June 6, 2020

D-Day found one of my uncles, Bud, heading in on the second wave at Normandy beach.  Uncle Clay was a tank driver still waiting in England.  He was part of the Battle of the Bulge under General Patton.

I have posted the above photo before of my two uncles.  They were home on leave for Arl's, their older brother, funeral.

I do not know when this photo of Uncle Bud, Uncle Clay, and a couple of their buddies was taken. 

The following photos are actually copies of two postcards I found in my Mom's photo box.  There was no writing on either so I assume they were brought home as souvenirs.

The cause of the whole mess, right there just feeding the deer.

Uncle Raymond is from Hubby's side of the family.  He worked in the psych wards here in the US.  He was good enough with the patients that he became one of the persons that would accompany soldiers home.  Some suffered 'shell shock' from the trauma of war.  Others completely went to pieces at the thought of going to war to kill other humans.  Uncle Ray told us the day I snapped these photos of photos, "You know some folks are just not cut out for war."  As the war drug on Uncle Ray was sent overseas.  He recounted that at one point the vehicle in which he road crossed over a small bridge.  A Jeep followed the larger truck.  When it was the Jeep's turn to cross, it set off a bomb.  All in the Jeep were lost.  "Why me?  Why did I survive?" he asked me that day.  It had been 64 years since that event but still Uncle Ray's eyes were filled with tears.  "They were my buddies".  Uncle Ray passed in 2009.

Two other uncles from Hubby's side served in WWII.  Uncle Pete Y., air force, and Uncle Peter M, navy.  Uncle Pete M. was on the ship next to the Arizona when Pearl Harbor was attacked.  Uncle Pete Y. served in the South Pacific as an air plane mechanic.  He stayed in the service as a career following the war.  He kept the planes running a made a few trips during the Berlin airlift.

Uncle Pete M.

For some reason I have no photo of Uncle Pete Y in his uniform.  This photo was taken during his later years in the service.  

Remembering those from the Greatest Generation.  Six farm boys called to duty.  They served and survived.  They neither asked for nor were greeted with the now too common, "Thanks for your service."  That's just how The Greatest Generation rolled.

Dear Creator, let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.

In peace,

Janice