Question of the Week: Who are the veterans in your family tree?

Question

Who are the veterans in your family tree? In addition to answering below you can answer or reshare the question on Facebook or use the question image to share your answer with friends and family on other social media.

Comments

Too many to list them all, but for starters: both my parents, my brothers, my maternal uncle (he was my only uncle), my paternal grandparents (yes, both of  them), my paternal grand-uncles (my Granddad's two brothers) and their cousins, my paternal grandmother's brother, my paternal grandmother's father, numerous paternal-line cousins, several maternal cousins (including one who was badly shell-shocked in the second world war). 

Confirmed by records from the 1800s to the first gulf war and the Falkland Islands.  (Possibly others before great-granddad, but I haven't yet gone that far back on that line.)

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To add to the above, I would have to add in two collateral cousins who both died at Vicksburg (US war between the states aka Civil War).

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I know of 6 so far that fought in the Revolutionary War

William Whitefield

Lawrence Van Hook

Thomas Hargis

Dennis O'Briant

William Carver

William Pearce

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My great great grandfather was Ebenezar Allen, Jr. who was in the Connecticut militia.  Also related to Uriah Raymond of Fairfield, Connecticut.

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Me, US Army

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My father, James Oshier

My uncle, Louis Oshier

my brother, Matthew Oshier

my daughter, Mariko Jo Oshier

And several cousins, uncles, on both sides of my family!

Further back, there are some war veterans, but more will be filled in as I have time to gather all info... and properly source/research it all--I believe there my be Revolutionary War and War of 1812 as well as Civil War

Answer 1

This is a very good question Eowyn! :-)

There's so many ancestors of mine that's veterans (both direct & indirect relatives). This even includes myself as a retired veteran.

~Brian Kerr

Comments

Thank you for your service, Brian!

~ Sara Hayden, army brat

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Brian thank you for serving your country

Answer 2

Civil War - my paternal great grandfather

• Elias Buch

WWII - my father

• Herbert Clarke Buch, Sr.

Answer 3

Before I joined Wikitree I didn't realize how much my family and the family name was involved in wars and rebellions dating back to 1200. I spent 22 years in the Navy, My 2 brothers, my father, his brother, and my 2 grandfathers all served. Lots of Devlins KIA and James Salamander Devlin was one of the survivors of "The Charge of the Light Brigade" at Balaclava.

Going back farther, the Devlins or O'Dodhuilens, as they where known in Ireland, where the cavalry for the ONeils of Tyrone and another clan was the fighting Kings of Luighne Connacht. If any one is interested I put together the Devlin Name Study which has Devlins involved in wars from 885.

A side note, because of a lack of records in the 17 & 1800's I'm still trying to fill in some family gaps, maybe some day.

Comments

FAIR WINDS AND FOLLOWING SEAS MY BROTHER IN ARMS. USN ALSO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

Answer 4

Going backwards in time we have my grandparents in World War II:

Marco Ferraiolo

Robert Eugene Hamel

World War 1:

Vincenzo Ferraiolo

Giuseppe Carrabs

Alfred Francis Hamel

Austin Felker

Joseph Laplante

Civil War: (All Union)

Jeremiah Felker

John Sargent Fisher

David Webster Stevens

American Revolution:

1. Daniel Bailey 
2. Zebulon Drew 
3. Joseph Felker 
4. Isaac Fellows 
5. Joseph Fisher 
6. Charles Mathieu 
7. Amos Sargent 
8. Benjamin Smart 
9. Richard Tandy 
10. William Taylor 

Answer 5

Lots of veterans in my family (including myself, brother, father, etc.) Here is a list of my direct line Revolutionary War ancestors:

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Brooke-1262

 https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Bunnell-283 

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Clemmer-64 

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Cooper-396 

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Curtis-6120 

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Cutler-891 

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Day-1477 

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Evans-10821 

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Gage-957 

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Hayden-913 

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Huntoon-94 

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Huntoon-92 

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Lattin-165 

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Mead-897 

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Moore-17452 

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Nyce-62 

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Pannebecker-28 

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Seymour-1241 

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Siegfried-5 

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Spangler-178

Answer 6

My Dad, Carl B. Sheppard, US Navy, WWII. Pacific Theatre

Six direct ancestors who served in the Confederate military:
James Shepherd
James B. Dalton
Jeremiah Monroe Patterson
Moses Butler, Jr.
Jacob Sidney Underwood
George Alexander Neal
James Benjamin Beaty

About 10 Patriot ancestors and two Loyalists.

Answer 7

There are many on my tree. My great-grandfather Ernest William Smith fought in World War II, and there was a big age gap between his eldest child (born 1937) and the middle child (born 1947) as a result of his war service. I have a scanned copy of his war book.

Whilst Ernest is the example that usually gets brought up by family there are others. My great great grandfather Horace Dowding fought in World War I and later re-enlisted in the military in 1924, although I don't think he fought in World War II. Horace had a brother Sidney who died onboard HMS Defence during the Battle of Jutland, and there were other Dowdings who fought in the war as well.

All my veterans are on my paternal side, however. On the Irish part of my maternal side, I've not found any military records at all. The German side of my maternal family, my great-grandfather was massively against Hitler (or so it is believed) and ended up getting himself kicked out of Germany due to it (and he strangely is listed in the Ancestry collection "Index of Jews Whose German Nationality Was Annulled", despite not being a Jew). I have voice clips of him, in a rather thick German accent, saying he isn't a German and never was. He lived in Africa and was married to a Ugandan princess, and I would be surprised if there was any military service on that side.

Edit: Ernest William Smith's father Ernest Smith is believed to have fought in World War I.

Answer 8

There are several people in my family who has served. My sister, our father, two uncles, Both grandfathers, one great grandfather, several family members were in the civil way, 1812, Rev war, French and indian war and several others.

Answer 9

My late husband served with the RAAF in South Vietnam 1970-71 with 2 Sqn Canberra Bombers. After gallantly serving his country he suffered humiliation on his return from most of the public, as it was deemed to be an unpopular war, because of conscription. My husband Douglas Bell Hogan was a full time serviceman serving 17 years.

Answer 10

Absolutely way to many to list, but for starters: My Father (USN, Vietnam), 3 of his brothers (USA x 2 (both stateside); and National Guard for the 3rd), Maternal Grandfather (USMC, WWII, Purple Heart), Numerous Uncles and cousins by marriage (all branches, both sides of family).  Family on both sides all the way back to the American Revolution.

Confirmed through records...including 13 of over 200 buried in our National Cemeteries across the country in Arlington National Cemetery including the most decorated Soldier to come out of the Vietnam War, a Green Beret/Special Forces Bad Ass, who did 5 tours in Vietnam + action in the Dominican Republic and the Original Persian Gulf (1990-1991), retired as a 1st Sgt.

Answer 11

I served in the US Army for 20 years (1968-1988) during the Vietnam War era. First ten years in the Women's Army Corps {WAC), next ten years in the regular U.S. Army, as the WACs were disbanned in Oct 1978. 

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Barry-1264

*I have cousins who served during World War II and Vietnam War as well:

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/St_Sauveur-29

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/St_Sauveur-30

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Taft-274

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Taft-327

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Taft-290

*Other Barrys who served on my watchlist not directly related:

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Barry-1997

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Barry-1903

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Barry-1904

Answer 12

Two of my uncles--Frank Taborsky (US,World War II) and Jack Tremayne (UK, World War II)

John Wesley Hughey (Spanish American War)

Jonathan Pitts (for North Carolina Colony, American Revolution)

I'm sure I have others if I consult the Listmaker.

Answer 13

Hi Eowyn, If a person served in the military, during peace time, is that person considered a veteran? Are Kings and Queens commanders of the military and, as such, veterans?  Jack

Comments

Yes, most certainly!

Answer 14

My father and both of my grandfathers as well as some great uncles served in WW II.

My paternal grandfather and on of my maternal great grandfathers and his brother in WW I.

And before that a lot of ancestors served in the Second Schleswig War (Prussia - Denmark) in 1864, in the Coalition Wars and the German Campaign (Wars against Napoleon) 1792 - 1815 and in the Thirty Year's War (1618-1648).

At the moment I don't know if one of my ancestors fought in other wars.

Comments

The image was made after WWI to remember Martin Lewerenz on his participation in WW I.

Answer 15

For starters:

Me - Desert Storm veteran

Dad - around the Vietnam War, but fortunately never went to Vietnam - served in Europe, mostly France and Spain

Grandfather - World War II

I also have revolutionary war veterans (at least one in my direct line - Philip B. Fulkerson) and a few others too, but I'd have to do some hunting.

Answer 16

Start with myself and my Wife, Both of our fathers and my Step-Father, my Mother. Following my mothers side all the way back to EVERY conflict back to the War for Independence. During the civil war my family was fighting on both sides. My 5th Great Grand Fathers came to Boston in 1764 and fought for our freedom.

Answer 17

My father was in the Navy in WWII, serving in the South Pacific Theatre. The only location I am positive of is.Okinawa. My father-in-law served in the US Army Air Corp, now known as the US Air Force, as a bombardier in Italy and Germany.

Answer 18

Hello, everyone— this is my first posting on Wikitree or G2G.

I have a number of veterans in my family tree in the 20th century, and I am certain there are more in the preceding centuries as well. 

My father, Lloyd Charles Marsh, 1919 - 1997, was in the Army Air Corps in WWII, and spent most of the war in Alaska Territory and BC. 

His brother-in-law, my uncle Jack (John Llewellyn Jones), fought and was wounded in the Pacific theater, but I don’t know where, or in which service, as he never spoke of it to me when I was a child. He passed away from a heart attack in 1976, when I was 15.

My mother’s older brother, Jerrold B. DeWitt, also was in the Pacific, as a Seabee. I don’t know where or exactly when he was there.

Finally, my great-grandfather, Minor Eldon Crabill, fought in WWI, but that’s all I know. I found his enlistment card in online records many years ago and added it to his records in my Ancestry tree. 

Answer 19

My family has a lot of veterans including my husband, his brother and his father in law for starters. They are all in Arlington National Cemetery  My Father was at Pearl Harbor as a civilian volunteer.  Several uncles served in WWII, and lots of American Revolutionary Patriots;  William Campbell, Samuel Rea, Adam Carnahan, George Guthrie, John Jackson, Abraham  Boyd, Phillip Uncapher, William Hill, and several more. We fly the flag at every holiday and visit them when we can.

Answer 20

My brother Rusty Ainsworth Livermore Vietnam, My dad AC Ainsworth Livermore S Pacific pilot WWII & helicopter pilot Korea, paternal Gpa A C Ainsworth WW I & WWII, Lovick R Ainsworth 2d ggpa Civ War, Levin Ainsworth Sr 5 ggpa Amer Rev;  Thos Christopher Brewer Maternal Gpa WWI, William Brewer 2d ggpa Rev War, Jesse Brewer 4 ggpa Rev War, Leroy M White 2d ggpa Civ War - died at Gettysburg, Benjamin Whichcote White 4 ggpa Rev War, Benjamin Whichcote White Sr 5 ggpa Rev War, Samuell White Jr 6 ggpa Rev War, Thomas Campbell 3 ggpa Civ War and more