I wrote this ~12 months after September 11, 2001. I wanted to remember what I was doing on that day when we heard about the planes. The first I knew that something was awry on September 11, 2001 was mid morning. I arrived at the office - same time as always - 7:15. Some time in the 9:00 hour I happened to glance at my.yahoo.com - my frequent home for news. There was a one liner about a plane striking the World Trade Center. I've read about a B-17 striking the Empire State Building some time around WWII. I recall thinking that it wasn't that big of a deal. I think I tried a couple other sources to see if anyone else had more information - no one did. Within 30 minutes my boss asked if I had read anything, "No, not really" I responded. Site inquiries now just timed out. Everyone was connecting to see what they could see. I think I got one through on chicagotribune.com, but the information was about the same. No one knew much. Someone (my boss Mark I thin...
One has to be particularly careful when selecting nicknames. I look back over my childhood and I recall the nicknames of my siblings: Julianne (aka Juln Ms. Coleman aka Princess Queen Ishcabible (sp?)) Tom (aka TC aka Kinnies aka Snaggletooth) Rob (aka Big Robs aka Robert the Brave) Susan (aka Bug) If one looks at these nicknames with a careful eye, at least one pops out as perhaps a nickname the recipient of which might not want to go into the cold cruel world with. Interestingly enough, I believe it is also the nickname that stuck the best. With that observation, I am (understandably) a little concerned about the nickname that Tracey and I have bequeathed upon our first born. It fits the criteria (as I see them) of a nickname: It's cute It's a diminutive It's easy to remember What more could one want? Well, Tracey grew up with Wunk and Teek (TK), my daughter has started life with "Booga". If you recall one of my earlier notes, one of Dad's favorite songs...
Last summer (‘18) I had the National Archives send me my Grandfather’s service record (55 pages, lots of insurance forms). There’s a link to that set of documents below. From Alfred Hoyle’s pay record , I’m starting to piece together what I think Grandpa did during WWII. Looks like basic training at Parris Island SC, Mechanic’s training at Camp Lejune NC and then deployed to 2nd Marines 2nd Separate Engineer Battalion in the Pacific. Likely saw / experienced some / all of the Battle of Okinawa . The 2nd Marines did their occupation time in Nagasaki (atomic bomb #2), which matches what I've heard about Grandpa's service I have very few stories from his time in the Marines (one I do have, I’ve added as a likely event with the historical context below). I don’t think he spoke much of his time. I will bug John this summer (and now). If you've got stories you know / remember, I'd like to capture them. Marine PFCs made $54 / month dur...
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