Flashback Friday 11/11/11

Today is Veterans Day so I was looking through alot of military photos of my grandfather. He retired from the US Army...Lt. Col John D. Gillespie. He had served in both World War II and The Korean Conflict. I found some pictures of the early years and to me they just speak volumes.

So young...WW II

This is the Aircrew Of The Korea Civil Assistance

my Poppy is in the back left...Capt. John D. Gillespie

I love this photo as it has all the crews names and ranks typed on the

back of this official US Army photo.

An interesting fact about my Poppy from his time in Korea that we never knew until approx. 45 years later...he was in Madigan Army General Hospital for surgery and in his room came a female custodian and she was Korean. He began having a conversation with her in Korean. My mom was utterly amazed as we did not know he fluently spoke that language. It was the coolest thing and so amazing that it came back to him so fluently and so many years later as he would have been in his 80's then! 

Thank you to these Veterans! 2 of my great Uncles & my Poppy

Left to right...Uncle Charles, My Poppy, 

Great Grandma Gillespie & Uncle Frank

I can't imagine the heartache and fear my Great Grandma must have had while her 3 sons were all away

in WW II at the same time. Charles and Frank were also Prisoner of War at the SAME time! Frank managed to escape and walk his way to freedom. Again just a reminder to me the price my family and friends have played for me to have the freedoms I do have!

Four years ago my Poppy passed away {his brothers Charles & Frank had predeceased him} so my mom sent my Poppy's Flag to their hometown of Red Oak Iowa and the 3 brothers Flags now fly together at the cemetery in Red Oak. I think that is so moving and I would like to go see that someday. I was very close to my Poppy {my mom's dad} as I was the first grandchild and I was born on his 50th Birthday!  He was a strong quiet man who everyone respected and I wish I knew more stories behind some of the pictures I have however I am grateful to have the photo's. He didn't like to brag so through the years we've heard stories from various family members and it makes me feel so proud !

Thank you again to our Veterans who have served

and those who are continuing to serve!