Family service histories - An antidote to defeatism

[BLUEHAWK]

With so much talk flying around about who sent whom where for what reason, the thought came to me to ask myself whom, in my own family, have worn the uniform of the United States armed forces, in war and in peace... and to remember their service by name, and branch. How 'bout you?

So far, this is the roster I am sure of (self included):

John, Army enlisted CSA, Missouri theatre (KIA, Wilson's Creek)
Porter, Army enlisted CSA, Arkansas theatre
Frank, Army enlisted Infantry, Rainbow Division, WW l
Donald, Army enlisted MP, WW ll
Vernon, Army enlisted Manhattan Project, West Point, WW ll
Paul, Marine enlisted WW ll (KIA, Iwo Jima)
John, Army enlisted Band, Korea
Keith, Air Force enlisted a/c electrician, Korea, Japan
Jess, Army enlisted Motor Pool, Korea
Mike, Air Force enlisted a/c recip mechanic, ATC, MAAG-VN
Sammie, Air Force enlisted a/c paint shop
Ron, Navy enlisted Recruiter (on active)
Trevor, Navy enlisted SEAL, Afghanistan (on active)



"...We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind."

Rudyard Kipling
(t.f. "Tommy")