More than you ever wanted to know about Alabama native Joe Watts
These are some of the photos brought home from WWII by my dad. Most include him–I’m not sure about the one where they are marching with the flag. Some of these photos have been posted before, but others, I hope are brand new. Thanks to all those who serve, now and in years past. Happy Memorial Day.
A wonderful email from a cousin made me want to do this post. I’ve got to do a better job of scanning in family photos. It is one of the things I enjoy most. Searching through photos and finding those gems (most of them really are gems, honestly). I just haven’t had as much time as I would like lately. The picture below is of my Uncle Bud Hinson (my mother’ brother). I’ve found several great photos of him from World War II. Just thinking about the folks of that generation gives me a shiver of pride.
Looks like someone else had a similar idea for posting letters about war. This one is from World War I instead of WWII, but is pretty interesting. It has even attracted a following. I don’t think I have the patience to post them on the correct date, but I will be posting letters home from my dad during the Pacific campaign in World War II in the coming weeks. In the meantime, read some of these letters sent home during WWI:
http://www.wwar1.blogspot.com/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22539251/
And, in case anyone is interested, here’s my dad’s service record (the file is a pdf and is about 1.1 megs in size)
clark_watts_service3.pdf
Well, I’ve had an idea on what to do with this blog–or a companion blog, actually. When in World War II, my dad wrote lots of letters home to my grandmother and others. They are collected in a box in the closet. They are filled with wonderful memories and funny comments (my favorite to date is his clever hints to send boxes of goodies–particularly boxes filled with CANDY–emphasis his).
I’m planning to start adding a letter a week until they are all cataloged in (maybe more than once a week, maybe less). I think this should be a pretty interesting job to tackle and will be interesting to more than just the immediate family. I love old letters from anyone. These are priceless.
It will be a little while before I can get started–the letters are still at home. But keep checking!
Ann and I recently (well, several months ago, actually) watched the Ken Burns documentary, The War. I’d suggest anyone who hasn’t seen it watch it. I have always been interested in WWII, but watching this really got me thinking. These folks really were the greatest generation. And listen to the music that goes along with it–I’d be hard-pressed to find better music than some of the awesome music on the soundtrack. Benny Goodman. I really wish that my father had been around to watch this–and I know that my mother would have been glued to the TV–this would have been an easy Christmas present for them both.
I guess what made me think of this today was that I was chatting with someone yesterday and mentioned the series to them. They hadn’t watched it. For some reason, when it was announced I think I thought of it like it was the Super Bowl. I still can’t even begin to imagine why anyone didn’t watch it, but if you are one of those that hasn’t just go ahead and start watching NOW!
If you have not watched this series, you owe it to yourself–and all the men and women who gave their lives, their hearts, and their time to fighting for the world–to watch it. I understand my Dad and my Mom better after having watched it and having seen more about what they went through. (Papa was in the Pacific Theater, who is shown in the photo–he’s the fellow on the left–,and was really on the front line. His brothers were in the European Theater–one was shot down over Germany and captured and another was one of the troops that invaded on D-Day. Mama was in college at the time, but worked with the Red Cross and also went to Mobile one summer to work doing her part. And everyone talked about rationing and worrying.)