52 Ancestors Week 21: Military

Question

Ready for Week 21 of the 52 Ancestors challenge?

Please share with us a profile of an ancestor or relative who matches this week's theme:

Military

From Amy Johnson Crow:

The theme for Week 21 is "Military." Who fought in the military? Who worked to stay out of the military? What discoveries have you made using military records?

 

Share below!

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Comments

My father in law, Donald Cooper, had a Navy story they could have made a movie about.  He flew border missions before the space technology and had a crash survival story.  I put it into a book for the grand children to understand (still trying to get it put online).  He had some great stories, here is another one that was published:  Mutiny at Johnsville Naval Air Station - 1956.  Thanks for supporting our veterans.

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Honoring my father, Richard "Frank" Armistead (Armistead-1067), who served with the 351st Bomb Group, Eighth Air Force, stationed in Polebrook, England 1943-45.  Other military ancestors include: Dana Samuel Jaquith (Jaquith-150), Josiah Stebbins (Stebbins-1199), William Virgil Homer Armistead (Armistead-1116), both sides of the Civil War; John Armistead 3rd (Armistead-417), War of 1812; Lt. Timothy Wentworth Jr. (Wentworth-2071), Revolutionary War...as well as Ensign Jonas Woods (Woods-6007) and a few other Revolutionary War Armisteads and Breedloves I'm still researching.

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My Pop Served in Englands Royal Navy as signalman . I'm still working on copying his service record

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Bains-133

Also His father served in Englands Air force and was stationed in Palenstine among many other places like the seuz Canal. I still have to find his military records

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Bains-134

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My father, Emory "Jack" Wilcox served in the CBI Theater in World War 2, as part of the Merrill's Marauders in Burma. https://www.wikitree.com/index.php?title=Wilcox-6935&action=edit

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I have relatives who served in WWII. Donald "Duke" Spittler served in the 99th Infantry Division as a second lieutenant. He was awarded the Bronze Star for outstanding service during the Battle of the Bulge. Edward Weimer was a member of 17th Airborne Division, 3rd Battalion, I Company, 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment Combat Team. He died on Dec. 27, 1944 and was awarded the Purple Heart.

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Some of my relatives served in the Revolutionary War in particular John George Hoffman 1735-1789, William Ward 1746-1795. Brothers Jonathan, Timothy and Samuel Avery, sons of Jonathan and Mary Farnsworth Avery were all killed in the Revolutionary War.

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Relatives in Civil War; Garrett Avery; Jacob Knoll son of Catherine Spittler Knoll; John, Fred, Peter and Charles Glosser sons of Catherine Metz Glosser. John Avery served in the NY Volunteer Infantry, Co. D, 146th Regiment from 1862-1865. He was captured in 1864 and spent time in Andersonville Prison, GA. Read John's obituary at http://seiz2day.com/sbmerk/family/obits/johnavery.html which includes Letter from John Avery in Andersonville Prison, Excerpted from "Yankee Letters from Andersonville Prison." Georgia Historical Quarterly 38 (1954): 394-98.

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My Great Grandfather fought in WW1, His name is William George Sayle he was a Private.

He received the Star, British War and the Victory Medal.

Which I have tried to trace his original medals through the family but without any luck, so I have had to order order replica medals to honour him...

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My paternal grandfather,  https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Truslow-201, was career US Navy.  He graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1926, and was stationed at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, FL, before being transferred to Pearl Harbor as part of a Patrol Bombing Squad.  He was commander of the USS Swan during the attack on Pearl Harbor, and went on to command the USS Kenneth Whiting after WWII.

Also in Dad's family was Thomas Jones, https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Jones-77989, of the Confederate States of America., 425th District Georgia Militia.  I'm currently trying to dig up more info on "Major" Jones.

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My father served in World WarII, Francis Patrick Dorgan SR.  He also survived D Day, The Depression, A major illness as a young boy, his twin birth-his sister Eleanor died soon after birth. My dad was fragile at birth but kept striving to live! It surprised  the doctor and my  grandmother, Marie Bock, who was told my father would die soon that day. My father will always be my hero in many ways. He model many strengths for me during my childhood. I need to research his military life and share more through the WWII tag.

Answer 1

Johann Daniel Koerth https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Koerth-19 was the first Civil War ancestor that I knew of.  A cousin of mine sent me his widow's declaration for a pension from Manitowoc County, Wisconsin.

The Koerth family emigrated to America from Posen Province, Prussia in 1857.  Arriving in New York, the party was tossing their items from the ship Louisiana onto a smaller boat in the harbor.  Daniel was in the smaller boat and he failed to catch a jar of butter and a pillowcase which were tossed to him.  The pillowcase contained the address of the place where they were headed in America. After many adventures, the Koerth family ended up in Manitowoc County.

Daniel was drafted into the Union army 29th December 1864.  The 13th Wisconsin Infantry was made up mainly of German-speaking immigrants like himself.  The jaundice that ended his life in 1871 had its origin in the privations the regiment suffered marching across Texas--after the war was over.  "Proceeding with the brigade to Green Lake the regiment suffered severely from the long march of twenty-four miles, the scarcity of water and other hardships. They remained in camp until the 11th of September, having suffered much from sickness, produced by the heat of the climate and the lack of a vegetable diet. Many died here who had gone through the whole war without being sick.  On the 11th the brigade started on a march of 145 miles to San Antonio. The heat at starting was excessive, towards night a storm arose and the temperature chanced; the men suffered severely from the chill, and many were left next day in hospital.  Arriving within seven and a half miles of San Antonio, on the 24th of September, the brigade went into camp and remained until orders came in November to muster out the regiment. The papers were made out, and on the 24th the men were mustered out and ordered to proceed to Madison to be discharged from service." (quote from an online regimental history)

Daniel Koerth was mustered out 24 Nov 1865.  The regiment lost during service 5 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 188 enlisted men by disease.  The pension file contains several affidavits by relatives and neighbors stating that Daniel was never well thereafter.     

Answer 2

For both myself and my wife, we can find dozens of ancestors that served in most major conflicts in our country's history. Revolution, 1812, Civil War (both sides), WW1, WW2, Korea and Vietnam. In addition, we have several others that served in times of no conflicts.

But for this post I want to single out James Harve Richmond, Richmond-3196 - my Great Grand Uncle. He appears to be the only ancestor to have been killed in a war. Wounded in a skirmish in Arkansas during the Civil War and died from those wounds a few days later as a prison of war. He is buried in a mass grave along with many others that died in that same conflict.

I also want to recognize my nephew Tyler who joined the Army this past week. Following in the footsteps of his dad, a few uncles, and his grandfather.

Answer 3

Both of my great uncles served in WWII; Jim Jett came home but Bill Jett didn't.  My mother has all of the family letters from that time, including the one where Bill gives a coded message to tell his family and fiancee his approximate location... he mentions a fictitious relative starting on a project with a "new zeal and vigor!"  Censors missed that one.  He died in the South Pacific.

Answer 4

"Who's strong and brave and here to save the American waay?"

https://allroadhaverhill.blogspot.com/2019/05/52-ancestors-week-21-military.html

This week I talk about my grandfathers, Robert Hamel and Marco Ferraiolo. Both guys, to me, were basically Captain America. Check the blog out and remember...Each bond you buy is a bullet in the barrel of your best guy's gun. *salute*

Answer 5

This is a photo of my husband, who flew an HH-43, rescue helicopter in Vietnam. Two years before he flew a C-141 with supplies, and he often flew wounded and bodies back from Vietnam. His family and mine have ancestors in all the wars that the United States has been involved in. Both our fathers were in WWII. My father’s body is lost at sea off the coast of Japan. and my great uncle is buried in France. My grandfather was a medic in WWI, and I am very thankful that my husband, my father-in-law and my grandfather returned to our families.

Answer 6

Nathan Lyon (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Lyon-1113) Was very active in the Revolutionary War.  He answered the Lexington alarm, was at the Siege of Boston, went to Quebec, fought around Ticonderoga.  One of his enlistments ended just before the battle of Saratoga.  He is also noted as serving later during the War of 1812 as well.

Answer 7

Like many other wikitreers, I have many ancestors that served in the military throughout U.S. history.  I am proud of all of them but I can't think "Military" without bringing to mind a picture of my father Ray Short.  

He LOVED the Navy so very much.  He joined when he was just 17 years old and served in Korea and Viet Nam.  My love for my country was instilled in me by him.  This year will mark five years since he passed away.  I have attempted to write a biography for him but every time I have tried, I just wasn't able to do it.  I am feeling stronger these days, so I might try again soon.  I am a little embarrassed about the state of his profile but I am so proud to have been his daughter.  Go Navy!

Answer 8

Iv'e had several ancestors fight in the revolution. My 4x GGF, Pvt. Josiah Baldwin  was an artificer at Fishkill, NY. His eldest brother, Col. Jeduthan Baldwin, built the Mt. Independence infrastructure in Orwell, VT and kept one of the most concise diaries of the Revolution. The next oldest brother, Capt. Isaac Baldwin, died from wounds at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Another brother, Col. Nahum Baldwin served with the NH Militia. My uncles, brothers of Josiah's wife, Dolly Green, all served in the Revolution. All were MA Minute Men. Two died at Bunker Hill. One died at the Battle of New Jersey. Zeeb Green was the only brother to survive and fought in every major battle in the war. Josiah, Zeeb and their families settled in Chittenden, VT after the war. My3x GGF, Edward Flood fought with the MN military for the Union during the Civil War. My Uncle Jim Baldwin was a Marine and fought on Iwo Jima. My Uncle Ben was with the Army. He was a 20-year-old MSgt. and out on patrol when they were ambushed and killed during the May Massacre (Soyang River Battle) in Korea. I honor all who served so nobly! Carol (Baldwin-3428)

Answer 9

My 4th GGrandfather was Capt Andrew Sharp, who fought with George Washington in the American Revolution.  He served as a Pennsylvania militia officer during the Revolutionary War, enlisting in March 1776 as a footsoldier. He would enlist on three separate occasions and reportedly served with General George Washington. He participated in the Battle of Long Island and the Battle of Brandywine and was appointed to the rank of captain by General Washington. At the Battle of Trenton Ferry he was cited for heroism.  He died in 1794, after one of the last Indian attacks in Pa., while moving his family from Pa to Kentucky.   He was recovering well, until July 4 rolled around, when cannons were shot in Pittsburgh, to celebrate America's independence.  The percussion loosened the clot of his wound, and he died a few days later. PS: Alexis Lovelace is related to him, too.

Comments

Thank you for writing about our wonderful ancestor Capt. Andrew Sharp, and I learned something more about him. I never knew why he died later on   after being wounded. Thanks for the good information on our 4th great grandfather, and the photos you added to his profile are great.

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Alexis, one of his daughters wrote a story about his death.  It's "all over" the internet, so I thought you had seen it.  If not, let me send you the link in email.

Answer 10

The recent free access to some of the U.S. Civil War records on Fold3 gave me an opportunity to learn more about Margaret (Yerkes) Winget through her widow's pension file.  Her husband Caleb enlisted in Co. G of the 8th Michigan Infantry in February 1864 when he was about 42 years old.  Unfortunately, there is no record explaining why he chose to do this at an older age with a wife and four children. 

His service turned out to be brief as on 5 July 1864 Caleb died of wounds received at Cold Harbor, Virginia.  Margaret applied for a widow's pension the following month and among the paperwork was some unexpected detail about his death.

One of the papers included in the file is a printed form with the heading "Harewood Hospital near Washington, D.C." which begins "Sir: I have to inform you of the death this day, of Private _______ of Company ___ ____ Regiment _____ Disease, _____  His effects consist of __________
Very respectfully,  your obedient servant ___________ "

It was surprising to see a form specifically printed for Privates.  In Caleb's case the "disease" was filled in with "wounded in the thigh" and the effects line crossed out and the comment added "died praying" and it was signed by a chaplain named T.B. (or F.B.) McFalls. I found a 36 year old "T.B. McFalls" on the 1870 Census living in Washington, D.C. who gave his occupation as preacher who may be the person who signed the form.

Some additional information about chaplains during the civil war can be found on these sites:
http://www.civilwarmed.org/chaplains/
https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2016/spring/chaplains.html

After learning a bit more about what chaplains did I'm wondering if Caleb was able to send a last letter home.

Answer 11

I have so many it is difficult to select just one, but I think I would like to present to you my first cousin twice removed Lieut Edwin Alfred "Ted" Paul MID.  (And that's pronounced "leftenant", not "LOOtenant"!)

Ted signed up for the Great War at age 14, but didn't see any action as he was a Midshipman in training at the Officer Training Facility, Jervis Bay, New South Wales until 1920.

Ted, by then aged 36 years and 8 months, signed up for military service with the Australian Army on the 31st May 1940.  He was sent to the Middle East, where he was first reported as Missing In Action (9th November 1942), then reported Missing believed POW (18th November); and confirmed as POW (2nd December 1942).

Ted escaped from his final Prisoner of War camp (he was in three different ones) and made his way to Switzerland, via Italy (reported 30th November 1943: entered Switzerland from Italy).  He was reported "released from Switzerland 11/10/44" on the 22nd November 1944.

Edwin's report to the Army lists the Prisoner of War camps, dates held there and the conditions of them:

• Bari: 5th November 1942 to 19th February 1943 ― conditions poor, rations (quantity and quality) very bad. Behaviour of Camp Staffs: petty and bullying.

• Sulmona: 20th February 1943 to 21st July 1943 ― conditions fair, rations (quantity and quality) very bad. Behaviour of Camp Staffs: petty and bullying.

• Bologna: 22nd July 1943 to 12th September 1943 ― conditions fair, rations (quantity and quality) fair. Behaviour of Camp Staffs: good.

Ted died on the 22nd October 1946, in the Concord (New South Wales) Military Hospital; the cause due to War Service (has to have been the POW experience plus the escape).

His only biological child*, a daughter (Vicki Edwina known as Tedi), was born on the 14th November.

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* Ted had informally adopted the son of his common law wife (and the boy, him), to where the boy** changed his name legally to Paul; and thus I have cousins by adoption from that branch of my family. 

** Can't name him here as he was still living last I checked.

Answer 12

My grandparents lived next door to a man who was a professional wrestler on television.  He retired early and went around the country in the 1970's and 80's making movies of different sites on his 8mm movie camera.  He had always had a movie camera and was making movies since the 60's.

He and his wife did not have children.  She died first and when he died, he had no descendants and family.  My grandparents had passed and my father was still friends with him.  My father was asked to help sort his things for the probate.  He came across two huge boxes of 8mm film in film cans.  The probate officer said that he could take them.  They sat in those boxes for years.

About a decade later, my father did some work for a Hollywood film editor and the man offered him - in trade - to turn all of the 8mm films into VHS tapes.  And so, for the next two or three years, on a Friday night, my father would watch these tapes and have a look at his friend's travels in the 70's and 80's: Niagara Falls, the Grand Canyon, Washington DC, and all sorts of other places.

One weekend, my dad popped in a tape and was surprised to see a jungle scene.  He noticed at once the familiar straw hats worn by Vietnamese villagers - he got a sinking feeling and a bit of a panic - he immediately recognized that the film was shot in Vietnam.  He then saw a truckload of US Marines drive by and he had a flashback to his tour in '65-66.  "What is this?" he thought.  And then, he saw a man in uniform that he recognized, it was one of the men he served with in Vietnam.  His brain raced and he couldn't quite understand what he was seeing.  A flood of emotions rushed over him and then finally, in a crystal moment, he remembered:

A man in his unit owned an 8mm movie camera and my father asked if he could borrow it.  The man said yes he could, if he bought his own film.  My father purchased one spool of film, shot it around base and at the local village and then mailed it home to his mother.  My grandmother gave it to the neighbor to develop and when it came back from the developers, rather than go to my grandmother, it went into the big box of films.

And so, about 30 years later, my father discovered the film that he shot in Vietnam.  Towards the end of the reel, my father must have handed the camera to his buddy and the film is of him, standing knee keep in mud, wearing his green fatigues, an M-14 rifle in hand, grinning like the 19 year old kid that he was.

He looks just like me (or I like him) and I have a photo of me in Iraq in uniform, next to the photo of him in Vietnam in uniform, the pair of us could almost be twins.

I still have that film in its can and the VHS tape.  I plan to transfer it digitally and upload it.

Comments

Wow! That is an amazing story.  I would love to see the footage once you get it uploaded.

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What Caryl said!

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Edited to correct an autocorrected name.  I hate autocorrect!

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That is an amazing story, SJ. =O Save those film reels. Get them digitized!

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Wonderful story, and interesting to see how things come into our lives that we think we will never see. Thanks for sharing this.

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Amazing. Thank you for your family's military service in many generations.

Answer 13

Many of the men on both sides of my family, as well as my husband's family, served in the military from the Revolutionary War up to and including the Afghan and Irag conflicts in recent years, but the one I will talk about here is my husband's grandfather, William Arthur Shaules. He was born in 1864 and lived a long and adventurous life. During one period of his life he served in the U.S. Army during the Spanish American War in the Philippines. He served from 1898 - 1899. Then during WWI, when he was already in his 50s, he reenlisted in 1918, was discharged in 1921 and reenlisted again serving until 1922. During WWI he served in France. 

Answer 14

Introducing Thomas Edward Laws Moore who was a Captain in the British Navy and became Governor of the Falkland Islands in 1862.

He is a direct ancestor of Sean Du Pré Moore, a friend of mine from the boatyard, and was the first profile I completed when I entered Sean's tree onto Wikitree.

Answer 15

I have multiple military servers in my line. I have direct line ancestors in all US wars from Iraq back thru King Phillip's War, except WWI and Spanish American War, which are "covered" by an uncle and cousin, respectively. 

My son Christopher is active duty Army with 3 years to go to retirement. He is an E-7 in the US Army currently stationed in Alaska. He served 4 tours in Iraq, Afghanistan x2, and Korea. I am very proud of him and his service.

I am also a veteran of the US Army. I served as a Patient Care Specialists in the 1980's. My service pictures are on my profile.

https://www.wikitree.com/photo/jpg/Ford-12624-3

Answer 16

Revolutionary War pension files have provided me with very detailed information about not only the individual soldier but also family members.  One lesson I took away from when a cousin of mine finally substantiated my great-grandmother's claim of being descended from a veteran of the Revolution: name spellings varied.  Dramatically.  People had been searching for 'Coss' for decades, when they should have been looking for Kast/Kort/Cort.  Modern researchers (at least this one) often take Soundex for granted.

Answer 17

This is my grandfather's half brother, Private William Urquhart, 

https://www.wikitree.com/index.php?title=Urquhart-1362&public=1

who was born in Scotland in 1891, travelled to Australia in 1913 and worked building fences and trapping Rabbits in New South Wales until War broke out. He enlisted in Australia in 1915 and was killed in action in France in 1917.

Answer 18

This week’s theme is perfect as I’ve been researching the life of my 2x great uncle, Lyman Thurl Spradlin. 

He joined the US Army at the tail end of World War I and was sent directly into the deepest parts of battle in the forests of France with the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. He was wounded the final days of September by shrapnel and died on October 3, 1918. Initially buried in France, he was repatriated in 1923, I believe, and a grand funeral was held for him in Oran, Missouri.

Since researching him, I’ve often felt as if he was just caught up in the war, not really meaning to go or thinking they’d need him as he was married and supported his family. His death saddens me and researching the Meuse-Argonne Offensive and the Lost Battalion, occurring just days after his death, has been a stark reminder of the terrors of war.

I wrote a little bit more about him and have a few other pictures over on my blog if you're interested.

Answer 19

52 Ancestors Weeks 21: Military

My second great grandfather [[Floyd-3662|James Foundation Floyd]] was born in Union, Kentucky. He was married and had five children when the civil war broke out on April 12, 1861. He enlisted on the Confederate side of the war and was in Company H8. 

Unfortunately, he was taken prisoner. He was taken to one of the worst places possible during the civil war - Camp Douglas in Chicago, Illinois, near the shores of Lake Michigan.  The stories that have been told about Camp Douglas are terrible, and it has been said that 1 out of 5 prisoners died. 

The Confederate soldiers were treated even more horribly than the other prisoners. They were made to wear sack cloths with the head and arm holes cut-out. Having the prisoners dress like this also discourages escapes. 

The guards withheld food rations, and deprived the prisoners of their blankets. This  is why 6,000 soldiers died there.

The picture that I shared with you is one of 16 bronze tablets with the names of prisoners that died at Camp Douglas. In the lower right corner, you will see my 2nd great grandfather, James Floyd.

He died at Camp Douglas on March 12, 1865.  He is buried in Camp Nelson National Cemetery.

Other than the stories that have been written by other people, our family does not really know what our grandfather had to suffer as a prisoner at Camp Douglas. It was probably better for his wife and children not to know. 

When he died he was only 40 years and 11 days old.

Comments

Thank you Cheryl for sharing this about your grandfather James. I only recently have read about the awful conditions during the Civil War. It is hard to comprehend how bad it was and not that long ago.

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Cheryl, I also had several relatives who died of deliberate neglect at Camp Douglas. You are exactly right about the treatment there. Since it was government policy, this makes it much worse than any prison in the South, including Andersonville.

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I am sorry to hear you had relatives there also, Pip. They were treated horribly. I have read many stories about Camp Douglas and none of them said anything nice about the treatment of the prisoners.

So sad, and especially on Memorial Day, we remember our War Heroes, and thank them for what they had to endure.

Thanks cousin. Love to you and yours.

Answer 20

My great-grandfather, Leonard Charles Utting, served in two separate military services for two different countries—and his service is the reason why he eventually met and married my great-grandmother.

He started out serving as a Seaman for the British Royal Navy aboard the Pembroke I in October 1899, and later aboard the Archer. In December 1902, according to his Royal Navy records he was "discharged at own request" at shore in New Zealand. This is different than the truth according to my grandmother, who talked about his immigration to New Zealand with her father-in-law on several occasions.

According to her, he was actually an overstayer, which was not uncommon for the time. However, the British military did not want to admit that their servicemen were essentially abandoning them in new locations and so, while they were in fact discharged at their own request on shore, this is not the story that they told the families back home.

After World War I began, the British military began recruiting both from their own country and from their colonies. In New Zealand at least, the military offered New Zealand citizenship to any British militarymen who had stayed in New Zealand ("overstayers") if they would sign up with the New Zealand Defence Force for the war, and Charlie signed with the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces, a section of the Army, as a Linesman. 

It was his name being listed as a recruit in British newspapers which led to his family back in Norwich discovering that he was still alive—after he had not returned home with the Navy, his family had presumed that he had died at sea.

After returning home from the war on a medical discharge, due to falling ill while serving in Mesopotamia, Charlie discovered that his first wife had been unfaithful to him while he had been serving overseas and they divorced in Wellington where they lived, and Charlie later re-married to my great-grandmother Winifred Mabel Taylor. 

As Winifred was born in New Zealand, there is little doubt in my mind that had Charlie not served with the British Royal Army, no matter how short his tenure was, he would never have met Winifred and thus my branch of the New Zealand Uttings would not exist.