Memorial Day
Posted: Sun May 29, 2016 1:30 pm
Yesterday Mrs. Donovan and I visited the cemetery where our parents are buried. I am like to visit cemeteries, not because of the people that are there, but because of the people that are there. There were American flags on many graves symbolizing they served in the military. My father and father-in-law did not serve in the military during World War II. My father worked for a company that made chemicals and his job was frozen during World War II. That meant he could not quit nor was he eligible for the draft. He was assigned by his company to move to Bremerton Washington naval base, my mother stayed in Kansas City until I was born. She, my sister and I joined him that December. His job was to instruct the sailors how to use a chemical with the ships waste water so there would not be oil slicks that might by used by the enemy to trace the ship's movement. The also set up chemicals in the galleys and laundries. My father-in-law worked for the Union Pacific railroad during the same period of time. He was frozen on his job and spent the remainder of the war working with the military on troop and military cargo movement. I put flags on both their graves.
My other known relative that served in the military was an uncle, four times removed that died fighting for the South during the Civil War. He was a private on a flatboat on the Mississippi river. The Captain's log said he died of a canon ball to the chest. He wrote, "He was a good man." His 21-year-old widow received a widow's pension of 19 cents a month. I do not know where or if he was buried, but I would put two flags on his grave.
Freedom is not free.
My other known relative that served in the military was an uncle, four times removed that died fighting for the South during the Civil War. He was a private on a flatboat on the Mississippi river. The Captain's log said he died of a canon ball to the chest. He wrote, "He was a good man." His 21-year-old widow received a widow's pension of 19 cents a month. I do not know where or if he was buried, but I would put two flags on his grave.
Freedom is not free.