My Uncle Jack and my mother had come to the U.S. as youngsters with my Grandmother. Because the date of their entry into the U.S. had never been officially documented, when he went to enlist, the Army took my Uncle to Niagara Falls, had him cross into Canada, then walk back over the bridge into the U.S. Don't know if it's true, but that's the story we were told as kids. Jack served from 9/22/42 to 6/25/45.
My great-uncle John Holmes, who was from Canada was killed in France in WWI, in September 1918...just before the Armistace. He's buried there. He was with the Canadian Expeditionary Forces. I've got a picture of him in uniform on horseback, and a photo of his grave in the British Military Cemetery in France.
My brother was in the Army and served in Vietnam '66-67 with the 25th Infantry Division...Cu Chi. My Dad was born in 1904, too young for WWI, and although he was 37 when we entered WWII, he wasn't medically eligible as he suffered from Chronic Osteomyelitis (infection of the bone). One leg was shorter than the other, and he always had an open wound that drained. Had it from the time he was a kid, but never missed a day of work on the railroad.
Thanks for sharing all your info. Love reading about it all. I have to upload pictures to photobucket to post them here, only way I know how to do it. Over the next few days I’ll post some of my father, time consuming to do it right now. Check back if you like :)