Veterans Day Musings: Family Heroes

First of all, I love this picture. It makes my heart happy to see it, and yet bittersweet, too, because I miss these fine folks.

My Dad’s family had many World War II veterans, including my Grandpa Joe (pictured above; and who my own son, Joe, is named after). If I recall correctly, all of Grandpa Joe’s siblings were involved in the military or women’s auxiliary during this time. Grandpa Joe was stationed in England for the Air Force and was a radio guy who flew bombing raids over Europe; Great Uncle Ham (not his real name but the nickname I knew him by – he was a real ham radio enthusiast) was in the Pacific for the Navy; and Great Uncle Butch (also his beloved nickname) was on the ground in Italy in the Army. Plus one of their sisters, my Great Aunt Tillie (also pictured above) was in the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps.

Once in awhile, I think about what that was like for their parents – the worry and concern they must have faced at home with three sons overseas fighting for freedom. My mom just emailed me a copy of a letter that my Grandpa sent to his parents. What an amazing keepsake to read and cherish!

As for my Great Aunt Tillie, I’ve always found it inspiring that she, as woman during the 1940s, would serve in this capacity as well and initially I wondered what WAAC was all about. Here’s what I found:

“Over 150,000 American women served in the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) during World War 11. Members of the WAC were the first women other than nurses to serve within the ranks of the United States Army. Both the Army and the American public initially had difficulty accepting the concept of women in uniform. However, political and military leaders, faced with fighting a two-front war and supplying men and materiel for that war while continuing to send lend-lease material to the Allies, realized that women could supply the additional resources so desperately needed in the military and industrial sectors. Given the opportunity to make a major contribution to the national war effort, women seized it. By the end of the war their contributions would be widely heralded.”

I’m not surprised Tillie wanted to be involved in this way – she was a strong, independent-minded female and she would’ve been committed to helping however she could.

I know so many people over the years who have served for our country – including my father-in-law, Norman, who fought in the Korean War – and many other relatives and friends. I am so grateful for my family members and the sacrifices they made for our country. To all veterans, I say thank you and Happy Veterans Day.