A Few Of FR's Finest....Every Day....05-26-03....Memorial Day - Remembering SSGT. Richard A. Fitts

dansangel

[Pippin]

Howdy, Cobby!

I thought I missed you, but you came back! :O)

[Aquamarine]

So sorry to hear about the loss of your friend...54 years is a long time.

[JustAmy]

That cemetery has an Avenue of Flags every Memorial Day. I think they put up 1500 large flags to line the streets. Jim was going to try to get there today. If he posts a thread, I will ping you. If I can find last year's thread, I will post a link.

We will never forget.

[dansangel]

It's a very small country and there's a lot crammed into it. You're always welcome.

Thank-you. I'll have to figure out a way to tolerate such a long plane trip. I hear it's something like 20 hours. The longest I was ever on a plane was on a trip to Hawaii 15 years ago. I thought I would go crazy! I'm not one to sit still for very long. :-)

The reverse holds true for .45MAN and I - please let us know if you ever come here. We would love to be your tour guides/contacts here in the US.

[WVNan]

Hi Pip. I had a supper break. I'll tell you a funny true story. My grandfather used to tell me that his father fought in the Civil War. I was so proud of that fact. I grew up being so steeped in my Southern Heritage and the fact that my great-grandfather was a Rebel soldier. Well, the years went by and I married Jack who is a (gasp) Yankee. I took him to visit my grandparents. I was pontificating to my new husband all about my "Southern Heritage", and encouraged my grandfather to relate how his dad had run away to join the army when he was just 16. Then my smart aleck husband piped up and asked, "Pa, which side did he fight on?" And my beloved Pa answered sheepishly, "the Union." Oh the shame of it all. Jack has never let me live that down.

[dansangel]

Dansy, I was lurking and the posts I read brought tears, Everyone had such moving things to post

It has been a nice day, Pippin. I wish that we could celebrate our fallen heroes like this every day of the year!

I always find it interesting to hear about people who had relatives in the civil war. I didn't have any ancestors in the US until the 1920's when my grandparents from both sides came to this country from Italy. How lucky for me that they were courageous enough to do that!

I often wonder what life would have been like for me growing up in Italy.

[JustAmy]

President George W. Bush gives a Memorial Day speech at the Normandy American Cemetery at Normandy Beach in France on May 27, 2002.
White House photo by Paul Morse.

I believe this is still timely.

[dansangel]

My GGGGGrandfather died during the Revolution.

Wow! As I just said to Pippin, it's so interesting to hear people relate stories about ancestors from the Civil War and beyond in US history.

My relatives have been in the US for less than a century. I'm so happy they decided to come here!

[dansangel]

*Excellent* photo - of course it is timely. I am so proud of our president!

[WVNan]

Well, HOORAY for your parents! We surely are happy they decided to come to America. What would the Finest do without our resident angel?

[JustAmy]

My husband's parents came from Italy. My MIL in 1906 and my FIL in the early 1920's. Have you checked out the Ellis Island records for the manifests for your ancestors. Hubby's mother is there but his father did not come thru Ellis Island.

[dansangel]

Actually, it was my grandparents - thank-you! I keep teasing my husband telling him if it weren't for their courage I could be stomping grapes back in the homeland - LOL!! :-)

[Pippin]

A funny thing about my great great grandfather being a Union Soldier,was, that my dad was so proud of being from Tennessee and even took to flying the Confederate flag that when I told him what I found out he wouldn't beleave me. Isn't it funny how we assume things based on geography among other things.

[dansangel]

I found the manifests for my maternal Grandmother and paternal grandfather, both coming here during the 1920's. I think that was a big time for Italians to come over. My maternal grandfather came through Toronto because he had relatives there.

.45MAN's grandfather came from Germany. Was able to find the manifest for him - it was during the 1890's - wow.

[Pippin]

I have a feeling that you would have come to the US at the first possible moment.

Although I thought Italy was so beautiful. I went there back in '94 on a trip with my church. They land was beautiful and the people were so wonderful! :O)

But you'd still come to the US because Italy desn't have what we've got here! That's freedom!

[TexasCowboy]

"If he posts a thread, I will ping you. If I can find last year's thread, I will post a link."

Thanks, Amy, but I'll have to warn you that I'll probably steal any pictures like I just stole that one! LOL!

To All:
There's a patriotic fervor in this country now that I've never seen, and I'm 63 years old.
Nowhere is it more in evidence than right here.
I'm sure it swells the hearts of old vets like me everywhere.
You haven't forgotten.
I thank all of you for all of them.

[dansangel]

But you'd still come to the US because Italy desn't have what we've got here! That's freedom!

You are so right...I'd probably come over come heck or highwater.

Then I would have to learn to speak English, just like my grandparents did. I'll bet that was very difficult for them!

[dansangel]

I'm sure it swells the hearts of old vets like me everywhere.

The thanks belong to us to give to you.

It's because of people like you that we enjoy the freedoms that we have.

I am eternally grateful, (((((((Cobbie))))))

[Pippin]

Hi, Amy!

I have an interesting problem on my mom's side.

Her ancesters came over to the US from Bavaria in the early 1800's and settled in Pennslyvanmia and Minnesote (mostly Minnesota) but in 1903 my great grandfather took his family (including my grandfather) into Saskatchewan, Canada and settled there. My grandfather met and married a fellow American from Minnesota and settled in Northern Saskatchewan and raised ten children (the youngest was my mom) My mom married an American citizen and came to the US were me andf my siblings were born. So, I wanna know am I a first generation American on my mom's side or sixth generation American? That's so confusing (although I don't dwell on it much)

[TexasCowboy]

"I thought I missed you, but you came back! :O)"

I had to come back to say, "Hi", to you Pip!
It's always good to see you!