Where Did Your Relatives Serve?

Let's see:
My father was in the Signals Company 36th Infantry Division before and during WW 2. Later he served with 6th Army Signals Brigade at the Presidio in California in the supply and maintenance section.
I had one uncle who was a Gunner's Mate on the USS Lexington CV 16 (the Essex class one).
Another uncle was in the US Army before and during WW 2 (I'm not sure of his position and rank however at that time)and eventually was promoted to Colonel. He later commanded the US Army's Officer Candidate School among other assignments.
My great grandfather on my mother's side commanded a unit in the Texas Revolution and was at Santa Anna's surrender. He was one of the founders of the state of Texas and later a state Senator.

 

My grandfather was assigned to an engineering unit where he did a bit of everything from building bridges and defensive positions to transporting explosives. He served in Africa, Sicily, Italy and Southern France before he was sent home due to his age according to him (he was 40 at the time) before entering into Germany.

 

[ 09. December 2005, 04:00 PM: Message edited by: Col. Hessler ]

 

my great great grandpa was a...a...natzie
but then there was his brother who was an allie. i dont know where they serverd but i could probibly do some geniology to find out

 

My Grandfathers on both my mom and my dad's side were in the war. They don't like to talk about it, but I know my Grandfather on my mom's side fought in the navy against Japan as a radio operator and recieved a purple heart.

My Grandfather on my dad's side fought against the Germans in europe...don't really know much about it.

 

My father was in the RCAF, and was assigned to a construction unit in Newfoundland. He was involved in building the Airport in Gander, and various other duties on Canada's East coast.

 

My father after graduating from college as a civil engineer was drafted into the Portuguese Army as an Artillery officer.

I don't know much, as he is gone already, but one story I remember is at a time in 1943 he was commanding an AA battery (brit 3.7") in the Lisbon AA belt, and he passed a few sleepless nights under the drone of continuous streams of airplanes heading from north to south, just outdie territorial waters (on inside!). Later he knew it was Operation Torch!

Luckily it was not The Big Thing, for if it was he had only 4 rounds per gun.

I think my brothers has a few photos of his. I still keep his spurs.

My 85y mother has quite a few stories of her life as the recent wife of a young lootenant, in a 18th century monastery used as a barracks

See? We neutrals also have a thing or two to say

[ 30. May 2005, 06:57 AM: Message edited by: Za Rodinu ]

 

i had one uncle who served with the west novie regiment in the west and another another who i never got to meet as he died in theater over there.

 

My grandfather was a pfc in the US Army, Co. C, 417th Infantry Regiment, 76th Infantry Division. Fought in the Rhineland Campaign, and the Central European Campaign.

When he got back to the states, he was an MP at Camp Chafee, guarding German POWs until they were shipped back to Europe.

 

2 Uncles served with 2/8 Bn, 2nd AIF. One basically walked through Nth Africa, Greece, Syria. He then had a pleasant boat trip home and joined the other uncle for a hike through Papua & New Guinea.
A third uncle served with the RAAF on Bouganville (Ground Crew)

In WW1 I have a relative killed at ANZAC Cove on 2 May 1915 (In 2 Bn, AIF, his memorial is at Lone Pine) and another who was gassed at Broodsiende Ridge near Passchendaele.

We also have an ancestor who claimed to be a Captain in the Inniskillings at Waterloo, best we can find is that he was a gunner in the Royal Irish Artillery

 

Great Uncle served in D-Day, died there.

 

I assume this is just WW2,

My grandfather on my mums side was a Sqd Ldr in the RAF, he was on the Lancaster bombers and was involved on raids such as Dresden and Hamburg.

My grandfather on my dads side was in the Navy as a petty officer; during the war he was aboard HMS Sussex.

My grandmother on my dads side worked in the factories and made the uniforms for the troops.

My grandmother on my mums side lived on a farm and had evacuees from London come to stay.

 

One of my Great uncles rode a tank in Italy, sadly I dont know any more then that.

My great grandfather also served, and I'm feverishly working to find more about him.

 

My Grandpa Mum´s side was a Captain of the Pioneers and my Grandpa Dad´s side was a Master Sergeant with the Para´s. And in WWI my Grandpa Mum´s side served as an Lieutenant at Artillery Corps.

Regards

Ulrich

 

Dad's Dad was Navy in WWII - Shore Patrol on Guam, Saipan, and who knows where else - I'm still working on that.
Mom's Dad was Army in WWI - in France from what I know (I have his US issue fork that I still eat with)
Dad's uncle was USMC on IWO - wounded - grenade fragment in the crotch - hell of a story
Also, 2 uncles in Vietnam

Proud of the all

 

My father served in 13th Infantry Regiment, 8th Infantry Division 1941-1945.
His younger brother: Signal Corps attached to Fifteenth Air Force, North Africa -Italy 1943-45.

On my mother's side: Her older brother (not much is known) U.S. Army, ETO-Germany, was an MP for a time, received the Purple Heart.
Her younger brother (even less is known) U.S. Army, Pacific Theater. Inducted late circa 1944, drove trucks, posibly Quatermaster unit.

Greg C.

 

Being that i am Russian, it should be of no surprise that my entire family served, as should be the case with many Russians.

Both of my grandmothers were nurses. My fathers mom was a nurse in Leningrad were she saw both of her daughters parish from starvation; the eldest of two on lake Ladoga on th way to safety in her arms.

My moms dad was an artillery officer and served in the last days of Stalingrad before loosing his left thumb. My dads father fell in Berlin.

 

My great uncle on my mother's side served in Europe. Where exactly, I forget. One of my great uncles on my father's side served in the Marines and was on Iwo Jima.

 

My Dad Tpr Moise Amyotte drove tanks and served with the 29th Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment (The South Alberta Regiment) during WWII. He served under Major David Currie whom was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions in command of a battle group of tanks from The South Alberta Regiment, artillery, and infantry of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada at St. Lambert-sur-Dives, during the final actions to close the Falaise Gap. This was the only Victoria Cross awarded to a Canadian soldier during the Normandy campaign (June 6, 1944 through to the end of August 1944), and the only VC ever awarded to a member of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps. I'm so proud of what my Dad did. He was injured during the Falaise Gap and taken as a POW for 8 hrs but escaped after

It was only a few years ago when I became interested in my Fathers military history and once I dug my nose in I could not stop I've talked and met people that their parents or grandparents fought in the SAR and it is so touching. I've managed to get the war diaries from the National Archives of Canada on the SAR.....pretty amazing read

Picture of my Dad's enlistment pic & medals. He joined June 26, 1940 and was dicharged Feb 1946. I have his medals, Soldiers Handbook (original one was lost when taken POW as it states in the one I have) and his discharge papers. My Dad is 90yrs old and still going strong. I hope he lives over 100

Medals from left to right:
1939-1945 Star
France/German Star
Defence Medal
Canadian Volunteer Service Medal
War Medal
(missing)Holland Liberation Medal


Taken eastern Canada 1941 (thats actually a porqupine cooking on the fire)


and Moise today


Major David Currie (3rd left) accepting the German surrender in St. Lambert-sur-Dives Aug 19 1944



Sorry for rambling on

Cheers and Happy Canada Day EH!!

 

Great thread and great stories, thanks for this.

My grandpa started his military service as a recruit in occupied Petrozavodsk in Russia. He was in a mortar unit as a (I don't know the rigth english word for this, is it just mortar shooter or mortar man?????) They took heavy Russian attacks and had to withdraw quickly back to our own borders where the war eventually ended. He fought on the frontline.

The war didn't end from his part as he had to continue fighting against the Germans in Lappland. He took part in the Tornio invasion from the sea as they made brave attack to the flanks of the German defence. He fought on the frontline to the end of that war.

He never talked much about the wars. He got several medals of his service to the country, but he kept them secret. He just mentioned the war sometimes briefly, but that was that. I remember one time as we were planning a trip to Russia and we were talking about having a visa for that trip. He just said that he went to Russia without a visa, but had to come running back home.

He died a year ago.