you for your service.
All the Vets from WWI are now gone and those from WWII are now few in numbers.
I did my service in peace, the end of the Cold War in the Navy. I was never in harm’s way or at risk.
My grandfather and many great uncles served in various capacities during WWII and my father was in the Air Force during Korea but not in Korea.
I have ancestors who survived King Philip’s War, the Revolutionary War, and the Civil War. I appreciate the fact that they survived so that I could prattle on about them. Oddly enough, I have no predecessors who served in WWI, WWII (other than my stepfather) or Korea. My brother was given a National Defense Ribbon because he joined the Army right at the tail end of the Korean War campaign period, which means he never saw the place. I did my time in RVN and have never bothered the VA for anything other than a zero-down mortgage, and some tuition costs. I’ve never felt the need for thanks and am not comfortable with it.
My dad: Army, radio operator in Vietnam
My uncle: Army, MP in Vietnam
My grandpa: Army, tank driver in WWII
My grandma: Army, WAC in WWII
My cousin: Army, Iraq
My step dad: Army, Korea-era
Amazing individuals, every one.
Great-great-great grandfather Civil War-Union
Great-great grandfather Civil War-Union
Father Korean War thank God he never went to Korea-US Army
Uncle Korean War he also didn’t get sent to Korea-US Airforce
Me Korea, US Army 1974-77 98G2LKP in Korea in 1976
My Dad’s uncle, Patrocinio Pablo, a US Navy Pearl Harbor survivor who was on the USS Arizona on 07 Dec 1941.
great-great-great grandfather
45th NY Volunteer Infantry 1861-1862
Permanently disabled from tuberculosis caught in POW camp
great-great grandfather
2nd NY Heavy Artillery 1861-1864
Second Bull Run, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, Petersburg.
Captured and died of scurvy in Andersonville Prison Camp
great-great grandfather
25th NY Volunteer Cavalry 1864-1865
Shenandoah Valley
great-grandfather
69th Infantry Regiment, NY 1892-1893
great-uncle
105th Machine Gun Regiment, 1917-1918
Ypres-Lys, Hindenberg Line
Permanently disabled from poison gas
father
USS Eldorado 1944-1945
Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Philippines
nephew
USAF Intelligence 2006-2010
Korea
nephew
10th Mountain Division 2011-2014
Ft. Drum, NY
My dad’s uncle, Capt. Chaplain Thomas Leroy Kirkpatrick, was on Arizona. He was killed at his duty station.
My dad. Army Signal Corps at the end of WWII, Combat Aircrew in the Navy during Korea, a communications officer in the 7th Fleet’s flagship, USS Oklahoma City (CLG-5) and ASW through the '60s.
My uncle, dad’s youngest brother, a Navy chief. (He was born December 7th --or thereabouts – 1941. His middle name came from the Chaplain.)
My wife, U.S. Army, Black Hawk pilot, 101st Airborne, Iraq War.
I hope I’m not hijacking a perfectly good thread, but on this date I like to appreciate Coldfire’s thread of momentous importance.
I cant seem to find the OP.
Thank you. I tear up every time I read that, year over year.
Thank you Coldfire.
Hey, my great grandfather was with the 23rd NY Volunteers, Company K. He was captured at 2nd Bull Run. He may have chatted with your ancestor at the latrine. 