Possumblog

We have a Coast Guard, two Armies and a National Guard among my brothers.

Big Daddy is a WWII vet.

No one in my family, far as I know, lost their lives in service.

God bless the families who know else.

On another note, the young drummers have been practicing recently for the march across the bridge.

1. My dad and one of his brothers enlisted in the navy shortly after WW2 and made careers (20+ yrs) of it. Their other two brothers each served one hitch in the navy. My maternal grandfather was in the army during WW1, but was lucky enough not to see combat. I don't think he even left the US. My paternal grandmother's brother served in a Scottish regiment during WW1 and was killed by a bomb from an airplane.

2. My dad and all his brothers were in the navy during Korea and Vietnam, but none saw combat.

3. No, I've never thought of my great uncle in connection with Memorial Day, but when we visited Edinburgh last year, I did look his name up in the Scottish War Memorial (in Edinburgh castle).

(2) should say Korea and/or Vietnam

1. My grandfather was in the artillery during WWII in North Africa and Italy. My uncle was in the Navy during Vietnam, but somehow managed never to leave Rhode Island. My husband's brother was in the Marines.

2. Only my grandfather saw actual combat.

3. Fortunately, no.

1. I retired after 32 Years in the Army. My Grandfather was a cook on a battleship in WWII and my Uncle was in the Army during Korea but was in Iceland where every month he volunteered to go to Korea. Currently I have a niece and a nephew fulltime in the National Guard.

2. I was awarded the VN Campaign Medal but only flew over the country on my way to Thailand where we provided bombs, beans and fuel to the AF who were diligently bombing Cambodia. Only got shot at once. My unit in Germany was the one not chosen for Desert Storm and I retired prior to the current adventure. We Andersons so far have managed to serve in the Armed Forces and not be too involved with the more course aspects.

3. I have never paid much attention to Memorial Day.

I think one of these days we might just have a non-Thursday Three question about anyone who might have more distant relatives who served in the military back in the 19th or 18th centuries, or even earlier.

As to that, I don't know the names of any distant, way back relatives, but my Aunt is a member of the DAR, so I guess there must be someone lingering back in the family tree. There's also a family story about a cowardly relative who left Germany to avoid fighting for the Prussians only to arrive in the US for the Civil War. Then he hid from the Confederates so as not to be conscripted, but got caught by the Yankees and became a Union Soldier. That sounds too good to be true, but funny nonetheless.

1) My daddy was in the Air National Guard for over 40 years, but never had to be in combat. He was too young for WWII. I remember being really worried when I was about 6 years old when there was talk of guard units being sent to Viet Nam, but his unit was never called up. Both of my brothers joined the ANG, but then one switched to full time Air Force.
2) My brother in the Air Force was in the Gulf War and spent several months in Qatar last year.
3) I had relatives who died in the civil war, but I don't do anything special. We always honor the veterans at church the Sunday before Memorial Day.

I'm up.

I did my part

1. Have you or any of your immediate family members ever served in the armed forces, and if so, what branch(es)?

I have (USAF), my son has (Luftwaffa) and I'm not sure if the oldest GK will have too. Adding to that my father was in WW2 (Navy) and step-father (Merchant Marine)

2. Were you or you family member ever on active duty during wartime?

My father, step-father (both WW2) and lil ol me.

3. If your family member died in service, how do you honor them on Memorial Day (or throughout the year)?

Well I died twice in '72 but was kicked back to life for being to mean.

I want to hear more about #3, Tony!

Luckily for me Miss Kathie doesn't read Possumblog, because I forgot her older brother was in the army and served in Vietnam.

I'm late, but I'm up. I got it done last night, but forgot to come over here.

DOESN'T READ POSSUMBLOG!?

I played too! -- http://chaoticharmony.us/?p=98

Thank you, ma'am!

Wasn't much too it Terry. A helo I was in was hit and I got nicked (47 times) by some motar fire. After awhile I just kinda bled out, we were kinda busy and I just didn't know how bad I was hurt. Well the dust off came and they pumped a whole bunch of blood and saline in and started sticking bubble gum (grape flavored, my fav ya know) and corks in where ever a leak was and I kinda came back. I guess that was the 1st time, a bit later in the OR during debreadment and bone setting I got bored and went to sleep, them nasty ol Doctors didn't like that as their skills had done so much and I was laying done on the job. I guess all the skills and training cost the US a fair penny and then I came by and the whole triage unit kinda got involved and decided that I needed to stick around and be alive paying taxes so's the US didn't go into deficit. That was number two Terry.

p.s. I still hate paying taxes though and think it was right mean of them not to give me two death cert. so I could, you know, be like them big shots and not pay anything atall.

Dadgum, Tony. No wonder you're Cast Iron and Cranky!