I come from a family of veterans, My father and two of my uncles served in the South Pacific in World War 2. My Uncle Fran was killed in the Battle of Peleliu. My Aunt served as a Wave stateside. Memorial Day was an important holiday for our family. My Dad would put on his uniform to march in the Memorial Day parade in Stamford, CT.
A Premonition
On the day that my uncle was killed in the South Pacific my grandmother awoke in Connecticut because she had heard someone at the door. That was the story that I was told and knowing my grandmother, I believe it. My uncle’s death had a profound effect on the family as one can imagine. My grandmother was not the only Gold Star mother in Stamford, she was one of many.
Stamford, CT
New Canaan, CT
Most of the family lived in Stamford, CT in the early years. I lived in Veteran housings for almost 12 years. My cousins lived in the nearby town of New Canaan, CT. They were always involved in Memorial Day observances as evidenced in this photo taken in the 1950s.
New Ipswich, NH
New Ipswich does a wonderful job of observing Memorial Day, However the observance is scheduled a week in advance of the official date. This is done so that our small town could secure the services of a band and color guard. We have two parades, speeches, decorations of the water and a reading of the names of the fallen.
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Thank you John for your service and your families service and sacrifice. I can only imagine what life was like back then, when service to our country was common place and expected.
Every family was affected by the war effort during the second world war. They all had “skin in the game”. Vietnam was different, although it was the first televised war. Now I fear most of conflicts are ignored. Remember how easy we jumped into the Iraq invasion? Madness.
Reading your Memorial Day Observance and thinking about the freedom we take for granted and those who put their lives in danger for this freedom. You and the veterans in your family are among those. I remember “he’ll no, we won’t go” but you did. I also think of the way veterans are cheated of the care they deserve. Thank you for your service, John.
Thanks for your service. And for the posting and photography.
Bill
Thanks for your service. And for the posting and photography.
Bill Niemi