Research
Without research, I would not be able to blog about my families military history or general history. It’s one of those things that you need to do, regardless of how much information, memorabilia or memories you may have.
In my case, I was fortunate to have nearly forty years worth of genealogy that my mother had written, about both sides of the family. Unfortunately service related memorabilia, was almost non-existent. The things I do have though, are Faded Memories of a bygone era, repeated to me over the years.
Around 2000, an aunt finding out about my writing, sent me information about a horrific ship sinking and tale of survival, that my uncle had told me about when I was five years old. (This led to reading articles then several books on the subject, and gave me impetus to further research my uncles time in the Navy).
As my parents approached old age, they decided to give up some of their most precious memories, to a son who was interested in military history. One day, my mother presented me with several large freezer bags full of yellowed letters and some very old postcards. To my surprise, they were all the letters her father-my grandfather had written to her family while in various World War One boot camps and his brief stint in France. (They were especially important for me to read, as I had never known my grandfather).
In 2005, as my father neared death from lung cancer, he gave me his last two vestiges of his military service. Two books-A Mather Field Army Air Forces West Coast Training Center book and a San Marcos Army Airfield Navigation School book. None of the family including me, knew he had these. He gave them to me, knowing full well, my love for the military and my quest to learn the history.
A few days after dad’s death, mother relinquished her remaining memories. They were not Gold, not even expensive, but they were small military jewelery that dad had sent mother while still in the Army.
Even with all that I have, I spend inordinate amounts of time on Google researching various avenues of interest. Some deal with my families military history, some with my own and many with general military history, which I find interesting.
The Research section, contains two groups-Preservation and Research:
- Preservation: A major part of the Research group, are several stories, telling of lost and missing family memorabilia. This is an effort on my part, to tell of several sad events, in which we lost irreplaceable items. Hopefully, my stories of woe, will get you off your backside and help you preserve your precious memories and memorabilia before it’s too late! (Stories include, The Missing Civil War Letters and Preserving Memories).
- How-To: This section is a catch-all, for How-To research various facets of a Veteran’s Service Records, Draft Cards, Awards and Medals, Cold War Certificate, and other pertinent information and links, to help you learn more of your families military history!
