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

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

My grandfather, J.Ysidro Solér was an engineering student at The Ohio State University from Pinar del Rio, Cuba, west of Havana. In 1898 when the Spanish-American War broke out, he dropped out ofcollege and went to fight against the Spanish.

The war was short, maybe 6 mo. And he returned to OSU as a Captain in the army. Im not sure which army, the Rough Riders or the Cuban army. He finished his studies, married my grandma a college farm girl from Laurelville,OH, and they went to NYC for his Master's at NYU. He was named Chief Engineer of his part of Cuba and built roads and bridges at the turn of the century.

When WWII came along, his son, Joseph Soler, in Ohio, had flat feet and the army wouldnt take him, so he and my mother Margaret Soler took special classes at OSU to become Neighborhood War Captains and were in charge of various things in their Columbus neighborhood . I consider this also serving the country in the time of war.

commented Nov 8, 2023 by Susi Soler G2G1 (1.2k points)

121 Answers

Best answer

My father MSGT. Clare Alexander Lovelace Jr. was the flight engineer on a B-29 that was shotdown. He was MIA for 6 months before he was declared KIA.

My husband Capt. Mike Nelson flew a C-141 and a HH-43 rescue helicopter in Vietnam.

My first cousin Jeffery M. Marvin received a Purple Heart with an Oak Leaf Cluster for service in Vietnam.

My father-in-law LeRoi Nelson saw a great deal of action in the Pacific during WWII aboard a destroyer.

My great uncle Robert Julius Long received a Bronze Star in WWII, Battle of the Bulge.

My uncle Scott Marvin Jr. was stationed in England during WWII.

My grandfather Scott Marvin Sr. was a medic in WWI.

My great uncle Kyle Truman McCleery was KIA in WWI.

My first cousin 3 times removed Arthur Burton McIntosh was KIA in WWI.
My great grandfather Thomas Luther Lovelace enlisted in the Union Army at age 14 and was wounded in the head.

My second great grandfather Edward McCauley Long was a second lieutenant in the Union Army.

My second great grandfather Evangel Luveous Morris was wounded while serving in the Union Army; and his brothers: Ralph and Newton were both KIA.

My first cousin 3 times removed John Calvin Irwin died as a prisoner at Andersonville, where I visited his grave in Oct 2021.
My 4th great grandfather is my DAR patriot Capt.Andrew Sharp was in the Battle of Long Island and the Battle of Brandywine, and he was cited for heroism at the Battle of Trenton Ferry.

My 5th great grandfather Asa Wilson enlisted in the New Jersey Militia at age 15 and was captured by the British, and he was a POW for six years.
This is a 1944 photo of my father and my grand aunt Nora Long. She adored my father and refused to accept his death in WWII. I loved her dearly, and together, as a child, we kept him alive.

answered Nov 6, 2023 by Alexis Nelson G2G6 Pilot (855k points)
selected Nov 13, 2023 by Jim Rambo

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Answer 1 · 2023-11-06T18:01:29+0000

Good evening. In my genealogy tree I have two veterans. One is my grandfather Giuseppe Rizzato: he served during WW2 Russian champaign in the artillery and was the only survivor of his battalion. This left huge scars both in his body ( his legs were covered in brown scars because he fell into iced water while fighting and almost lost them due to freezing) and in his soul ( he fought all his life against undiagnosed PTSD and hat terrible nightmares in which he used to see the faces of his dead comrades). I still have the diary he wrote during that period and it's heartbreaking to read it. The second is my great grandfather Augusto Cappellaro who served in the infantry during WW2 in the battles of Caporetto and Vittorio Veneto. During the battle of Vittorio Veneto he also was imprisoned by the Austrians and spent a year as a prisoner there in a camp undergoing also forced labour. He also earned a cross with the honorificense of "Cavaliere di guerra". Said cross is still in my possession and perfectly preserved.

Answer 2 · 2023-11-06T18:23:14+0000

I have a few. Working backwards:

My late husband was career Army, served 2 tours in Vietnam. He wouldn't talk about it much. His sister and her husband are both retired career Air Force. My father-in-law served in the Pacific with the Navy during WWII.

My brother was career Air Force, served in Vietnam. Our Dad was in the Army in the 1930's, no war service. His brother James was in the Army Air Corps during WWII, before it became the Air Force.

I had a great-granduncle in the Spanish-American War. Three great-great-grandfathers served with the Union in the Civil War; and one of them was at Vicksburg when his younger brother, also serving with the Union, was killed there. At least two great-granduncles served in the War of 1812. And a gggg/grandfather was recognized for civilian service to the Revolutionary War.

As you might guess, Veterans Day and Memorial Day are big in my family.

Answer 3 · 2023-11-06T19:01:53+0000

Nikki Abfalter - Persian Gulf, MN Army NG

Patrick Grecinger - Desert Storm, Army 82nd Airborne

Esley Hill - Vietnam, Army Artillery

Keith Mayhood - Vietnam, Army Paramedic

Melvin Nelson - Korea, Army

Howard Pape - Korea, Marines

Robert Pears - White Sands Proving Ground, Army MP

Gus Pape Jr. - WWII, Army

Henry “Hank” Nelson - WWI, Army

Carl Nelson - WWI, Army

Gus Pape Sr. - WWI, MN Army NG

Alexander Stussy - Civil War, Wisconsin 35th Infantry

Joseph Stussi - Civil War, Wisconsin 9th Infantry (German-speaking)

Joseph Cornelius McNary - 1812, NY Militia

Martin A. McNary - 1812, NY Militia

Martin McNary Jr. - Revolutionary War, CT Militia (DAR/SAR Ancestor)

Joseph Cary- Revolutionary War, NY Militia (DAR/SAR Ancestor)

Dennis McNary - French & Indian War/Seven Year War, CT Militia

Martin McNary Sr. - Havana Expedition, French & Indian War/Seven Year War, CT Militia

Answer 4 · 2023-11-06T19:58:55+0000

There are many in our family! Here are 5.

1. Ira Alexander Draper 1849-1943

Severed in the military in the Indian wars clearing the way for Westward Expansion. His 2 brothers served in the Civil War.

2. & 3. Jasper and Lewis Draper mustered out and on returning to their Iowa farm, found the family had moved to Nebraska. They had to walk 200 miles to their parents' new home. They both died within a year of reaching Nebraska.

4. Frank Price Draper 1918-1944 In September of 1943 he played outfielder with the 116th regiments' baseball team at Tidworth Barracks. On D-Day, June 6, 1944 he was at Omaha Beach, Normandy still aboard the landing craft when a Nazi artillery shell hit the boat. His arm was blown off. He bled to death in minutes on the floor of the landing craft.

5. United States Olympic Gold Medalist Foy Draper 1911-1943. Foy was on the 1936 relay team with Jessie Owens, Ralph Metcalf and Frank Wykoff. They won the gold medal in Berlin Germany.

This is the last known picture of Foy. He was the pilot of an A-20 Havoc that took off to take part in the Battle of Kassarine Pass, January 4, 1943. Foy and his crew were never seen again. They are still considered Missing In Action. The plane and their remains were never found.

Answer 5 · 2023-11-06T23:38:19+0000

The Veterans in my family:

Vietnam- my maternal uncle, Tom Whittingham (only one still alive in this list.)

Korean War- my father, Alan D Berryann.

WWII- my maternal grandfather, Albert J Whittingham.

My maternal great uncle, Paul B Johnson. (KIA)

My maternal great uncle, Carl Johnson.

My maternal great uncle, David S Whittingham Jr.

My maternal great grandfather, Axel E Johnson.

My paternal uncle, Raymond R Berryann Jr.

My paternal great uncle, Robert A Brock.

WWI- My paternal grandfather, Raymond R Berryann Sr.

My maternal great grandfather, David S Whittingham Sr.

Cuba- My maternal great uncle, Albert R Whittingham.

Civil War- My maternal great grandfather, Thomas C Whittingham (English immigrant who fought for the US).

My paternal 2nd Great Grandfather- Joshua C Sinclair.

My paternal 2nd great uncle, Wilbur F Shinn.

My paternal 2nd great uncle, Albert J Sinclair.

My paternal 2nd great uncle, Alfred Woodruff.

War of 1812- My paternal 3rd great grandfather, George W Sinclair.

American Revolution- My paternal 4th great grandfather, Joshua Sinclair.

My paternal 4th great uncle- Bradbury Sinkler/Sinclair.

My paternal 4th great uncle- Richard Sinkler/Sinclair.

My paternal 4th great uncle- Samuel Sinkler/Sinclair.

My paternal 5th great grandfather- Richard Sinkler/Sinclair.

My paternal 5th great uncle- Edward Sinkler/Sinclair

My paternal 5th great uncle- Ebenezer Sinkler/Sinclair (He died on October 7, 1777 at the second Battle of Saratoga in New York at the taking of General Burgoin.)^[6]^[7]

Missy Sinclair Berryann

Answer 6 · 2023-11-07T00:32:36+0000

Working my way back:

I am
My husband
My father (Korea)
My maternal uncles (Vietnam)
My paternal grandfather (both World Wars)
Two of his first cousins were killed (one in the First World War; one in the Second)
One of his first cousins was a Woman Marine
My paternal grandmother's father was a Civil War orphan. His father never got to meet him
My 2x great grandfather served in the U.S. Civil War
My 3x great grandfather served in the U.S. Civil War
My 5x great grandfather fought in the Revolutionary War

My 2x great-granduncle came to New York from County Meath, Ireland just to fight in our Civil War. He had planned to stay afterward, but ended up having to return to care for his ailing father.

I could go on.

When I used my Military filter on my personal tree, it came up with 356 results.

Answer 7 · 2023-11-07T01:18:49+0000

My husband's sister made the waves her career. She joined in 1943 and was a physical therapist, having been trained in being a polio specialist by the famous Sister Kinnie in polio treatment. At one point they had to create a warrant officer job to accommodate her advancements. She retired in the 1960s.
All three of my brothers served in the army in the late 1950s. One was a photographer in Germany, one was an ammunition disposal specialist in France, and one never left the United States.

Answer 8 · 2023-11-07T03:55:43+0000

Let's see....

Both of my grandfathers served in World War II. However, Robert stayed in the service the longest and left in the 1960s. The birth of my mom clipped his wings so he didn't fly again. He still served, though. My mom became an Air Force brat.

All of my great-grandfathers served, too. Giuseppe Carrabs became an Air Raid warden for the second world war.

Alfred Hamel was involved in a border conflict in Mexico in the early 1900s. For a long time people in my family thought it meant he was a rough rider. Keep in mind that happened in 1898 and Alfred was two at the time. I know two year olds can be rough but I don't think Teddy Roosevelt recruited them THAT young!! I quashed that family story with simple math.

Several of my 2nd great-grandfathers also served in various conflicts as well. My family's got a long history of service. I have two 3rd great-grandfathers who served in the Civil War. I also have 10 soldiers of the American Revolution and several Quebec soldiers.

Answer 9 · 2023-11-07T04:03:13+0000

There are many veterans in my tree (irish and chilean who fought in Europe and South America), but I didn’t have any US relative… until recently I discovered a whole branch. William Alfred Jones, son of my 2nd great grand-aunt, has draft registrations for WWI and WWII. There's also this record in the Veterans Administration Master Index, 1917 - 1940, but I'm not sure if this means he served. ¿Would anyone help me figure this out? I'm new to this subject...

Answer 10 · 2023-11-07T05:38:36+0000

My Sister, Served aboard the enterprise and the rosevelt
Father
two uncles
both grandfathers
and several others in the civil war
1812 war
Rev war, etc

Answer 11 · 2023-11-07T05:49:12+0000

There are many veteran ancestors.

My 6th GGF, Daniel Ebenezer Blatchley, born 1720 Huntington, New York Colony, died 1781. Daniel was a member of the Suffolk County Militia-First Regiment of Minute Men under Colonel Josiah Smith during the American Revolutionary War.

3 ancestors fought in Gettysburg. Two were killed. They were members of the Confederate Army.

1 ancestor died during the American Civil War at Fredericksburg. He was a recent emigrant from Germany who was in the Union Army.

One of my grandfathers was in the US Army and fought in Europe during WWI, my other grandfather was in the US Navy during WWI.

My dad, Orrin D. Smith was a street smart 15 year old from Brooklyn when he changed his birthday on his Birth Certificate to make himself 3 years older. He joined the US Navy at 15, and was on the USS Shangri-La as a Gunner’s Mate during WWII. He was also in the Armed Guard. Later in life dad joined the Under-aged Military Service group.

Smith-216103

Every male cousin in my age group served mainly because of the draft during the Vietnam War. However, my cousin Joyce Andrea joined the US Navy immediately after she graduated from dental college and was stationed in Honolulu. Eventually she had her practice there for almost 30 years!

I salute all the Veterans!

Answer 12 · 2023-11-07T19:36:39+0000

Owing to the brevity and losses of military paperwork it is difficult to verify some early ancestors but the following are well documented:

Stepfather - B 1888 , joined Australian Army and served in Gallipoli, survived and lived to be 100;

Mother - his wife, B 1911, served in the RAF at High Wycombe during 1941;

Her brother, B 1917, served in the British Army during WW2, was captured by the Japanese when Singapore fell, and was returned to the UK in 1945.

I served from 1959 until 1981 then on Reserve until age 60 so technically a "vet" throughout the Cold War in a support role. Still thrilled when visiting the Mach Loop or the military aircraft fly up the valley below our farm.

Answer 13 · 2023-11-07T20:00:06+0000

Well, I guess my answer starts with me. I served in the US Air Force for 20 years active duty and 5 years as a Department of the Air Force Senior Civilian. I would have stuck around longer, but I allowed my husband to talk me into leaving the DC area. (partial regret) We live in rural Missouri now, and I'm amazed how many people in this area readily accept that he's a veteran, but I have to show proof, despite the fact that I served longer and I outranked him by a bunch.

Beyond that, my father served in the USMC in the early days of the Vietnam confict. My paternal grandfather served in the US Navy during the Banana Wars (in the years between WWI and WWII). One maternal great-grandfather served during WWI, he was wounded twice in the Meuse-Argonne sector (Western Front) in 1918. And the list of US Civil War veterans is long from a GG-grandfather who served as a JAG in Illinois/Kentucky, to another GG-grandfather, who along with three brothers fought at Stafford Courthouse, Fredericksburg (where my GG-grandfather was a POW), Spotsylvania, and Gettysburg.

My ancestry contains a lot of veterans.

Answer 14 · 2023-11-08T00:57:10+0000

I have a plethora of veterans in my family. My father was a B-17 Pilot in WWII. He was stationed in Kimbolton,England. He was shot down on his 25th mission and was a German POW for 8 months. His father was an Army engineer, in France in WWI. Several of my grandfather's brothers were also in the military in WWI.

My mother's brother was in the Navy in WWII, in the South Pacific.

I have several cousins who were in the Military, during Vietnam and later times.

Not to mention the many ancestors who were in the Revolutionary War, The Civil War, The War of 1812. Probably, many more that I don't know of.

Answer 15 · 2023-11-08T02:06:05+0000

I have several veterans in my family, from the American Revolutionary War to Korea:

4xGGF: Pvt. Josiah Baldwin (an artificer at Fishkill...he left a wife and three children to fight in the Revolution).

4xG Uncle: Col. Jeduthan Baldwin (who kept one of the most concise diaries during the Revolution and built the battlements at Mount Independence).

4X Uncle Zebediah (Zeeb) Green (who was the only one of four brothers to survive the Revolution and fought in every major battle during the Revolution).

2X GGD: Pvt. Edwin Flood fought with the Minnesota militia during the Civil War.

Uncle James Mark Baldwin: Marines, fought on Iwo Jima during WWII

Uncle Boyded 'Bud' George with the U.S. Navy during WWII

Cousin Matt Perry fought with Patton during WWII

Uncle Msgt. Benjamin Baldwin (20 years old) KIA during the May Massacre in Korea

AND so many other family!

Veterans Day - U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Answer 16 · 2023-11-08T04:21:52+0000

I am a veteran. I served from 20 October 1961 to 19 April 1965. After Basic Training at Fort Ord, California, I had my advanced training as a Special Agent in US Army Counter-Intelligence, at Fort Holabird in Baltimore, Maryland. I was stationed in Munich, Germany, for three years, having extended my term of service for six months. I wore civilian clothes in my work in Munich. I made Sgt E-5 in just under two years. I had a very enjoyable time in my military service. Much nicer than my Great Great Grandfather, James Matthew Starnes. He enlisted in the 40th Iowa Infantry, the Grand Army of the Republic, on 14 August 1862, at Indianapolis, Iowa. He was 36 years old. He was mustered out on 2 August 1865, at Fort Gibson, Cherokee Nation, as a Private in Company C. He returned to Iowa and his wife and family. They had had six children before he joined the army, one more eight months after he joined and two more after returning home, before he died at the age of 43, on 4 May 1870, leaving his widow with six children still at home. Fortunately for her, she did remarry.

Answer 17 · 2023-11-08T11:48:52+0000

My father joined the Royal Artillery at the start of WW2 in 1939 but he was recalled shortly after training because as a foundryman he was in a reserved occupation. So he spent the war working in the foundry and also acting as a spotter for German planes.

His brother also joined the RA at the same time and was sent to Belgium and France and was evacuated from Dunkirk. He then joined the RAF as he never wanted to fight on the ground again. He survived a record number of sorties and the Battle of El Alamein and was mistakenly recorded MIA.

Their father, my grandfather, was also in the Royal Artillery and survived WW1 but was injured in a gas attack.

Answer 18 · 2023-11-08T11:54:08+0000

From my son, an Australian Army infantry major who served in Iraq and Afghanistan (with US Special Operations in the latter) to my GGGG grandfather John Lyde who served in the French & Indian War and American Revolution (DAR/SAR ancestor), and ancestors in nearly every USA war in between, my family tree has numerous military veterans.

Bones of our Viking ancestors from Finland and Sweden (from mtDNA and Y-DNA) were discovered buried in Viking ships in Estonia. Scottish and English ancestors fought at Culloden, with the defeated banished to Antrim. Arriving in Colonial America in the early seventeenth century, many were pioneers who pushed west as it opened, fighting as they went (e.g., 3 older brothers of my GGF and 3 first cousins fought in the MN Sioux War and then Civil War).

Bye the bye, I was twice an infantry company commander in the 173d Airborne in Vietnam‘s Central Highlands and Bong Son coastal plain and later had a small role in the Yom Kippur War.

Although there were some professional soldiers in the family tree (even back in 18th century Sweden), most just seemed to have answered the call when it seemed to be required, like my son did after 9/11.

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