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View Full Version : Where we come from. In honor of Memorial Day.


Taltarzac725
05-17-2025, 04:51 PM
I met an interesting person lately. She lives in the Villages and is of German heritage. She then told me that her father had been on a German U-boat and they had been captured or taken to New York. Or, maybe, they were near there when discovered.


She had mentioned this because of my father's German name. He missed fighting in Korea but was on a US Army unit in Korea as a M.A.S.H. setting. His ancestors had come from Germany to the US in the 1850s and settled in central Illinois.

Getting this started in preparation for Memorial Day.

Dond1959
05-18-2025, 09:17 AM
As a veteran I just want to remind everyone that Memorial Day is a time to remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice of their lives in the service of their country. Let’s focus on those veterans, not the veterans who did not make that ultimate sacrifice. Every other day we can thank those who served. I have been at events on Memorial Day when all Veterans are acknowledged, that just makes me cringe a little bit. Thanks for all of those Veterans who made that ultimate sacrifice. And bless those families that lost a family member.

Taltarzac725
05-18-2025, 09:51 AM
Memorial Day history - National Cemetery Administration (https://www.cem.va.gov/history/Memorial-Day-history.asp)


A link.

Taltarzac725
05-18-2025, 10:44 AM
100 Best War Movies of All Time | Rotten Tomatoes (https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/best-war-movies-of-all-time/)

Have not seen that many of these. I have seen 75 out of these 100 films.

mbene
05-19-2025, 08:50 AM
With all the veterans in TV, I'm kind of curious why the Vietnam Travelling Wall has not come here.

charlieo1126@gmail.com
05-19-2025, 09:21 AM
As a veteran I just want to remind everyone that Memorial Day is a time to remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice of their lives in the service of their country. Let’s focus on those veterans, not the veterans who did not make that ultimate sacrifice. Every other day we can thank those who served. I have been at events on Memorial Day when all Veterans are acknowledged, that just makes me cringe a little bit. Thanks for all of those Veterans who made that ultimate sacrifice. And bless those families that lost a family member.I totally agree with you ,it’s gotten worse I think every year and not just here( where there are many that think Veterans Day is everyday)but other places also .The day is all about honoring our dead many who never even got to be buried at home or long forgotten . I make it a point a couple of days before or after memorial day to find an old veterans grave in some of the surrounding cemetery’s and leave some flowers , I leave the photo opportunities during the weekend to others

Taltarzac725
05-19-2025, 09:41 AM
Our family did lose a very much extended family member in 1917 or 1918 to the affects of mustard gas.

OrangeBlossomBaby
05-19-2025, 01:50 PM
My family hails from Germany, Russia, and Latvia. My grandfather served in the American Military but he never talked about it. I remember seeing only one photo of him wearing his uniform, while he was taking my grandmother on a ride in a rowboat when they were in their early 20's, sometime probably in the early 1940's. Pretty sure it was an Army Garrison cap. Papa was of German heritage, his parents were immigrants to the US and so were a couple of his older siblings (he was the baby of 11 children). My father's mother was from Latvia, his dad from Germany. My mother's mother's family came from Russia but grandma was born in the USA. My dad's brother served in the Army, no idea what year, it was before I was born.

I think that makes me a third-generation American on my dad's side and 4th generation on my mom's side - since all the "great-grandparents" eventually became American citizens so that counts as a "first" generation.

gorillarick
05-19-2025, 01:52 PM
Facepalm:
Before moving here, my local library would put up a sign thanking Vet's on Memorial Day.
I commented how wrong that was the a librarian who was always very friendly and helpful to me. She took it down immediately.
The next week, the sign was reinstalled.

The next year, it was posted again.

Geez, you'd think . . .

Taltarzac725
05-19-2025, 04:04 PM
Facepalm:
Before moving here, my local library would put up a sign thanking Vet's on Memorial Day.
I commented how wrong that was the a librarian who was always very friendly and helpful to me. She took it down immediately.
The next week, the sign was reinstalled.

The next year, it was posted again.

Geez, you'd think . . .

It is rather hard to thank a dead soldier, sailor, marine, aviator, Merchant Marine, etc. Maybe they are watching but no one knows.


Arlington National Cemetery - Home (https://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/#/)

asianthree
05-19-2025, 04:36 PM
Both side of my Moms family was here before y’all stepped off the boat.

My Dads grandparents on both side arrived by boat from the same Northern German village Roots. We we an trace back to 1400s

Taltarzac725
05-20-2025, 08:52 AM
Both side of my Moms family was here before y’all stepped off the boat.

My Dads grandparents on both side arrived by boat from the same Northern German village Roots. We we an trace back to 1400s

I think we are from Central Germany. Not sure. Our family on the German side moved here around 1859 while the English came about 1660 to the Massachusetts' Coast and the Scotch around 1650 to North Carolina. Not sure when the Irish side came over. Probably around the time of the potato famine. Irish Potato Famine: Date, Cause & Great Hunger | HISTORY (https://www.history.com/articles/irish-potato-famine)



I thought about this group who stood up to the Nazis Sophie Scholl and the White Rose | The National WWII Museum | New Orleans (https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/sophie-scholl-and-white-rose) while thinking about my roots.

asianthree
05-20-2025, 09:29 AM
I think we are from Central Germany. Not sure.

I have strong DNA Native Tribes from maternal/paternal grandmother parents. Most bones are Buried far behind the church in a lovely wrought iron section with a gate stating Red Cemetery. There is also a Negro gate, closest to Church large White gate section and beside that gate is the Beloved Coon Dog Cemetery. Old South history is still alive and well.

Paternal great grandfather was off the boat Scandinavia, lost his wife within months of arriving. Native young girl taken from tribe to raise his young child. Great grandfather, sired my grandfather, with Native girl. She was killed when my grandfather was 3.

German heritage was easy trace, with both great grands arrived as young children from same northern village. We didn’t have to try hard to trace, because they’re all buried in the same century’s old cemetery.

Taltarzac725
05-20-2025, 10:08 AM
I often watch Saving Private Ryan or one of the Clint Eastwood movies on Iwo Jima around Memorial Day. Think I saw both of the Clint Eastwood movies at the Rialto Theater.


I saw Saving Private Ryan twice or so at the Palm Harbor theater in Florida and then a couple of times at the dollar movie places along US 19 or just off. There were three of those along a twenty mile stretch.

Topspinmo
05-20-2025, 04:15 PM
Both side of my Moms family was here before y’all stepped off the boat.

My Dads grandparents on both side arrived by boat from the same Northern German village Roots. We we an trace back to 1400s

I didn’t step off any boat so that makes me same as you.. born in USA don’t matter where one’s before me came from.

CoachKandSportsguy
05-21-2025, 07:11 AM
Although my DNA is very high from Ireland/England, my origins in the Americas started in the 1630's,, so the Revolutionary war and the Civil War is much more important to our family, and there are veterans from those wars as well. But that really doesn't matter with respect to Memorial Day. . . It is a day to remember defenders of the country. .

I also feel strongly that veterans need more services and support than is currently being given, and that the better the society, the more the society should support its defenders, and I personally don't find the VA administration to be a waste of money at all. . .

Whatnext
05-21-2025, 07:23 AM
I think we are from Central Germany. Not sure. Our family on the German side moved here around 1859 while the English came about 1660 to the Massachusetts' Coast and the Scotch around 1650 to North Carolina. Not sure when the Irish side came over. Probably around the time of the potato famine. Irish Potato Famine: Date, Cause & Great Hunger | HISTORY (https://www.history.com/articles/irish-potato-famine)



I thought about this group who stood up to the Nazis Sophie Scholl and the White Rose | The National WWII Museum | New Orleans (https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/sophie-scholl-and-white-rose) while thinking about my roots.

Scots please.
Scotch is a drink!

Taltarzac725
05-21-2025, 08:17 AM
Scots please.
Scotch is a drink!

Scotch-Irish Americans - Wikipedia (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotch-Irish_Americans)

It does seem used.

Taltarzac725
05-21-2025, 08:41 PM
Red Tail Squadron - Wikipedia (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Tail_Squadron)


Been watching some of the 2012 movie Red Tails. Kind of interesting. Red Tails - Wikipedia (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Tails)


Tuskegee Airmen - Wikipedia (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuskegee_Airmen)


Expert Reviews Masters of the Air Ep. 8 with Tuskegee Airmen (https://veteransbreakfastclub.org/masters-of-the-air-expert-reviews-episode-8/)

Taltarzac725
05-22-2025, 08:14 AM
Mel Gibson filmography - Wikipedia (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mel_Gibson_filmography)


Mel Gibson has made some interesting war movies. We were Soldiers , Braveheart, The Patriot and Hacksaw Ridge. And was in the heartbreaking Gallipoli .

charlieo1126@gmail.com
05-22-2025, 10:05 AM
I’ve always liked They Were Expendable ,not much action but more of a character study of average men going about there duties knowing there future looks bleak .i can tell you that having been a professional soldier with a lot of combat experience , being asked if you can hold the line or give us some time to get out , can be both scary and exciting at he same time and please don’t thank me for my service ,I loved everyday of it , and as I have said before if you had the respect and thanks of the guys you fought with ,you don’t need anything else

Taltarzac725
05-22-2025, 11:11 AM
Desmond Doss's bravery at Hacksaw Ridge was happening on May 21, 1945. Desmond Doss - Wikipedia (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desmond_Doss)


War Movies and Their Settings Quiz | Something in Common | 10 Questions (https://www.funtrivia.com/quiz/movies/war-movies-and-their-settings-419803.html)