Your Family's Military History

@Jim Schue and I had an excellent conversation about our family's military past.

In this thread I'd like for our members to share their family lineage through their military service.

I've had family members who have served in the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Mexican-American War, Civil War, World War II, & Vietnam War.

We also share relation to a member of the Lewis & Clark expedition. I am a direct descendant of George Rogers Clark.

I have had several members in the military but my grandpa was the only one actually in combat in WWII. He was in the navy and stationed on a ship in Asia pacific ocean area.

I had family members serve in the NY militia in the Revolutionary War. Also had family members fight in the Civil War.

Not sure about any of the others.

A great uncle fought with the British during World War 2. He escaped from the Germans, twice. Used to love hearing his stories about that.

I've had family members who have served in the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Mexican-American War, Civil War, World War II, & Vietnam War.

 

We also share relation to a member of the Lewis & Clark expedition. I am a direct descendant of George Rogers Clark.

How can that be? George Rogers Clark never had any children.

The most notable from my family was Dr. Arad Harvey Mann. He was with Custer until just before Little Big Horn. He’s google-able anyway.

My dad is really into our family genealogy and has written a history of his life.

Cool story, about a year ago, my dad got a call from a firearm dealer in Illinois. The man had a Winchester 1866 rifle with Dr. Arad Harvey Mann’s name on it. The dealer did a little research, and kept finding my dad’s name. The guy contacted my dad when he just so happened to be visiting Illinois. They met up and he was able to purchase a 150ish year old rifle that belonged to an ancestor. It’s pretty neat.

I’m also related to a guy who was at Lexington and Concord. Captain Joseph Parker.

My grandfather was in the navy in the pacific during WWII.

One of my hobbies developed more recently is genealogy. The farthest ancestors that I can trace back on American soil (Native American ancestors excluded) are several members of the 1598 Juan de Onate expedition into present day New Mexico. That's 20+ years before the Mayflower would arrive on the east coast. Those soldiers were what most know as "conquistadors," many wearing armor, some with armor for their horses.

Descended from them are many serving in a variety of military fields and wars. Five of my dad's six uncles were in WWII. The youngest had to go to a different state and lie about his age to enlist. All survived. Dad himself was in the US Army when Vietnam happened and he served two tours of duty. A niece of mine is a Marine and has been deployed to the Middle East.

Family on my mom's side has been much more difficult to trace. One of my favorite uncles was in the Navy during the Korean War. A great-uncle was in WWII. We do have Civil War ancestors, but I've struggled to trace lines on that side much beyond the early 1800s, so I don't have any conclusive proof of a revolutionary soldier.

Grandfather on moms side served in WW2.

Some relative on dads side served for the French army and is on the arc de triomphe Grillot

How can that be? George Rogers Clark never had any children.

I shouldn't have said direct descendant. Should have said "share relations".

Not too long ago, a family member of mine posted a list of all family members who have served, dating all the way back to a handful of relatives that served in the Civil War. No one that would be recognized as famous, but someone in my family closely related to me (a great Uncle of some sort, or child of a great Uncle) has served in every conflict since the Civil War. Several have died in combat, and others bore the scars of war. My Great Uncle who I got to know, suffered sever physical and mental trauma during the Korean War. And I have an Uncle who died of brain cancer a couple years ago, who served in Vietnam. It was the same form of brain cancer many Vietnam Vets have gotten that has been traced to exposure to Agent Orange.

Great-grandfather (whom I met when he was 93) served in the Spanish-American War. His father served in the Civil War (state of New Hampshire). My dad was in ROTC in college, entered the service in 1954 as a 2nd looie and came out two years later as a first. I was born in Fort Jackson, SC. The medical bill for my birth came to seven dollars and change. My parents told me they got what they paid for.

My dad was in the Normandy invasion on D-Day June 6, 1944. He landed at Omaha Beach. He passed away in 1995. He would occasionally say a few things when asked about the invasion but he didn’t like to talk about it.

My brother was in Vietnam.

In our family cemetery there’s several relatives that fought with the Union during the Civil War.