Memorial Day

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Originally Posted by riser3

https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/25/polit...ide/index.html

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Not soldiers killed in battle of course, but Holocaust survivors also appear to have an increased suicide rate as they age, compared to their peers. The common threads are harrowing, prolonged, life threatening experiences and perhaps survivor's guilt. The old do start to dwell on the past--the present is one day same as the last and the next. There is no future.

It wouldn't be wrong to remember the civilian war dead on Memorial Day--there is no other day set aside. We in North America have been spared, at least in this century and the last. Europeans and Asians not so lucky.

My great-great-great grandfather, William McNiel, Private, Company K, 43rd Indiana Volunteer Infantry. His company is credited with capturing the courthouse during the Battle of Memphis. 2 weeks later they had crossed the Mississippi and he was wounded in action at the Battle of Adams Bluff in Arkansas on June 30, 1862.

He was permanently disabled, and received a disability pension, but went on to father 7 children. He died 30 years after the war, but the cause of death is listed as “complications from bullet wound during Civil War”. So the VA considers him as KIA.

Several years back I received word that his original gravestone had been vandalized. He is in a small church cemetery in Indiana, and high school punks used a sledge hammer to destroy many old tombstones. I contacted the VA and they were great. They Immediately made a new official military tombstone. It says on it “KIA Civil War 1891”, recognizing that he died of his battlefield wounds.



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I spoke at a rededication of the grave of a disabled WWII vet who killed himself with a knife in 1950. I learned a few things.

2022 Bump


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Originally Posted by Harry

My great-great-great grandfather, William McNiel, Private, Company K, 43rd Indiana Volunteer Infantry. His company is credited with capturing the courthouse during the Battle of Memphis. 2 weeks later they had crossed the Mississippi and he was wounded in action at the Battle of Adams Bluff in Arkansas on June 30, 1862.

He was permanently disabled, and received a disability pension, but went on to father 7 children. He died 30 years after the war, but the cause of death is listed as “complications from bullet wound during Civil War”. So the VA considers him as KIA.

Several years back I received word that his original gravestone had been vandalized. He is in a small church cemetery in Indiana, and high school punks used a sledge hammer to destroy many old tombstones. I contacted the VA and they were great. They Immediately made a new official military tombstone. It says on it “KIA Civil War 1891”, recognizing that he died of his battlefield wounds.



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Not a relative of mine, but for some reason this sailor's story has always intrigued me:

Seaman Leonard Ray Davis of Tempe AZ. On April 17, 1972 was killed in action while serving on the destroyer USS BUCHANAN. The destroyer was offshore providing Naval Gunfire Support for some US Marines near the DMZ. A Marine company was overrun by an entire battalion of North Vietnamese regulars and the survivors were headed down a river to a beach where helicopters could pick them up. 5 North Vietnamese tanks appeared on the beach to cutoff the Marine survivors. The destroyer moved in so close to the beach that they came under direct fire from shore. The tanks were destroyed by the destroyers guns and the Marines were rescued. However there were 7 wounded and 1 killed onboard the BUCHANAN. Seaman Davis was only casualty in the entire Vietnam War involving an ocean going vessel and small arms fire from shore.




On the left giving the peace sign.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...4bd9116e17.jpg


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I'm 100% grateful to all the vets here and everywhere. My dad talked me out of the Air Force Academy when I was 17. Said he served so hopefully I wouldn't have to. I'll be seeing him up at Arlington July 1st when we take my mom's ashes up there to be buried with him. His death was declared combat related but not exactly a blaze of glory. Wounded twice in Vietnam and his death in 2006 was due to PTSD related illnesses.

Big salute to all those who paid the ultimate price so we didn't have to.

We're spending part of the weekend re-watching Band of Brothers. Very hard to watch and it really drives home the tragedy of war. So many young men dying so far from home.

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Originally Posted by Harry

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fkna my

sips poured
https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...080&fit=bounds
for those who gave all
https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...080&fit=bounds
merica fuck yeahs
https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...080&fit=bounds
luv it enough to serve it
hope to see ya this summer

"They answered when called;
Asked for little and got less.
They made us poorer for their passing
But richer for their sacrifice.
In remembering the dead,
We embrace the living.
For we ought to remember
Better than we do." Stephen Banko

Thank you to all that served. Deepest respect to those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Thank you for keeping this thread renewed.

I went to high school with this guy.

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries...ary?id=7353206

I didn't really know him. Very high likelihood he was a burn pit casualty. Ya, I know, not a wound sustained in combat. Well, I sure hope burn pits get a lot more attention as they appear to be killing soldiers exposed during their service. [And what about the civilians downwind, the people who have to live there?] VT has had more than a few suspicious cancer deaths among it's soldiers.

This guy:

https://www.wcax.com/2021/11/08/batt...t-dies-cancer/

And this guy:

https://ycancer.org/index.php/25-art...r-cancer-fight

Drinks poured out for these people I didn't know, that died because they were serving those they didn't know.

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Originally Posted by old goat

We're spending part of the weekend re-watching Band of Brothers. Very hard to watch and it really drives home the tragedy of war. So many young men dying so far from home.

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There's a recent Russian drone video their SF clearing a Ukrainian trench lenghtwise. A UA hangs tough and eventually gives his life to give his buddies time to stand to and hold off a Brecourt Manor-style attack. Very hard to watch, but the bravery of the UA soldier is breathtaking...

Cpl Herman Philippson.

1st Ranger Btn Co A. Born in Germany or Poland, date unknown. Farmed in Indiana. Entered the military 11/23/1942 in Toledo. KIA 7/10/1943 Gela, Sicily.

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Originally Posted by Harry

My great-great-great grandfather, William McNiel, Private, Company K, 43rd Indiana Volunteer Infantry. His company is credited with capturing the courthouse during the Battle of Memphis. 2 weeks later they had crossed the Mississippi and he was wounded in action at the Battle of Adams Bluff in Arkansas on June 30, 1862.

He was permanently disabled, and received a disability pension, but went on to father 7 children. He died 30 years after the war, but the cause of death is listed as “complications from bullet wound during Civil War”. So the VA considers him as KIA.

Several years back I received word that his original gravestone had been vandalized. He is in a small church cemetery in Indiana, and high school punks used a sledge hammer to destroy many old tombstones. I contacted the VA and they were great. They Immediately made a new official military tombstone. It says on it “KIA Civil War 1891”, recognizing that he died of his battlefield wounds.

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My Great-great-grandfather Alexander Hoffman, private, was drafted into the 11th Regiment of the North Carolina Infantry at the age of 42. He was a sniper.

For his role in covering Lee's retreat at Second Battle of Gettysburg, he became a guest of the Union Army at Point Lookout, Maryland. The prison's area declined by 1/3 at high tide, and prisoners who gathered in groups of three or more got shot at.

After nine months he was released in a prisoner swap and went back to his unit. He was KIA at Jones Farm VA, two weeks before Lee surrendered at Appomattox.

We're seeing this kind of heroism in Ukraine right now. People of all ages dropped everything and went to fight and are kicking ass on most fronts. Really pulling for them...

Thanks to all of you and yours that served. Even more so to those that gave it all for us.

This came up today and I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank those 4 legged souls that gave their lives for us as well.

Attachment 417710

Gone but not forgotten, great uncle John

Assigned to 564BS, 389BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) mission to Berlin, generator problems soon after take off compromised electrical system, on return leg noted fuel shortage, preparations for ditching carried out. Plane ditched in North Sea. 7 x RTD, 5 x KIA. 9 x crew rescued by Royal Navy motor launch 498, 2 x crew died after rescue. 29-Apr-44. MACR 5473.

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Originally Posted by Harry

My great-great-great grandfather, William McNiel, Private, Company K, 43rd Indiana Volunteer Infantry. His company is credited with capturing the courthouse during the Battle of Memphis. 2 weeks later they had crossed the Mississippi and he was wounded in action at the Battle of Adams Bluff in Arkansas on June 30, 1862.

He was permanently disabled, and received a disability pension, but went on to father 7 children. He died 30 years after the war, but the cause of death is listed as “complications from bullet wound during Civil War”. So the VA considers him as KIA.

Several years back I received word that his original gravestone had been vandalized. He is in a small church cemetery in Indiana, and high school punks used a sledge hammer to destroy many old tombstones. I contacted the VA and they were great. They Immediately made a new official military tombstone. It says on it “KIA Civil War 1891”, recognizing that he died of his battlefield wounds.



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Going through my Mom’s things, found a pic of him.

Attachment 460244


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That’s a cool pic

My family hasn’t lost anybody since World War Two, though each generation always has a few people serve. My dad’s uncle- who had the same first name as me- was lost on Saipan. Everybody on that side of the family assumes I was named after him but my mother said no- claimed she just liked the name. Another uncle was in the Army Air Force. The bomber he was a crew member on went down over Germany and the Army told the family he was KIA but two years later they found him in a POW camp and he showed up home with just a few days notice. Uncle Mike was the happiest, most cheerful guy you could ever want to meet.

Cool. I had a rel in the CW. Got paid to take another man's place in the draft. After a couple of actions he got a dishonorable and went home. IMO, dead is dead. So I'll honor the the soldier who died in an accident loading the ship my dad came home on.

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Originally Posted by Harry

Going through my Mom’s things, found a pic of him.

Attachment 460244


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My GG was Indiana 44th. It’s an unbelievable story. We have his sword and diary. This is just a small piece:

The second commander of the 44th, Col. William C. Williams of Noble County, dealt with allegations of desertion and an upset woman.

Williams, a doctor from Wolf Lake, was named the captain of Company G. He led his company in the battle of Shiloh and the regiment at Stones River until he was captured by the Rebels and sent to Libby Prison in Virginia.

He was eventually freed during a prisoner exchange and rejoined the unit before resigning in July 1863.

After he was released from Libby Prison, he stayed in Philadelphia near his mother. However, it became known that Williams had secretly married the daughter of a former attorney in 1855.

He never lived with her, and left her immediately and even changed his name to hide from her. When he came to Indiana, he divorced her in Adams County without her knowledge.

When his ex-wife found out he was staying in Philadelphia, she tried to have him arrested for desertion. He was jailed for a short time, but the head general sent him back to fight in the war.

After the war, he became the clerk of Noble County, and in 1880 decided to run for office. When his ex-wife discovered this, she began writing to Indianapolis newspapers, calling him a deserter, and threatening to come to Indiana. At this time, Williams was married and had two children.


According to Hobson, Williams wrote in a letter that he had endured a shipwreck, measles and living next door to a guy learning to play the tuba, but as bad those events were, “he could never live with that woman.”

https://www.kpcnews.com/news/latest/...27fe20e99.html

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Originally Posted by Harry

Going through my Mom’s things, found a pic of him.

Attachment 460244


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Cool.

I've got pics of relatives like that but they're wearing the other colors. [emoji15]