‘You Buy the Bonds and the Mulqueens Will Win the War’

Oct 7

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A Home Front story from a fellow blogger! The USA was united and worked together!!

The Hanneman Archive

It was just the kind of wartime story that made an emotional impact on Milwaukee and the state of Wisconsin. Three Irish brothers serving in World War II appeared together to promote the sale of war bonds at a series of rallies in November 1944. Two were home on leave from the front and one was about to embark on his first overseas tour of duty.

There they stood on stage, the baby-faced Thomas “Tinker” Mulqueen still in naval training, the serious Marine Cpl. Earl J. Mulqueen Jr., on crutches due to the loss of his left leg above the knee, and the curly-haired redhead, Patrick J. Mulqueen, home from more than 18 months at sea with the U.S. Navy.

The Milwaukee Journal carried a front-page story on the Mulqueen brothers and the war bond drive in November 1944. The Milwaukee Journal carried a front-page story on the Mulqueen brothers and the war bond drive in November 1944.

“Maybe it is because they are Irish, or maybe it is because they look…

View original post 1,616 more words

About GP

Everett Smith served with the Headquarters Company, 187th Regiment, 11th A/B Division during WWII. This site is in tribute to my father, "Smitty." GP is a member of the 11th Airborne Association. Member # 4511 and extremely proud of that fact!

Posted on October 7, 2017, in Home Front, Uncategorized, WWII and tagged , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink. 46 Comments.

  1. Lavinia Ross | October 19, 2017 at 2:58 PM

    Some great research by Joe on this story!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  2. Russel Ray Photos | October 15, 2017 at 1:06 AM

    For some strange reason my life has gravitated around the military yet I have never served, not that I didn’t try.

    My dad served in the Air Force during the Korean Conflict (note that it was not a declared war so they don’t call it the Korean War), and his youngest brother served in the Army during the Vietnam War.

    I went to college at Texas A&M University. Their Corps of Cadets places more officers into the services than all but the five military academies.

    After graduation, I lived 90 miles away, in Houston, for 5 years before moving back to College Station for the next ten years.

    I tried to enlist in the Corps but I went to college on benefits from my father’s death, those benefits being Air Force (government), Railroad Retirement Board (government), and Social Security (government). At the time the Corps paid $100 a month to Corps members, payment coming from the government. The government informed me that I could not have all four benefit packages. Well, the other three paid $763 a month total. So $763 a month vs. $100 a month. Which would YOU choose as an 18-year-old college freshman? LOL

    Since April 1993 I have lived in San Diego. According to the Pentagon, San Diego County now has the largest conglomeration of military, both active duty and retired, than any other area of the country, including Arlington VA, previous #1 and home to the Pentagon.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • GP Cox | October 15, 2017 at 6:17 AM

      I have read quite a bit about San Diego, especially because of the military, but it is a very interesting city in its own right too. My son took his MOS for the USMC there too. Thank you for telling us your story.

      Like

      Reply
  3. LordBeariOfBow | October 9, 2017 at 8:02 PM

    I know that in the US the Irish are appreciated, unfortunately I do not share in this view. During WWII the Irish Republic though a neutral country allowed German/Nazi spies to operate from their shores.

    These spies were able to report back to Berlin, and indirectly to Admiral Donitz, who was able to set his ‘wolf packs’ on British convoys leaving for the US.

    Many many ships and lives were lost through this betrayal by the Irish.

    The Irish did not have any objection to receiving cargo brought across the Atlantic in these convoys to fed and cloth them and keep them alive.

    I think of them as I do that Norwegian Victor Quisling and will never forgive them!

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    Reply
  4. Curt Mekemson | October 9, 2017 at 5:32 PM

    Simpler times, G, when the US was much more united. –Curt

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  5. michelinewalker | October 9, 2017 at 1:15 PM

    When it needs to unite, America unites. After surrendering, Robert E. Lee sought reconciliation between the former Confederacy and the Union. It was the greater good.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  6. beetleypete | October 9, 2017 at 4:59 AM

    GP, I just read this on another blog, and thought the military connection might interest you.

    The Soldiers’ Pocket Books That Legitimized Paperbacks


    (By the way, my most recent short story was set in WW2.)
    Best wishes, Pete.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  7. Anna Waldherr | October 8, 2017 at 9:59 PM

    A story worth re-telling, especially at a time when the US Military is badly in need of equipment upgrades while the wealthiest seek to pay as little in taxes as possible.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  8. Jennie | October 8, 2017 at 7:22 PM

    What a great story.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  9. shoreacres | October 8, 2017 at 6:49 PM

    I left a comment at Mr. Hanneman’s site after reading the whole story. Thanks for making it available to us!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  10. PARTNERING WITH EAGLES | October 8, 2017 at 3:47 PM

    Read the source post; an explosion on a destroyer due to gas fumes… Our subs ran on diesel engines, it’s more stable then regular gas; makes me wonder why they weren’t used on surface ships.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  11. jfwknifton | October 8, 2017 at 3:28 AM

    I really enjoyed that. The European Irish made a great contribution to the war effort despite the Republic’s neutrality. There were 100,000 volunteers in the British Forces, for example,

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  12. 56packardman | October 8, 2017 at 1:09 AM

    A fine account of the efforts at home to support and supply the troops overseas. This story of the Mulqueen’s has a happier ending than does that of the five Sullivans ….

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  13. Anne Clare | October 7, 2017 at 11:34 PM

    It’s great to recognize a family who gave so much, and encouraged others to do so too!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • GP Cox | October 8, 2017 at 6:41 AM

      The US was united in a cause back then. For our millennials today, that must be so hard to comprehend.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      • Anne Clare | October 8, 2017 at 7:36 PM

        It’s not becoming an easier world for the younger folks to grow up in, that’s for sure.

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply
      • Anne Clare | October 8, 2017 at 7:39 PM

        Why does it seem like it always takes really awful things (wars etc) to get people to work together? Sigh

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        Reply
        • GP Cox | October 9, 2017 at 6:15 AM

          It hasn’t in today’s world – starting with Vietnam and continuing now into the 57 armed conflicts in the world – don’t seem to be of interest to anybody.

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          • Anne Clare | October 9, 2017 at 4:02 PM

            Granted, though I live in a pretty military-centric community, so we tend to keep it all in mind. (Lots of my kids have dads and moms serving.) I imagine some of the disinterest has to do with media influence- the way things are covered (or the lack of coverage on anything other than the ‘bread and circus’ type of things.) I guess it’s up to individuals (like your fabulous blog 🙂 ) to try to remind people to look outside themselves and remember service and sacrifice.

            Liked by 1 person

            Reply
            • GP Cox | October 10, 2017 at 6:07 AM

              You hit the nail on the head with the media. They aren’t journalists anymore. They tell you what they want you to hear (and usually not the whole story), no investigative reporting, just accusations and suppositions.

              Liked by 1 person

              Reply
  14. Nasuko | October 7, 2017 at 10:21 PM

    Boys who are Irish went to battle field for USA,Brave!!

    (…I wonder,Rich man’s sons who are USA don’t go to the battlefield?…)

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • GP Cox | October 8, 2017 at 6:40 AM

      The rich had to go if drafted into the service. But sometimes their parents had enough political contacts to have their son deferred, which meant they did not serve or if they were the only child of that family.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  16. beetleypete | October 7, 2017 at 5:41 PM

    Nice reblog, and a great story, GP.
    Best wishes, Pete.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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