My mother had thirteen siblings and my father four.
Many of my aunts and uncles (all from Wisconsin) served in the military during WWII, the “war to end all wars”.
Their service spanned continents and branches:
- Glen served in the Infantry across multiple theaters.
- Clifford fought bravely in the Battle of the Bulge.
- Donald was part of the Combat Seabees in the South Pacific.
- Warren, also in the Infantry, served in the South Pacific.
- Sylvia joined the WACs and was a driver stationed in England.
Vernard served with the Screaming Eagles, parachuting into Italy and France.
This photo appeared in the European Stars and Stripes during the war. Vernard and Glen met by chance in France and their story was published.
Glen returned home to his farm in Shamrock, Wisconsin. Vernard was very unlucky. After jumping from planes over Italy, Sicily, France, and Belgium, he was on leave near Paris when the jeep he was riding in collided with a hay wagon. He did not survive. Uncle Vernard is one of the brave Americans we remember on Memorial Day. He was the perfect soldier to jump out of airplanes. Central casting for a paratrooper. Rest in peace Uncle Vernard. You are remembered.
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