With Memorial Day weekend here, I thought I would share with all of you my personal thoughts about those friends and relatives who have served and died. I'd once again like to say thank you to all of them and would urge others to post their personal remembrances here as well.
First of all, my Uncle Wilfred "Tiny" Babineau who died on January 2nd of this year. He served in Italy and France during WWII.
Secondly, my cousin Ron Brouillette. He served in Viet Nam in the late 60's. Though he made it home, Ron had a massive heart attack and died three years ago.
Most of all, my thoughts go to two family friends who gave their lives fighting in Viet Nam. Lenny Picanso and Jimmy Ferro, you are still remembered and I thank you for giving your lives for freedom.

My great uncle John Moncrief was shot down over the Zuiderzee, in Holland in WWI. My Uncle Jack Coll was one of Merrill's Marauders, and though he survived Burma, he came out of there on a stretcher weighing only 90 lbs., and never regained his health. So many gave their lives, and their health, and to all of them on this special weekend, we say:
"Thank you for serving our country, and for fighting and dieing for those of us whom you would never meet, but would learn of you and what you did from others, and be grateful to you for it!"

My maternal grandfather served during the Spanish-American War.

At one time, all male students at a land-grant college were required to take two years of ROTC. At the University of Massachusetts, my father chose Army ROTC since they had horses and he was a horseman, He continued for the final two years for the same reason, and was commissioned a 2LT of Cavalry in 1939. They converted cavalry to armor and he ended up with the famed Patton. He was with Patton pretty much thru WWII - first in North Africa. I remember going to see the movie "Patton" with him, and during the opening scenes my father telling where they were at and verifying other things throughout the movie.

During the Sicily invasion his battalion was the 'hold back' one to be used in any emergency. On D-Day, he went ashore on D+2. During the Battle of the Bulge he was wounded and was briefly held as a POW. His tanks were involved in the liberation of Paris and later meeting the Russian forces at the Danube.

During the Korean War he was involved in many of the significant battles, including part of the forces that helped the "Chosin Few" break free. During his service in Korea he met a Red Cross staff person, and came home to marry her. (My mother was a Red Cross staff person from just before WWII to after the Korean War, serving in Europe, the States and Korea.)

During the remainder of my father's career, he saw a variety of assignments at commands in the US as well as France, Germany and Turkey. One rather interesting one was in 1958-59 when he commanded Combat Command 'C' of the 3rd Armored Division. One of his soldiers - a young man now referred to simply as 'Elvis'.

Dad retired from the Army in 1969. He is buried at Arlington.

Four of my mother's brothers served during WWII in the Army and Navy. Her fifth brother was not old enough to serve.

I watched several tributes and movies this weekend including '60 minutes' and
'Taking Chance'. I remembered my mother always giving my Dad a hard time about repeating his war stories. These stories were about GOOD TIMES he and his crew had. Nothing really to do with WWII .Not many GT I would guess in retrospect. He was a rescue pilot in the Pacific flying a PBY in the Guam area. I can only imagine the horrors of war that he experienced. I now cherish remembering those treasured stories, and would love to hear Dad tell one again.

"My maternal grandfather served during the Spanish-American War."

Gee Dave, so did mine. Afterwards he never was quite the same and spent long periods of time in a Veteran's Home in Milwaukee. Living in Wisconsin I didn't get to see him very often. He's buried in a the cemetery near the Home along with one of his brothers.

No one else in my family was in the military until Bill who is now back on active duty in order to get a temporary job in Hawaii.