Five brothers in uniform

Pratt Tribune ^ | 11-11-14 | Carol Bronson

[TurboZamboni]

During World War II it became the custom for families of servicemen to display stars in their windows, honoring the mothers, especially, as Blue Star Mothers — or Gold Star Mothers if their sons were killed in battle. If the custom had continued in the next decade, a Haviland family would have had a small constellation in their window. Thankfully, the stars would have all been blue. If Gertrude Konkel worried for the safety of her five sons in uniform, she did so quietly. Wayne Konkel, Pratt, the youngest of the five, said his mother didn’t listen to the news on the radio. “If I need to know anything, Dad (husband Dale), will tell me,” he recalls his mother saying. Fay was the first of the brothers to enlist, as World War II was still raging in Europe and the Pacific. He served as a tail gunner on an airplane in the U.S. Navy from May 1943 to May 1946

[easternsky]

Great Story

[ansel12]

I came from a household where all the men served, my parents were divorced and my dad had fought in WWII, having enlisted in 1939, when my mom remarried he was a veteran, Navy and Marines, of my two brothers and stepbrother, at least 3 of us enlisted during the Vietnam war, and my younger brother either did as well, or a few years after, ( need to clear that up next time I talk to him).

Between my family all being vets, and being from Texas, I used to think that almost all guys did a hitch in the military.

[CGASMIA68]

I had Dad(Pearl Harbor),Uncles Leo, Louie,Jim and Regi all in WWII at the same time.
Have an article around here somewhere from the Hartford Courant(suck lib rag now) with a pic of their Mom quoted about all of them serving at the same time along with all their buds from “Behind the Rock”.
Plus my Mom was a Sgnt(my Mom wore combat boots) and thats how she met my Dad.He was telecom aka signal corp and she taught code and teletype.

These people made our country what it is and those in power now are trying their best to destroy all of what our loved ones died and worked for...pretty F’en sad

[rfreedom4u]

Of us seven children in my family, five of us served. I was the only one to serve until retirement. My dad and several uncles served as did my grandfather.

It was just what we felt we needed to do. I loved most of my service. Even the bad parts weren’t too bad.

[Dick Bachert]

Sadly, some families were not so fortunate -- especially the Sullivans.

I awoke one morning during a 2005 cruise as we pulled into Nassau and looked out the porthole to see two US Arleigh Burke class destroyers next to us.  After breakfast, I strolled out onto deck 7 and got goose bumps when I noticed the shamrock on the stack of one of them.  Thinking I knew what boat she was, I walked aft to catch a view of the transom of that boat.  I was right. It was the USS “THE SULLIVANS!"  The goose bumps intensified as I recalled the story of the five Sullivan brothers who INSISTED that they be allowed to serve together and, persisting in the face of a naval regulation prohibiting it, were assigned to the USS Juneau when she was sunk on November 13, 1942 at Guadalcanal.  4 boys died instantly and the 5th son died at sea either from his injuries, a shark attack or exposure.  

THEIR MOTHER RECEIVED ALL 5 TELEGRAMS FROM THE NAVY ON THE SAME DAY!!!! 

I related the story to several of those on deck with me who were also checking out the destroyers.  I was greeted with BLANK STARES of disinterest.  I wanted to grab one guy by the stacking swivel, hoist him off the deck and scream that it was men and ships such as that which make it possible for A**HOLES like him to enjoy a peaceful cruise around the Caribbean. Not wishing to spend the rest of the voyage in the brig, I contented myself with muttering "a**hole" as he wandered off in search of another buffet.

And in a sign of the times, both ships had armed sentries posted fore and aft in Nassau, an ostensibly friendly and safe port.  But then, Aden was also considered safe at the time the USS Cole (also a Burke class destroyer) was attacked.  And I believe that, unlike the guards on the Cole -- and the Marine sentries in Beirut years earlier -- THESE guys were locked and loaded with orders to fire for effect!

[Tennessee Nana]

Of my mothers 7 brothers, 6 enlisted during WWII..

[NEMDF]

Thanks for sharing. My husband and I have 3 sons (from prior marriages) who are 30 (2) and the oldest is 33. All three were at Fallujah, Iraq on 11/8/2004. Marines.

My husband also a Marine (Viet Nam era but no combat assignments), and his father a Marine at Peleliu.

[ArmyTeach]

My Dad was a submarine commander out of the Philippines when Pearl Harbor was attacked. A sailor came hammering on his door telling him that we were at was. My Mom was living in Honolulu and was walking to work. She stood on a hill and watched the attack on Pearl Harbor. No, she was not one of those that evacuated back to the safety of the States.