Veterans Day

A huge "Thank you" to all our veterans who have served our country well. I salute you.

I remember Pearl Harbor and, a couple of years later, joining our community (Milo MO) in worrying about one of our "local boys" who served in the Army Air Corps. (Fred Emery was shot down while "flying the hump". His back was broken during his parachute landing in China - where the Chinese did not understand English, of course.) We certainly learned to appreciate our veterans in those days, although the last members of my own family (at that time) to have served were my great-great grandfather (Civil War) and my great-grandfather (Spanish-American War). I never knew my great-great grandfather; but, as my great-grandfather lived until I was in college, I remember having him tell me about his service as a cook - how, one day, all that he had to feed "his men" was 1/2 pound of bacon.

From age 11, in 1949, I participated in Kansas City MO's community displays of pride in our veterans.  The photo, below, shows (in the white uniforms - left to right) the girl who lived across the street from me (Mildred), her cousin (Judy), and me as we marched in our first-ever Veterans Day parade. The other two girls were a year younger than I was and complained mightily about the cold wind that whipped through Kansas City that day. The photo was snapped just as we joined the parade - before we got goosebumps! We participated in several more parades, and entertained the veterans at the American Legion during the next few years. I particularly remember a performance at the American Legion. We performed in the dark, twirling batons that were lighted at either end - one red, one blue.  I dropped my baton but did not realize that one light had been broken in the drop. Everyone told me that I stood out as the twirler with only one end of her baton shining. They couldn't see the drop and thought I was using one light on purpose!

 

On a more serious note, I was proud that Hunky Husband was a member of the Air National Guard - first, in Missouri where (if memory serves) he served as an enlisted member of the cryptography section of the 131st Fighter Interceptor Wing, then, in Kansas where (same caveat) he served as Avionics (later, Communications) Officer for the 127th Tactical Fighter Group.

The photo, below, shows HH with a bunch of other ANG members with whom he trained at summer camp in the early 1960s. He is in the back row at the right hand end. Photo by: 185th Tac Fighter Grp, Iowa ANG.

 

Finally, I was proud to serve in the US Naval Reserve, in which I enlisted in 1980 - one day shy of my 42nd birthday on which I would have been too old to enlist. Nearly a year later, I was sent to the New Orleans Naval Air Station for "basic" training that was available for folks like me who enlisted at an advanced pay grade - E-6 (Petty Officer First Class) in my case. As the only E-6 in my class at that training, I was class leader. This was hilarious because nearly all of my classmates had previous military service (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine, Coast Guard) when they enlisted.  My report to the training site was the first time I'd had a full uniform to wear (women were still rare enough that clothing issues were slow in arriving, not to mention the problems encountered in obtaining proper working clothing issues for a woman who happened to be an aircraft mechanic!)

In the photo, below, I am at the center of the photo, wearing sunglasses, looking very much as the daughter of a good friend put it "a prison matron". Our instructor, the Chief Petty Officer at the right hand end of the front row, very gently told me that I was "out of uniform". The assistant instructor is the Petty Officer First Class at the left hand end of the front row.  I had been issued the aircraft structural mechanic rating badge for a male's uniform. Note how much larger the rating badge on my sleeve is than those of the other women - partly because I had more stripes, but mostly because they had women's rating badges. Fortunately, I was able to go to the base exchange to buy the appropriate rating badges and sew them onto my uniform sleeves.  (Note that a few students are in civilian dress, having reported for ACDUTRA prior to being issued clothing.)

 
The Petty Officer Second Class at the right hand end of the middle row and the Petty Officer Third Class just left of center in the front row were my roommates in the "barracks".

Comments

[bogie]

I was bumming when I realized that we didn't have a flag holder up on the house (it hasn't been put back on since the siding was done). We always fly the flag for Veteran's Day as a sign of respect to our active and retired military.

Great pics from your baton twirling days and service days. Don't think I had ever seen the one of Dad's group.

Thank you two for serving in the Guards!

[Kay Dennison]

Love the photos!!!!! My family also has a long tradition of serving our country. My daughter was a PO2nd, too!!!

[Cop Car]

Bogie--On behalf of your dad and me, you are welcome. Both of our families were very thankful to and respectful of those who served. Your Grandmother S's three brothers all served in WWII. HH's father (probably) and my father (definitely) were not drafted because they had three children to support/help raise. My only able-bodied uncle was too young to serve and Grandfather D was too old (he died before the war ended.)

When I get a round tuit, I'll post more photos of your dad in uniform for you. It hadn't occurred to me that, although HH served for 12 years, you were only three years old when he resigned his commission and left the ANG (when we moved to Seattle). In my case, the photo that is above is the only photo that was ever taken of me in uniform, as far as I know. Certainly, it is the only one that I ever had. Even the photo on my military ID (which I no longer have, of course) showed me in civilian clothing.

Kay--Yes, I recall your mentioning your daughter's service. You are welcome to tell us about the whole family, here, if you wish. (It would refresh my memory without my having to admit that I've forgotten.) Thank you for dropping by.

[Darlene]

Veteran's Day should be very important whether or not your family has a history of military service. We all owe the vetersns a debt that we can never repay.

My brother was in the Navy, but, other than that, my family's military service has to go back to the Civil War where I had two grandfathers wounded in that war. I have at least one ancestor who fought in the Revolutionary War.

I don't think you look like a prison matron at all.

[M.E.]

Cop Car! This is the best Veterans' Day post yet, anywhere. You and HH actually were there, serving in the military. And you! sneaking in at almost age 42!! Sorry the parade photo won't enlarge like the others so we can get a better look at you in your white uniform. Thanks for posting this most enjoyable bit of history.

I don't have access to most of my family's photos from the WWII era, but my sister-in-law Gert was a WAC, and my three oldest brothers served in the AAF. My dad was in the Army in WWI. My great-grandfather hadn't come over from Ireland yet when the Civil War was on. One of my nieces is a Captain in the Navy, and my son, Tom, and oldest grandson, Ian, are both recent veterans. Tom served in the first Gulf War on the carrier JFK, and Ian was among the first troops to arrive in Iraq. They're both home and doing fine now, thanks be.

[Cop Car]

Darlene--You are entirely, absolutely correct. Our appreciation of veterans should not depend upon our own family's history. Thank you for not thinking I look like a matron. I can look quite severe; but, it came in handy as a woman working in a male-dominated profession. Most guys I could intimidate at will by giving them "the look"! *laughing*

ME--You really know how to brighten a person's day. Thank you for your kind assessment of my posting. I'm sorry that you haven't a comprehensive photo record of your family members' service. It would really be an interesting treasure for you. You say that your great-grandfather had not yet come over from Ireland; but, how about your other three great-grandfathers? (I'm being cheeky, here!)

All--Thanks for coming by.