Category: Military

Old Photos: Research, Return & Repeat

8/19/2015

Old Photos: Research, Return, and Repeat

This past week, I was re-scanning some of my grandmother's old photos from her service in the U.S. Coast Guard SPARS during WWII. (I wrote a short blog post about it here.) In many of these photos, my grandmother is pictured with fellow SPAR women, and a few military men as well. The great thing about her photo album is that, for nearly every photo, she wrote down each person's name and where they were from.

So, as I was scanning, I came across several photos of an Army man by the name of Bart Noland from Iowa. I was curious. I Googled 'Bart Noland Iowa army,' but didn't really come up with anything. I went to Ancestry and searched for him. In a public tree on Ancestry, I found a Bartley W. Noland from Iowa who was born in 1918, so I decided to message the owner and hope for the best.

The next day, the owner of that tree wrote me back and told me a little bit about their family's Bart Noland. (The tree owner turned out to be a cousin of Bart's wife.) He sent me his email address, I sent him scans of the photos, and he sent those scans to one of Bart's living children, who confirmed that this was indeed her father, who had passed away in 2001. (Lesson: Keep a family tree PUBLIC on Ancestry, even if it is just the basics. I would not have found Bart's family if this gentleman's tree had been private.)

Even though she now has all of the photos in digital form, I will be sending Bart's daughter the physical photos of her father, as well as a photo of his barracks he stayed in while in Florida, and some scenic snapshots he sent my grandmother during his time in Hawaii. They belong to her and her family. I can always have the photos of him reprinted if I want to fill in the empty holes in my grandmother's scrapbook.

Are you in possession of any old photos of non-family members? If you have names attached to those photos, I urge you to use your research skills to try to find living descendants of those pictured, and, if possible, return those photos (or at least email the scans) to living family members. Bart's daughter was SO grateful to me for reaching out and finding their family - She found out about these photos on her 35th wedding anniversary and said she felt like this was her Dad "remembering" this special day for her.

My mission now is to try to find some of these women pictured in the photos. Most of them married after the war and, of course, changed their names, so it may be much harder to find any of their children or grandchildren with whom to share these photos. But I will still try. :-)

©2015, Emily Kowalski Schroeder

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How Grandma Came to Join the Coast Guard

8/4/2014

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Today is the 224th birthday of the U.S. Coast Guard. The following was transcribed from an account written by my maternal grandmother, Dina Licciardi Bellan, regarding her decision to join the Coast Guard during WWII, and includes a little bit about what her time was like in basic training.

Dina Licciardi Coast Guard Portrait

"Patriotic fever engulfed me in 1943 as it did many other Americans. One day while walking home from work I spotted a large poster encouraging women to join the Coast Guard and become SPARS. "that's it" - I just knew what I wanted to do. I didnt know anyone in the Coast Guard and wasn't even sure what else they did besides guarding the coast as the name impled.
The recruiters were glad to see me and after answering some pertinent questions I made an appointment for my physical which I had to cancel. Four months went by and I still had not rescheduled. Why? Because I didn't know how to break the news to my father. He was a very strict parent and I just knew he would not approve. Finally I gathered enough courage and broke the news to him. I nearly fell through the floor when he said "Good for you."
In July 1943 I boarded the train at the Terminal* bound for Palm Beach Florida where I was to train. Florida in July is hardly anyone's dream of heaven! We arrived with our heavy suitcases grimy and sweaty at the beautiful Biltmore Hotel.
We had assumed that the Coast Guardsmen standing at the curb would assist us with our luggage. Instead with arms folded they just glared at us. One laughingly informed us that since we were to replace them for active duty we might as well start learning to act like one of the boys.
The Biltmore a famous resort no longer resembled that prestigious hotel. All the furniture and carpeting was removed and the rooms for two were now rooms for 6. The heat was oppressive - no air conditioning at that time. We looked at each other and if it were possible I believe we would have all taken the next train home.
Six girls getting ready for 6am muster was no small feat. I locked myself in the bathroom that first morning planning to shower. Angry knocks at the door brought home the realization that privacy was a thing of the past and that all bathroom activities were going to be shared!
Adjustments were not easy, perhaps easier for me than some others. Many girls did not even know how to launder their clothes. Finally the strenuous 6 weeks of basic training were over and we anxiously awaited our assignments. I drew Norfolk Va. which didn't particularly appeal to me. One of my roommates from Minnesota desperately wanted to go there because her boyfriend was stationed there. The officer in charge gave her permission to switch with anyone willing. I decided it didn't matter to me so I switched. Her assignment was Miami Beach only 50 miles away! Although I was not happy about going there I never regretted it. I made great friends and enjoyed my work. However in 3 years that's as far as I got!"

(*) Referring to Cleveland's Union Terminal train station.

Click HERE to see some of my grandmother's photos from her time in the Coast Guard

©2014, copyright Emily Kowalski Schroeder

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Tombstone Tuesday: Graves of Memphis

7/7/2014

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My family and I are on vacation this week. We made a two-day stop in Memphis, Tennessee on our way to our final destination, and, not surprisingly, I have photos of gravestones to share. And, although these graves have nothing to do with my or my husband's family histories, I still found them fascinating.

Our first destination was Graceland, former home of the late Elvis Presley. Towards the end of the tour, we were able to view his family's burial plot on the grounds of the estate. Neither me nor my husband are fanatical Elvis fans, but we do enjoy his music from time to time and we appreciate his strong influence on music history. The burial plot was beautiful, with a lovely, clear fountain, and a semi-circular pergola and brick wall with some really nice stained glass windows embedded in it.

He is buried with his parents, Vernon Elvis Presley and Gladys Love Smith Presley, and his paternal grandmother, Minnie Mae Presley. There is also a small memorial plaque dedicated to Elvis' twin brother, Jesse Garon Presley, who was stillborn. The tributes written on the plaques of each stone are just very endearing and you can tell they were written with love.

The small print on Elvis' stone reads, "He was a precious gift from God we cherished and loved dearly. He had a God-given talent that he shared with the world, and without a doubt, he became most widely acclaimed, capturing the hearts of young and old alike. He was admired not only as an entertainer, but as the great humanitarian that he was; for his generosity, and his kind feelings for his fellow man. He revolutionized the field of music and received its highest awards. He became a living legend in his own time, earning the respect and love of millions. God saw that he needed some rest and called him home to be with Him. We miss you, Son and Daddy. I thank God that He gave us you as our son. By: Vernon Presley"

Later that evening, we took a drive to Memphis National Cemetery. The weather was nice, and we wanted to spend some time outside so that the kids could walk and run around a little. (Yes, normal parents would probably look for a playground or park, but we're not normal :-))

Memphis National Cemetery

It was a good decision, because the kids enjoyed it and it was the first time they had ever been to a national cemetery. We had to explain to them that these were the graves of people who served in the military and their family members. My son tried to read some of the stones, but he needed help with some of the military abbreviations and state names. My daughter found the graves with the prettiest flowers and wanted me to take photos of her next to them.

We looked around at some of the graves, just kind of noting where these people were from and when they served in the Armed Forces. There isn't a whole lot of information on these small stones, but my husband found one that was particularly interesting and told a bigger story indicative of the time and place in which this man served. Dale Moore was a sergeant in the U.S. Army and served in Korea and Vietnam. He passed away at a relatively young age, possibly while on duty. Buried with him is his wife, Yung Min Moore, a woman he evidently met while he was serving in the Far East. She lived a good deal longer than her husband, but it doesn't appear that she remarried. And the baby, born in 1962 - just tugs at your heartstrings.

We were initially surprised to find large monuments for the states of Minnesota and Illinois, but not after we looked around and saw how many Civil War soldiers from those states were interred here. Once we got there, we also did a little reading about the cemetery (aren't smartphones wonderful?) and learned that this cemetery has the second-most number of 'unknown' interments of any national cemetery, with over 8,800 interments being unknown.

©2014, copyright Emily Kowalski Schroeder

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Wordless Wednesday: Happy Birthday, Grandma Bellan!

9/3/2013

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Dina Licciardi Bellan, born 4 Sep 1914 in Iselle, Italy. Shown here in Lake Worth, Florida, 1943.

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Casimir Pulaski Day and Fort Pulaski National Monument

3/4/2013

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Casimir Pulaski

Today is the official observance of Casimir Pulaski Day. Casimir Pulaski was a decorated Polish soldier who fought with the Americans during the Revolutionary War. Among his many accomplishments during the war, he played a pivotal role in the Battle of Brandywine in 1777, perhaps saving the life of George Washington in the process. He was an experienced war horseman and is credited with greatly improving American cavalry forces during the war. In October 1779, he was mortally injured during the Siege of Savannah. In 2009, Pulaski was granted an honorary U.S. citizenship, an honor which has been given to only seven people.

Casimir Pulaski Day is a major holiday in places with large Polish-American populations, such as Chicago. I really like this holiday, not only because I'm descended from Polish immigrants, but also because it makes me feel like "my people" were truly a part of America's fight for freedom. (I do not have any genetic ties to patriots who fought in the American Revolution, which I've already discussed here.) Plus, my grandfather's name was Casimer, so the holiday makes me think of him, too. :-)

In the 1830s, a military fort was built at the mouth of the Savannah River on Georgia's Coast. It was named Fort Pulaski in honor of Casimir Pulaski. Today, it is a National Monument and focuses on educating visitors about the Civil War. We visited the fort in 2010, so I thought I would post some photos from our trip. Mr. Bub loved the canons! Little Girl was also there, too, just in my belly! If you are ever in the Savannah area, we highly recommend visiting!

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Military Monday: The Old Man's Draft

1/28/2013

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In April 1942, the United States conducted what is now known as the "Old Man's" draft registration. This registration was for men who were born between 1877 and 1897 - those who were 45-60 years old. The intent of this registration was to record the amount and skills of domestic manpower available for home front war support. Two of my great-grandfathers and two of my husband's great-grandfathers registered in this draft (click on pictures below for larger images). Each card lists the registrant's name, home address, date and place of birth, name and address of employer, and a person of close contact (usually a wife, sibling, or parent). The second page of the card also lists physical characteristics of the applicant. Because this occurred in 1942, these cards are a great way of keeping track of where your ancestors lived and worked in between the 1940 Census and the 1950 U.S. Census (which hasn't even been released to the public yet). Try looking up one of your relatives at FamilySearch.org.

Dominik Kowalski, one of my paternal great-grandfathers:

Louis (Luigi) Licciardi, one of my maternal great-grandfathers:

Lawrence Brunswick, one of my husband's maternal great-grandfathers:

Anthony A. Schroeder, one of my husband's paternal great-grandfathers:

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Japanese Tourists on American WWII Destroyer

12/28/2012

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Last August, my husband and I took a trip to Boston. I had never been there and had always wanted to see all of the historical Revolutionary War era places. We had just finished walking through the USS Constitution when we decided to board the USS Cassin Young, a WWII destroyer that was located in a neighboring dry dock. The volunteer guides on board, some of whom were retired sailors who had served on the destroyer during WWII, handed us a pamphlet about the ship's history. The ship served in the Battle of Leyte and the Battle of Okinawa, of course both times fighting against Japan's Imperial forces and battling for control of key islands on the Pacific Front.

These tourists were probably our age; they had kids about the same ages as ours. (The kids were having SO much fun looking at all the weaponry and equipment on board, by the way.) The adults were speaking fluent Japanese, so if they were not natives to Japan, their parents certainly were. It was a beautiful day and they were very much enjoying themselves.

Japanese tourists on board the USS Cassin Young

I think that this photo shows just how our perception of history changes over time. How would these tourists' grandparents have felt about being on an American destroyer that took the lives of some of their fellow countrymen and contributed to the defeat of the Japan that they grew up in? Probably very different emotions than what these people were feeling that day. Just something to think about, for sure.

©2012, copyright Emily Kowalski Schroeder

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Foto Friday: Grandpa in the South Pacific

12/7/2012

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Today is Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. On December 7, 1941, Japanese forces attacked Hawaii's Pearl Harbor, essentially bringing the United States into World War II. My grandfather, William Bellan, fought on the Pacific Front in the War. He is pictured here along with other Cleveland, Ohio infantrymen from the 37th Division. It was published in the Cleveland Plain Dealer on April 10, 1944, with the caption:

"Nineteen Clevelanders on Bougainville. Seasoned veterans of jungle fighting after nearly two years overseas, these 37th division infantrymen have fought for control of the Northern Solomons from New Georgia to Bougainville."

WWII 37th Division Infantrymen April 10, 1944 Cleveland Plain Dealer

I know that the Solomon Islands are somewhere in the vast Pacific, but I had to look up details about this military campaign because I don't remember learning about it. Bougainville Island is located in the South Pacific, not far from Papua New Guinea. Turns out that the Bougainville Campaign lasted almost two years, not ending until the Japanese surrendered in August 1945. The Japanese took it over in 1942, built several airfields and naval anchorages, and strategically it became very important in their quest to take the other Solomon Islands, as well as in disrupting crucial communication lines between the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.

For people of my generation, who are used to traveling pretty much anywhere we want with relative ease, it is difficult to imagine the thoughts of the servicemen and women who literally went halfway around the world to fight for our country. In a time before commercial air travel and interstate highways, average people of this generation rarely even traveled out of state, let alone to a different country or continent. The idea must have been, pardon the pun, foreign to them. But, they all had very specific jobs to accomplish, and I'm sure that the Armed Forces leadership didn't let them dwell too much on just how far away from home they really were.

And I wonder how my grandfather's parents, who were immigrants from Croatia, felt about the possibility of one of their children becoming seriously injured or dying in a part of the world they had never heard of and one that was completely inaccessible to them. Probably not what they had in mind when they decided to come to America to live and raise a family. (My grandfather's mom passed away in April 1946; I'm not exactly sure when my grandfather returned from his service, but I do hope it was in time to see his mom before she died.)

Today's lesson: You may find yourself WANTING to learn about moments in U.S. history if you know that one of your ancestors played an active part in shaping it.

©2012, copyright Emily Kowalski Schroeder

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Military Monday: Grandma's SPARS Photo Album

11/26/2012

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Cover of SPARS Photo Album

We visited my parents' house this past holiday weekend and I found more neat stuff belonging to my mom's parents. I mentioned in a previous post that my Grandma, Dina Licciardi, served in U.S. Coast Guard Women's Reserve (also known as the SPARS) during WWII. I found her SPARS photo album in a box in her old bedroom closet. Unlike a lot of her family photo albums, just about every photo in the album was labeled - dates, names, places - everything. Obviously, Grandma knew that this was a special time in her life that she would want to remember always. These women (and men) were her 'family' for a couple of years; she lived, played, ate, and trained with people from all over the country - people she would have never met otherwise. I'm sure it was much like the college experience is today. My grandmother never had the opportunity to attend a university, but these ladies, some of whom she kept in touch with for the rest of her life, were her sorority sisters.

A page from Grandma's SPARS photo album

Because she saved so many photos, I've created an entire separate photo page on my website devoted to her time in the Coast Guard. (I encourage you to check it out!) After glancing through the album, I soon realized that this is not only an important piece of personal, family history, but that it is also a small snapshot of the nation's WWII war effort. She has photos of the training facilities, barracks, cadets doing calisthenics, her platoon and company marching, the SPARS band performing, not to mention photos of local hotels and other buildings, some of which are probably no longer around. She trained at the U.S. Coast Guard Training Facility in Palm Beach, Florida, and explored lakes and beaches in the area, with a few trips to Miami and Tampa as well. She entitled this photo "First day out! 4 Happy "Boots." The patch on the left is from her uniform - Yeoman, Third Class.

Dina on far right. August 1943

Yeoman, Third Class

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Sentimental Sunday: Grandma's Flag

11/11/2012

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Today, in honor of Veteran's Day, I am posting a photo of the flag that covered my grandmother's casket during her funeral. I'll explain why it's in my kitchen later...

My grandmother, Dina Licciardi Bellan, was a member of the U.S. Coast Guard SPARS (Women's Reserve) during WWII. At some point, I plan on doing a more detailed blog post with photos about her time with the service, but for now I'll just say that she served most of her time in Miami, FL and that she made some very good friends with whom she kept in contact for most of her life. Here she is in Miami in September of 1945:

So, Grandma's funeral was on a cold, cold January day during my senior year of high school. It was on a weekday - the first day of school I had missed since freshman year. I read one of the readings during mass. We went back to the funeral home and got ready to go to the cemetery. I drove my three younger brothers, while my little sister got to ride in the limo with my parents and aunt and uncle. (To this day, I have still never ridden in a limousine.) The cemetery plot was familiar; my grandfather had passed away eight years earlier. I remember standing there and being very cold while the prayers were read. (I wore a dark navy suit with a short skirt - not my brightest decision.) I was handed her flag and told that my grandmother had wanted me to have it, which didn't come as a huge surprise because my grandfather's flag had gone to my older cousin, and I was the second-oldest. I still felt honored to have it. I took it with me to college and graduate school, and it has always symbolized my grandmother's presence.

So, why is the flag in my kitchen? Grandma was a pretty darn good cook, and she LIKED cooking for her loved ones. I am not a good cook, and I do not enjoy being in the kitchen. On those days when I really don't feel like making dinner (pretty much everyday), I can always look at the flag and remember how much she enjoyed it. Sometimes it motivates me; sometimes it doesn't. And I'm always secretly hoping that some divine intervention on her part will make me a better cook. At least I was blessed with a husband who will pretty much eat anything. :-)

©2012, copyright Emily Kowalski Schroeder

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<<Previous

Old Photos: Research, Return & Repeat

How Grandma Came to Join the Coast Guard

Tombstone Tuesday: Graves of Memphis

Wordless Wednesday: Happy Birthday, Grandma Bellan!

Casimir Pulaski Day and Fort Pulaski National Monument

Military Monday: The Old Man's Draft

Japanese Tourists on American WWII Destroyer

Foto Friday: Grandpa in the South Pacific

Military Monday: Grandma's SPARS Photo Album

Sentimental Sunday: Grandma's Flag

Emily Kowalski Schroeder

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