My great-grandfather’s remains lie in the Confederate Cemetery at Rock Island (IL). He died a POW at Rock Island prison during the War Between the States.
All my great-grandfather’s descendants are patriotic Americans and among them have been
- One WWII Navy medic who died in the Pacific
- A Marine and Army combat veteran (Iraq and Afghanistan) who serves currently
- A Marine who fought in the Korean War
- A 10th Mountain combat veteran (Afghanistan)
- A soldier who did two tours in the artillery during peacetime and who sought to enlist in every branch of the military during WWII but was turned down because of his age.
Five out of nine male descendants of this one Confederate soldier have honorably served in the armed forces of the United States.
Such contributions to this country by Confederate soldiers are not often remembered and should be.
The relative who tried to enlist in every branch during WWII is pretty amazing. I think there’s a new novel right there!
LikeLike
That’s him in the photo, my dad. He worked on the railroad, instead, which was an essential job for national defense.
LikeLike