Category Archives: Vietnam
U.S. Army 244th Birthday / Flag Day
244 Years Strong
THE U.S. ARMY
AMERICA’S FIRST NATIONAL INSTITUTION
Since its official establishment, June 14, 1775 — more than a year before the Declaration of Independence — the U.S. Army has played a vital role in the growth and development of the American nation. Drawing on both long-standing militia traditions and recently introduced professional standards, it won the new republic’s independence in an arduous eight-year struggle against Great Britain. At times, the Army provided the lone symbol of nationhood around which patriots rallied.
PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO VIEW THESE TWO (2) VERY SHORT VIDEOS. THANK YOU
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Tomorrow is also Flag Day, an annual observance of the Second Continental Congress’ official adoption of the stars and stripes in 1777. At the time, they “resolved that the flag of the 13 United States” be represented by 13 alternating red and white stripes and the union by 13 white stars in a blue field, “representing a new constellation.” Now, more than 200 years later and with an updated design, the flag is an American icon. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania is the only state to recognize it as a legal holiday.
As national treasures go, it was a bargain: $405.90 was paid to Mary Pickersgill of Baltimore, who fashioned it from red, blue and undyed wool, plus cotton for the 15 stars to fly at the fortress guarding the city’s harbor. An enormous flag, 30 by 42 feet, it was intended as a bold statement to the British warships that were certain to come. And, when in September 1814, the young United States turned back the invaders in a spectacular battle witnessed by Francis Scott Key, he put his joy into a verse published first as “Defense of Fort M’Henry,” and then, set to the tune of a British drinking song – immortalized as “The Star Spangled Banner.”
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Military Humor –
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Farewell Salutes –
Harold Amstutz – Deerfield, MI; US Army, WWII, ETO, 8/4th Infantry Division
Donald Buckley – Herkimer, NY; US Army, Korea, HQ Co./187th RCT
Thurman Childress – Stamford, TX; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, Co. E/188/11th Airborne Division
Valentine Ellis – Bothell, WA; US Army, WWII, ETO
Clyde Holcomb – Mobile, AL; US Army, WWII, ETO, 566th Anti-Aircraft Division, 3 Bronze Stars
Robert Mackey – North Bennington, VT; US Army Air Corps, WWII, Chief Warrant Officer (Ret.)
Sam Ostrow – Cincinnati, OH; US Army Air Corps, WWII
Milton Persin – Oak Brook, IL; US Army Air Corps, WWII
Harold Sanders – Hayesville, NC; US Army, WWII, ETO, Purple Heart
Walter Shamp – NY; US National Guard / US Army, WWII, 109/28th Division
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MEMORIAL DAY 2019
Luxembourg American Cemetery
Just a Common Soldier (A Soldier Died Today)
by A. Lawrence Vaincourt
He was getting old and paunchy and his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the Legion, telling stories of the past.
Of a war that he had fought in and the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies; they were heroes, every one.
And tho’ sometimes, to his neighbors, his tales became a joke,
All his Legion buddies listened, for they knew whereof he spoke.
But we’ll hear his tales no longer for old Bill has passed away,
And the world’s a little poorer, for a soldier died today.
He will not be mourned by many, just his children and his wife,
Michael, my son.
For he lived an ordinary and quite uneventful life.
Held a job and raised a family, quietly going his own way,
And the world won’t note his passing, though a soldier died today.
When politicians leave this earth, their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note their passing and proclaim that they were great.
Papers tell their whole life stories, from the time that they were young,
But the passing of a soldier goes unnoticed and unsung.
Is the greatest contribution to the welfare of our land
Smitty, my father
A guy who breaks his promises and cons his fellow man?
Or the ordinary fellow who, in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his Country and offers up his life?
A politician’s stipend and the style in which he lives
Are sometimes disproportionate to the service that he gives.
While the ordinary soldier, who offered up his all,
Is paid off with a medal and perhaps, a pension small.
James J. O’Leary, my uncle
It’s so easy to forget them for it was so long ago,
That the old Bills of our Country went to battle, but we know
It was not the politicians, with their compromise and ploys,
Who won for us the freedom that our Country now enjoys.
Should you find yourself in danger, with your enemies at hand,
Would you want a politician with his ever-shifting stand?
Or would you prefer a soldier, who has sworn to defend
His home, his kin and Country and would fight until the end?
He was just a common soldier and his ranks are growing thin,
Arthur Mulroy, my cousin, now deceased
But his presence should remind us we may need his like again.
For when countries are in conflict, then we find the soldier’s part
Is to clean up all the troubles that the politicians start.
If we cannot do him honor while he’s here to hear the praise,
Then at least let’s give him homage at the ending of his days.
Perhaps just a simple headline in a paper that would say,
Our Country is in mourning, for a soldier died today.
© 1987 A. Lawrence Vaincourt
THESE TROOPS TOOK THE TIME TO FIGHT FOR YOU AND ME. PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO HONOR THEM.
Posted here courtesy of : Partnering With Eagles
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Not your usual Military Humor today….
CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE.
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Farewell Salutes –
Vernon Bishop – Santa Rosa, FL; US Army, WWII, ETO, 1st Army Group
David Bond – Tampa, FL; USMC, Major (Ret.22 y.)
Tim Conway – Cleveland, OH; US Army / comedian 
Eugene Galella – Memphis, TN; US Navy, WWII, ETO/ETO, pilot / USNR, Lt. Commander (Ret.)
Charles Holland – Aberdeen, NC; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, Co. C/187/11th Airborne Division
Don Jesperson – Idaho Falls, ID; US Army, Korea, Co. B/187th RCT
Kaylie Ludwig – IL; US Navy, Lt., Medical Corps, 6th Fleet, USS Arlington
Ralph Manley – Springfield, MO; US Army, WWII, ETO, 101st Airborne Division, demolitions
I.M. Pei – brn. Canton, CHI; Civilian, WWII, bomb fuse creator / architect
Herman Wouk – NYC, NY; US Navy, WWII, destroyer minesweeper / author
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Table For One
A VERY SPECIAL POST FOR A VERY IMPORTANT WEEKEND! PLEASE THANK OUR HOST FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER FOR US.
Let’s face it…. Nobody REALLY enjoys working during a Holiday weekend, however, when I walked into the cafeteria at Jackson Madison General Hospital, I saw this. This is called a Table For One, and it’s a wonderful tribute / memorial to the Military Service Members who have fought and died to defend our great country.
Thank you to the staff member who put this together to remind us all about the freedom we have today.
The framed plaque, which is on the table, reads:
* This table, set for one, is small, symbolizing the frailty of one prisoner, alone.
* It is set for one, symbolizing the fact that some are missing from our ranks.
* The tablecloth is white, symbolic of the purity of their intentions to respond to their country’s call to arms.
* The black napkin represents the sorrow of captivity.
* The single red rose in…
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Armed Forces Day – 18 May 2019
18 MAY, 2019, BEING ANOTHER PART OF MILITARY APPRECIATION MONTH, IS CALLED ARMED FORCES DAY.
THE FIRST ARMED FORCES DAY WAS CELEBRATED 29 MAY 1950 (one month before the start of the Korean War). ARMED FORCES WEEK BEGINS ON THE 2ND SATURDAY OF MAY AND ENDS THRU THE 3RD SATURDAY. Due to their unique schedules, the NATIONAL GUARD & THE RESERVE units may celebrate this at any time during the month.
18 May 2019
PRESIDENT DWIGHT DAVID EISENHOWER, 1953 – “Today let us, as Americans, honor the American fighting man. For it is he or she – the soldier, the sailor, the Airman, the Marine – who has fought to preserve freedom.”
If you do NOT normally fly your flag everyday, make this day one that you do! Even a small one 
sitting in your window shows your heartfelt feelings toward our troops.
If you are not from the U.S., tell us about the days you honor your military in the fight for freedom – help us to learn by sharing.
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Military Humor –
‘Every war game scenario I’ve run has you picking up the check.’
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Farewell Salutes-
Michael Andrews – Altoona, PA; US Navy, WWII
Charles Drapp – Piqua, OH; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, HQ Co/511/11th Airborne Division
William Dunn – Dunning, NE; US Army, Korea
Gerald Golden – Graceville, FL; US Army, Vietnam, 101st Airborne Division
Orville Levengood – Lewiston, MO; US Navy, WWII
Sam Mitsui – Sky Komish, WA; Tule Lake internee / US Army, 4th Infantry Division
Mary Olson – OH; US Navy WAVES, WWII, Instrument Flight Instructor
Frank Perkins – Farmer’s Branch, TX; US Army, Vietnam, 82nd & 101st A/B divisions, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, 1st Sgt. (Ret. 20 y.)
William Schmatz – Bronx, NY; US Army, Korea, 82nd Airborne Division
Russell Tetrick – Redwood Falls, MN; USMC, WWII, PTO
Wibert Woolard – Gastonia, NC; US Army, WWII
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May – Military Appreciation Month 2019
Most of my readers have see this post or one similar here on Pacific Paratrooper, but due to the arrival of new readers, I have chosen to remind every one again. I thank you all for taking the time to visit this site and I hope you are enjoying the freedoms that these troops fought so hard to insure for us.
May, marked officially as Military Appreciation Month, is a special month for both those in and out of the military.
Not only do we pause on Memorial Day to remember the sacrifice and service of those who gave all, but the month also holds several other military anniversaries and events, including Military Spouse Appreciation Day and Armed Forces day.
USMC Silent Drill Platoon w/ the Blue Angels
MILITARY APPRECIATION MONTH
National Military Appreciation Month
A month to recognize and show appreciation to the Armed Forces of the United States of America.
May 1, 2019 – Loyalty Day
A day set aside for American citizens to reaffirm their loyalty to the United States
and to recognize the heritage of American freedom. Learn more…
May 1, 2019 – Silver Star Service Banner Day
A day set aside to honor our wounded, ill, and dying military personnel by
participating in flying a Silver Star Banner. Learn more…
May 2, 2019 – National Day of Prayer
The National Day of Prayer is an annual observance held on the first Thursday of
May, inviting people of all faiths to pray for the nation. Learn more…
How can you pray for the military community? Learn more…
May 8, 2019 – VE (Victory in Europe) Day
(Celebrated May 7 in commonwealth countries)
A day which marks the anniversary of the Allies’ victory in Europe during World War II
on May 8, 1945. Learn more…
May 10, 2019 – Military Spouse Appreciation Day
A day set aside to acknowledge the contributions and sacrifices of the spouses of
the U.S. Armed Forces. Learn more…
LINK – Practical insights in caring for a military home front family
May 12, 2018 – Mother’s Day
LINK – Organizations that support deployed military personnel on Mother’s Day
LINK – Coloring page for military children
May 13, 2019 – Children of Fallen Patriots Day
A day to honor the families our Fallen Heroes have left behind – especially their children. It’s a reminder to the community that we have an obligation to support the families of our Fallen Patriots. Learn more…
May 18, 2019 – Armed Forces Day
A day set aside to pay tribute to men and women who serve in the United States’
Armed Forces. Learn more…
May 27, 2019 – Memorial Day (Decoration Day)
A day set aside to commemorate all who have died in military service for the UnitedStates. Typically recognized by parades, visiting memorials and cemeteries. Learn more…
U.S. Army Silent Drill Team
MILITARY HEROES
Edward Byers
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Military Humor –
contributed by: Garfieldhug’s blog
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Farewell Salutes –
Henry Bloch – Kansas City, MO; US Army Air Corps, WWII, ETO, B-17 navigator / H&R Block
Daniel B. Bonner – Villages, FL; US Army, Vietnam, 3rd Infantry Regiment/199th Light Infantry Brigade
Mel Caragan – Malasiqui, P.I.; US Navy, Vietnam, 1st Class Petty Officer (Ret. 23 y.)
Robert Graham – Shrub Oak, NY; USMC, WWII, PTO, Bronze Star, Silver Star
Robert Inger – St. Louis, MO; US Army, WWII, ground map maker
Richard Luger – Indianapolis, IN; US Navy, Intelligence / U.S. Senator
Rosco Miesner – Syracuse, NY; US Navy, WWII, PTO, USS Akutan
Howard Nelms – Charleston, IL; US Navy, WWII, USS Vicksburg
Bjorn Rafoss – NOR & NY; US Army, Korea, Signal Corps
Janet Shawn – Springfield, MA; Civilian, Civil Air Patrol, WWII
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A New Year !
READERS : Thank you for making 2018 a very good year !!
Military New Years
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New Year Humor –
READERS : Let’s see some smiles out there – we made it another year !!!!!
“Everything on my bucket list was canceled out by my new year’s resolutions.”
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Farewell Salutes –
Sheila Athorn – ENG; Woman’s Royal Air Force, WWII, Drill Sgt.
David Burgoyne – Tom’s River, NJ; US Navy, WWII, Signalman
Robert Diltz – Dayton, OH; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, 11th Airborne Division
Paul Girard Jr. – Hammond, LA; US Navy, WWII, PTO
Irving Karp – Brooklyn, NY; US Army, WWII, ETO, POW, Purple Heart
Milton Maurer – Alexandria, MO; US Navy, WWII, PTO, PT-boat service
Richard Overton (112) – Austin, TX; US Army, WWII, PTO, technician 5th grade, 1887th Engineer Aviation Battalion
Robert Persinger – Wever, IA; US Army, WWII, 3rd Cavalry
Kerby Sims – Bullhead , AZ; US Army Air Corps, WWII, 82nd Airborne/ 9th Air Force
Mitchell Woods Jr. – Millcreek, UT; US Navy, WWII / US Air Force, Korea
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CHRISTMAS DAY
TO ALL THOSE THAT BELIEVE IN FREEDOM AND PEACE: MERRY CHRISTMAS!! FROM: PACIFIC PARATROOPER!!
PLEASE… REMEMBER THOSE THAT FOUGHT FOR US IN THE PAST…
AND THOSE WHO CONTINUE TO PROTECT US TODAY!!!
AND FOR THOSE SPECIAL PEOPLE WHO WAIT PATIENTLY AT HOME…
TO ALL THOSE WHO DO NOT CELEBRATE THIS HOLIDAY … I WISH YOU THE WARMTH AND PEACEFUL CONTENTMENT THAT IS REPRESENTED BY THIS SEASON !!!
Click on still images to enlarge.
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Military Humor –
Humor from deployed Marines
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Farewell Salutes –
Gerard Azemar – Lafayette, LA; US Army, WWII
Dick Bowersox – Tiffan, OH; US Merchant Marines, WWII
Darrell Dilks – Temple, OK; US Army, WWII, 2 Bronze Stars
Merlin Hicks – Iron Mountain, MI; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, 11th Airborne Division
Dwight “Bud” Hudson – Berry, AL; US Navy, WWII, PTO, gunner’s mate, USS Charrette
J.B. Jones Sr. – Miami, FL; US Army, Korea, Purple Heart
Albert Kane – Dallas, TX; US Navy, WWII, Fireman 1st Class, KIA (Pearl Harbor)
Margaret McKillop – Port Austin, MI; US Army WAC, WWII
Karl Peterson – Warren, PA; US Army, WWII, ETO, 461st Antiaircraft Batt./69th Infantry Division, Communications Tech.
Jack Schultz – Laguna Hills, CA; USMC,Korea & Vietnam, Major (Ret. 21 y.)
John T. Williams – Windsor, VT; US Army, Korea
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Thanksgiving – Then and Now
WWII vs Afghanistan
THEN – WWII
Stanley Collins, US Navy: “I was on submarine duty in the Pacific in the year 1943. We were in the area off the cost of the Philippines. I remember having a complete turkey dinner on Thanksgiving. While the turkeys were cooking, the submarine took a dive. We went down too steeply and the turkeys fell out of the oven onto the deck. The cook picked them up and put them back into the oven — and we ate them, regardless of what may have gotten on them as a result of their fall. That meal was so good!”
Ervin Schroeder, 77th Infantry Division, 3rd Battalion, I Company, US Army: “On Thanksgiving Day, we made our landing on Leyte Island in the Philippines very early in the morning. We therefore missed our dinner aboard ship. Somewhere down the beach from where we landed, the Navy sent us ham and cheese sandwiches. My buddy happened to get one of the sandwiches and brought it back to our area. I was complaining to him for not bringing one back for me when he started to have stomach cramps… At this point, I shook his hand and thanked him for not bringing me a sandwich.”
Bill Sykes of Plymouth, Combat Engineers and then 1095th Engineer Utility Company, Command SoPac, US Army Engineers 1942-1945:
“The Thanksgiving dinners were served on trays. (My first one, with the Combat Engineers, was served in mess kits. That doesn’t work too well.) They had cranberry sauce, stuffing, the whole thing. It was a good meal. But the feeling of Thanksgiving wasn’t there. The meal was there, but the feeling of Thanksgiving wasn’t. I guess you couldn’t have Thanksgiving when you were overseas. There wasn’t much to be thankful for. It was sad. Although, I guess there was some thankfulness, at least you were still alive!”
NOW – 2018
This year, service members received:
— 9,738 whole turkeys
— 51,234 pounds of roasted turkey
— 74,036 pounds of beef
— 21,758 pounds of ham
— 67,860 pounds of shrimp
— 16,284 pounds of sweet potatoes
— 81,360 pies
— 19,284 cakes
— 7,836 gallons of eggnog
“All of [U.S. Army Central Command’s] food, with very few exceptions, has to come from U.S. sources and moved into the theater,” said Sgt. Maj. Kara Rutter, the ARCENT culinary management NCO in charge. “There are also challenges with the quantity of the food that we’re getting. When you talk about buying 23,000 pounds of shrimp, obviously that affects the entire market.
“We also have to ensure we’re respecting our host nations’ cultures. In some countries, we might not be able to serve certain foods because of cultural and religious considerations.”
Soldiers operating in isolated locations will also receive a hot Thanksgiving meal, Rutter added, thanks to food service professionals in the U.S. who prepared a series of “Unitized Group Rations,” which is “basically a meal in a box.”
“Being away from home during the holidays is very difficult,” Rutter said. “There are a lot of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines who frankly are away from home for their first Thanksgiving, and they are doing some difficult things.
“We want them to be able to take a minute, take a knee, and eat the same type of food that their families are eating 9,000 miles away, all while thinking of them at the same time.”
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Military Humor and something to think about –
humor from Afghanistan
Turkey will travel
“And you were whining about sitting next to Uncle Milt!!”
Military turkeys
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Farewell Salutes –
Richard Arcand – Chelmsford, MA; US Navy, WWII & Korea, Lt.Comdr. (Ret.)
Robert Browning – Cary, NC; US Army Air Corps, WWII, ETO, 194th GIR/17th Airborne Division
Dick Cadic – NJ; US Army, WWII, T-3 Sgt., telegraph
Thomas Fussell – Alamogordo, NM; US Air Force, Vietnam, Lt.Col., fighter pilot
Edward Gould – Christchurch, NZ; RNZ Army # 61449, WWII, 44/8th Army
Norman Kroeger – Hartford, WI; US Navy, WWII, USS New Mexico
Vincent Losada – San Antonio, TX; US Army Air Corps, WWII, ETO, B-17 Bombardier, 487th Bomb Group
Larry McConnell Sr. – Des moines, IA; US Army, WWII & Korea
Walter Shields – Brooklyn, NY; USMC, WWII
Cowden Clark Ward – Fredericksburg, TX; Civilian pilot, founder of “Freedom Flyers”
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11th Airborne Paratrooper – Melvin Garten
Col. Melvin Garten
Wednesday, July 04, 2018
Media’s self-importance never dies
An Associated Press photographer died. He was the fellow who took the picture of a fully armed paramilitary immigration enforcement officer taking a screaming child of six by force who was hiding with an adult in a closet, as the Clinton administration had no compunction about separating a Legal Immigrant from his family on American soil.
The Associated Press ran a 749-word obituary on the photographer, Alan Diaz. It was an interesting story — AP hired him after he took the SWAT team-crying kid photo.
But the story was a bit much, and a reminder of the media’s overblown sense of importance. The word iconic appeared four times.
Which brings me to a story I read about Melvin Garten, a real hero. His death brought no AP obituary because he never got a byline:
Toby Harnden, the Times of London reporter who has covered war with the troops and United States politics with equanimity, tweeted on May 6, 2015: “Trumpeter, food blogger, actress, golfer get New York Times obits today, but this man has his death notice paid for by family.”
The man whose family had to pay for his obituary was Melvin Garten, the most decorated and forgotten soldier at the time of his death.
Heroes are born and made. Melvin Garten was born May 20, 1921 in New York City, where he became another smart Jewish boy attending City College of New York. Japan’s sneak attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, greatly altered his immediate plans. Upon graduation from CCNY, he joined the Army and became a paratrooper with the 11th Airborne Division. He then married his girlfriend, Ruth Engelman of the Bronx, in November 1942. She was a war bride. Everyone said the marriage wouldn’t last, and they were right because the marriage ended on January 9, 2013 — the day she died.
Melvin and Ruth Garten
Melvin went off to the Pacific Theater of the war, where he participated in what can only be described as an audacious airborne raid of Los Banos in 1945, rescuing more than 2,000 U.S. and Allied civilians from a Japanese prison camp. He was a highly decorated soldier, earning the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, a Presidential Unit Citation and the Purple Heart with three Oak Leak Clusters for his wounds in battle. He was tough and handsome and courageous.
As would war. At dawn on Sunday, June 25, 1950, with the permission of Stalin, the North Koreans crossed the 38th parallel behind artillery fire. Melvin was back in combat. Captain Garten proved his mettle again as commander of Company K, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. President Eisenhower awarded him the Distinguished Service Cross.
The citation reads: “Captain Garten distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces near Surang-ni, Korea, on 30 October 1952. On that date, observing that assault elements of Companies F and G were pinned down by withering fire on a dominant hill feature, Captain Garten voluntarily proceeded alone up the rugged slope and, reaching the besieged troops, found that key personnel had been wounded and the unit was without command. Dominating the critical situation through sheer force of his heroic example, he rallied approximately eight men, assigned four light machine guns, distributed grenades and, employing the principle of fire and maneuver, stormed enemy trenches and bunkers with such tenacity that the foe was completely routed and the objective secured. Quickly readying defensive positions against imminent counterattack he directed and coordinated a holding action until reinforcements arrived. His inspirational leadership, unflinching courage under fire and valorous actions reflect the highest credit upon himself and are in keeping with the cherished traditions of the military service.”
Pork Chop Hill
Having served at Luzon and Pork Chop Hill, Captain Garten came home and the family moved around. Ruth took care of her men.
“I never even bought my own clothes,” Melvin told Mike Francis of the Oregonian a few months before her death. “I never went shopping. It was not a part of my life. As an Army wife, she took care of those things.”
Their sons were in their teens when the Vietnam War erupted. Melvin earned his Combat Infantry Badge for the third time — perfect attendance as those men with that distinction of serving in those three wars called their service. The Army put him in command of the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry in 1968 and he reinvigorated the unit, calling it the No Slack battalion.
Just as he almost completed the turnaround, his jeep ran over a Vietcong mine, sending shrapnel to his leg and to his head. Another war, another Purple Heart, only this time it cost him his leg. The military sent him to Walter Reed to recuperate.
Ruth went alone, shielding her sons from the news, as they were in college. She wanted to see how he was. Melvin was in horrible condition. His head wound was more serious than their sons realized. For nearly a year, he worked to recover from the explosion. Melvin wanted to stay on active duty as a one-legged paratrooper. She supported his decision. They had to appear before a medical board. Ruth told the Oregonian, “When I got there, they wanted to know only one thing. ‘Was he as difficult a man before was wounded as he is now?’ one board member asked. ‘No difference,’ I answered. And he passed.”
His assignment was as post commander of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, home of the Airborne and Special Operational Forces, a nod to his sterling and exemplary service under fire.
Gen. Eichelberger (C) w/ Gen. Swing (R) planning the raid of Los Banos
Melvin retired as the most decorated man in the Army at the time with the Distinguished Service Cross, four Silver Stars, five Bronze Stars, five Purple Hearts, two Legion of Merits, two Joint Service Commendations, a Combat Infantry Badge for each of three wars, and a Master Parachutist Badge with two combat jump stars. Melvin paid dearly for those awards, but so did Ruth. She was one of the few women to receive five telegrams over the years informing her that her husband was wounded in combat. And by few, I mean I do not know of another.
But his retirement in Florida began three wonderful decades for them. In 2000, Ruth and Melvin moved to Oregon to live near their son, Allan. Doctors diagnosed her as having Parkinson’s. Mike Francis interviewed Melvin and their sons 11 months before her death. Melvin said, “All these things she put up with. All the things she did for the family. She kept our lives going for 70 years. ”
Following her death on January 9, 2013, the family buried her in Arlington, where all our military heroes belong. He joined her there following his death on May 2, 2015.
Click on images to enlarge.
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Military Humor –
Para-Toast.
‘I count only four parachutes. Where’s Mr. Simms?’
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Farewell Salutes –
Richard Bettinson – Pelly, CAN; RC Air Force/RAF, WWII, ETO
John Carberg – New London, CT; USMC
Robert Daughtery – Clinton, IN; US Army, WWII, PTO, 3rd Signal Battalion
Paul Fournier – Cleveland, OH; US Navy, WWII
John Graziano – Elkridge, MD; US Air Force, Captain, 87th Flying Training Squadron, KIA
Hank Kriha – Oshkosh, WI; US Army, WWII, PTO, 32nd Red Arrow Division
George McClary – Pueblo, CO; US Coast Guard, WWII, USS El Paso
James Ruff – Summitt, NJ; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, SSgt., 11th Airborne Division
Harold Sullivan – Morriston, FL; US Army, WWII, ETO / Korea, Purple Heart
John Yordan – Detroit, MI; US Army
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Veterans Day 2018
A MESSAGE FROM THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES….
https://mailchi.mp/nara/0rjknzxchj-763401?e=2018eed2da
NO MATTER WHAT COUNTRY YOU LIVE IN – IF YOU ARE LIVING FREE – THANK A VETERAN !!!
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Here We Go……
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Farewell Salutes –
Daniel Buchta – Far Rockaway, NY; US Navy, USS Nimitz
Jean Danniels – ENG; WRENS, WWII
Waverly Ellsworth Jr. – Buffalo, NY; US Navy, Korea, medic
Virgil; Johnston – Grove, OK; USMC, WWII
Alma (Smith) Knesel – Lebanon, PA; Manhattan Project (TN), WWII
Samuel Mastrogiacomo – Sewell, NJ; US Army Air Corps, WWII, MSgt., B-24 tail gunner, 2nd Air Div./8th A.F. (Ret. 33 y.)
Willis Sears Nelson – Omaha, NE; US Army Air Corps, WWII, ETO, B-17 pilot
Gregory O’Neill – Fort Myers, FL; US Army, WWII, ETO, 787th
Orville Roeder – Hankinson, ND; US Army, Medic
Nicholas Vukson – Sault Saint Marie, CAN; RC Navy, WWII, Telegraphist, HMCS Lanark
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