Veterans Day.
It’s the day we remember those who served, those who never
came home, and those whose sacrifice saved lives, preserved a union, and freed
nations.
I try to put together my own list every year of those known
ancestors of mine who served, and I find that I discover more every year. It
makes me proud, of course, but it also reminds me that as I research these ancestors
throughout the year, so it was that they lived with their service every single
day of their lives. Their memories were not put on hold and brought out just on
one day a year, but every day. Perhaps because of physical injury, perhaps
because of the sheer horror that remained in their psyche, they lived with those
experiences. It makes me wonder who are we to relegate their bravery, their
steadfastness, their patriotism, to just one day.
Every day should be Veterans Day, because as I see it, we
owe them nothing less.
And now, my personal Roll of Honor as I know it to be (there
are more, I am certain).
Thank you, all, for the sacrifices you and your families
made.
*Thomas Wells, Massachusetts, Member of the Ancient and
Honorable Artillery of Massachusetts
*Jonathan Massey, Revolutionary War minuteman, Salem, New
Hampshire
*Capt. Philemon Waters, Revolutionary War, Virginia
*Edward Askins, Revolutionary War, Virginia
*James Officer, Revolutionary War, Virginia
*Major George Bruton, Revolutionary War, Virginia/South
Carolina
*Walter Wake, Civil War, Union, Company C, 20th
Illinois, wounded at the Battle of Shiloh
Robert Carter, Civil War, Union, killed in Georgia during
Sherman’s March
*Andrew Lawson, Civil War, Union
*John Robert Mawson, Civil War, Union
*James Zook, Civil War, Union
*John D. Alexander, Civil War, Union, 8th KS and
8th Wisc. Battery
Ralph John Carter, WWII, killed in action, buried in The
Netherlands National Cemetery
Robert Reeve, WWII, Iwo Jima
Major Frank Reeve, WWII, Iwo Jima
*denotes a direct ancestor
