Sad surprise ....
 

My dad grew up in coal country, lost his dad when he was just in his teens. Both he and my mom (one of 11 kids, went into a foster home when the family couldn't provide) have never really talked a lot about their families beyond their immediate family. My dad's brother likes to delve into the family history and recently found out what happened to a cousin of theirs. My generation never knew anything about him or his story until my uncle came for a visit this week.


http://www.delcotimes.com/articles/2...mode=fullstory

4 minute vid of the memorial service at Arlington.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlbUs...e_gdata_player

Wow..interesting story. Sorry to hear about things like this. All the bi-products of wars.

Thanks for sharing...amazing that someone persued to find a connection. And to help with a closure.

From my uncles and dad's side of things, they barely knew him and my uncle knew he served but never knew what happened to him and started trying to find him about a year ago.

Somewhat ironically, like most kids my age I was enamored with the stories and equipment of WWII, tanks and planes were always my favorites with the B-25 and the P-40 as my all timers, along with FW-190, me 262 and Stuka. At one point I had over 70 model planes hanging in my bedroom and just about every piece of armor one could get from revell, monogram or apc. Only one of them was a Japanese plane, the zero--never liked or cared to have anything with the rising sun on it. I "ate up" every bit of info i could read or view in my school and local libraries, including the old films you could load in and watch in the mini projectors in the school library. For all i know, i may have seen him in action at some point.