Honoring the Vets in My Family

My annual Veteran's Day post, with a couple new photos of the vets in our family.

To all veterans, whether you chose to serve or were drafted, thank you. As the mother of soldiers and airmen, I know a little of what it took and what it still takes from you. And to all the families of our veterans, thank you too. You also gave much.

(Updated 2019): Above, son Derek with his daughter Haley, after she joined the Army National Guard. She's now a Sargeant. 

Below, Derek at his promotion ceremony in June when he was promoted to Sgt. Major. (Update 2019: He was Command Sgt. Major when he retired in 2016)

One of my favorite photos of Derek, when he was in Iraq: 

Had to keep practicing that golf swing, even in the desert!

My father, who served in England during WWII, and met my mother there:

These photos are from post-World War II. Dad is in the front on the first one.

On the ship coming back to America after the war.

Dad and friends, goofing around--Dad is in the center bottom of the photo.

 Post-war Germany, so damaged. How sad is this? And yet wars continue. Mankind never learns from his past mistakes.

Dad at Dachau, where he helped with the post-war cleanup. No matter how grim, he was always able to find humor it seems! We did find a stack of photos taken inside one of the camps (I think it was Dachau, but cannot remember now). I could only look at the first two--they were too terrible.

Dominick Connelly, my father's great-grandfather, who served in the Union Army during the Civil War, serving as a dummer. He was imprisoned once at Harper's Ferry, or in that region, and I believe he might have been injured once too.(Update 2019: my sister Judy discovered that Dominick was sent to Andersonville, where he somehow managed to survive terrible conditions).

My mother's Uncle Sidney Wilson, a British soldier who was killed in 1917 in World War I, before she was born.

And her uncle James Wilson, killed in 1915, just a few weeks after this photo was taken:



Back in the US:

My grandfather, William I. Connelly Sr, who served as a lawyer for the Coast Guard during World War II.

My father, William I. Connelly Jr, who served in the Army Air Force in England during World War II (and also in Europe when the war was over).

My husband Larry, a Vietnam War veteran, above; and below,

my son Jonathan Ford who served 10 years in the Army before a medical issue forced his early retirement.

Above is my son Aaron Ford who served 4 years in the US Air Force;

and below is our son Tommy, who also served in the US Air Force.

Update 2019: below is grandson Clayton who is serving in the US Navy.

And last but not least, granddaughter Beth, also serving in the US Navy. No photos yet of Beth.

I do not want to forget my Dad's brothers and my cousins who also served. Several cousins were Navy pilots, and at least 2vof my father's brothers served during WWII and Korea.

To all our soldiers, my profound gratitude and respect. 

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.