Stovebolt.com Forums The Side Lot The Legion Hall Memorial Day 2020

Instead of real Memorial Day activities honoring Service members who have died (Veterans' Day is the one that honors servicemembers still living), I notice a lot of "virtual" observances going on. So why not here?

I'll start.

I'd like to lay a virtual wreath for:

My Dad: Aviation Photographer's Mate 3rd Class, USN (Korea)
My Grandfather: Pvt, USMC (WW1)
My Grandfather: TSgt, USA (WW2, Infantry, ETA)
My Uncle: Sgt. USAAC (WW2 B-24 Crew, Pacific Theater)
My Father-In-Law: Boatswain's Mate 3rd Class/AOC, USN (WW2)

S/F,
John

FWIW, in my generation -- all three male cousins are living, two are SEA veterans (Army CWO-5 Ret. and an Air Force LtCol, Ret), and I'm the Marine

My father, Donald : WWII B17 bomber pilot (18 years old)
My uncle, Hal : WWII B17 bombardier (early 20s)
Uncle Fred Antil - Marine Expeditionary Force Northern Africa (maybe in the 60s)

Trivia: why/when were bombardiers automatically promoted to being officers?

My Father: Staff Sgt USA 1942-1945 Mess Sgt
My Great Grandfather: surgeon Union Army, war between the States
My Uncle Glenn: WW2 Merchant Marine (ship sank by German U-Boat) spent 14 hours in the water awaiting rescue.

Grandad on Mom's side was a B-24 co-pilot over Germany.
https://youtu.be/lQt0cz5gH9M

Grandpa on my Dad's side was a radio operator in Korean War.

My dad was a RCAF top gunner on a Lancaster bomber in WWII.

My Dad joined the army straight out of High school 1945'
Germany fell when he was in boot training. Then sent to france and Germany as replacement troops.
Was shot thru both legs by friendly fire with a 45, at close range.
4 weeks in the infirmary and then given a free pass to go find his unit.
Got to sit in an watch the Nuremberg Trials one day also. No record of his injury were ever recorded.

Older brother enlisted the Marine Corp straight out of high school, 1968.
Did his two year tour at Guantanamo Bay standing guard duty. Came home messed up on drugs.

Myself, Graduated high school 1974. Registered for draft and it ended 1972.
I was never offered or asked to talk to a recruiter. Had a good job in a machine shop during high school.
Military was down sizing and there were no good reasons to join. Plus my brother said he would kick my butt if I even thought about joining.

I deeply thank those who have served and those that are serving, so we can live in freedom.

Don

My father, 2 separate enlistments

Staff Sgt. U.S. Army (Korea Era)
Seaman (don’t know exactly what rank) U.S. Navy (Korea Era)

My Grandfather - WW1
Two Uncles - Korea
Two of the four of my favorite Aunts son's - Vietnam.
One cousin - Desert Storm

I just "happened" to stop by a local veteran's memorial park in Fort Collins and ran into several members of my Marine Corps League Detachment 1250.
There was some flag waving, moment of silence, saluting, a trumpet player (Korea vet) and a few hand shakes.

my 3 brothers............all 4 of us were military. I am the only one left.

My Dad, George, joined the Nebraska Army National Guard before WW2. Was activated and patrolled the beach in Southern California, then went ashore in Normandy a month after D-Day and fought across France, awarded a Silver Star [coulthart.com] for action near Nancy France. Was with Patton's 3rd Army relieving Bastogne in the Battle of the Bulge. Was discharged after the War. He died in 1996.
His younger brother, Elwin, served in the Army Air Corps in the Pacific during WW2 as an aircraft mechanic. He died in 2004.
His youngest brother, Gene, served in the Air Force as a pilot. He was killed in a crash caused by extreme turbulence while piloting a C-47 near Elko, Nevada in 1952.