Katie Marie Coleman-Ashley... Day 6, A Week of Veteran Salutes

As today is Veteran's Day for 2011, I will end my week of salutes to family members with my beautiful niece Katie Marie Coleman. She proudly took the reins and followed in the footsteps of her 5th great Grandfather, John Shepherd Coleman, my featured ancestor here on this blog on Thursday the 10th, 2011. His story is here http://goo.gl/DXANC
Honor, bravery and love of country surely must be a few of the factors that lead our loved ones to serve as they left children and loved ones at home while they gave of their time for their country.

Katie Marie Coleman-Ashley held the rank of Specialist, her job was as an Automated Logistical Specialist. Maintaining and distributing the Army's large inventory of food, medicines, ammunition, spare parts and other supplies is an incredibly important job. The Automated Logistical Specialist is an integral member of the Army's supply and warehousing specialist team, responsible for supervising and performing management or warehouse functions in order to maintain equipment records and parts. Some of Katie's most important duties were making sure that the right supplies were delivered at the right time to help ensure the safety of Army troops in the field and on the front lines.

Katie Marie Coleman-Ashley served  in HHC 9th Battalion of the 101st Airborne out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky. She was a proud member of the famed "Screaming Eagles". The distinguished history of the 101st  goes back to WWII and has continued into today's world with service in Iraq and Afghanistan. When the division's second deployment began in 2005, Katie eventually was called to go abroad. She left her young son in the care of his Grandparents back in Nebraska as she deployed to Iraq for a year of service.

Homecoming for Katie Marie with her son,Tyler, at Ft. Campbell

Mom is home from Iraq!

 We love you Katie and honor you for your service. Our pride in you will shine forever! ♥

John Shepherd Coleman...Day 5, a Week of Veteran Salutes

John Shepherd Coleman served as a private in Company D, 23rd Indiana Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War. According to records in the Indiana State Archives he enrolled on July 12 1861 at New Albany, Indiana and was mustered on 29 July 1861 at the same location. John Shepherd was mustered out on 23 July 1865 at Louisville, Kentucky. He married Margaret Jane Sharp(e) on 7 Feb 1852 in Harrison County, Indiana when he was 22 years old and he was thirty one when he enrolled in the Union army.

John's trade was that of a blacksmith as was his father and his son after him. I have often wondered if he might have served as a unit farrier during the time of his service although that is not known at this time. The 23rd infantry was involved in many actions of the war which included the Battle of Shiloh, Tennessee; the advance on and siege of Corinth, Mississippi; the assaults on and surrender of Vicksburg; the siege on Atlanta and they were also involved in the surrender of Gen. Joseph Johnston and his army just to name a few. Over all the 23rd Regiment was a busy unit and involved in many actions against their enemy during the war. They are known to have participated in the Grand Review of the victorious armies in Washington, D.C. on May 23-24 of 1865 shortly before they were mustered out in Kentucky.

John Shepherd Coleman   1830-1912

John returned to Indiana where he spent the remainder of his life after the Civil War. He died on 20 August 1912 in Jennings Twp., Crawford County, Indiana where Margaret and he are buried in the Dillman Ridge Cemetery of that county.

Gravestone of John Shepherd Coleman

His gravestone says "THE MORNING COMETH" and I hope that someday when it comes again, we can meet as great great Grandfather and Granddaughter so that I might pay true honor to him for his service.

Honoring Our Uncles...Day4, A Week of Veteran Salutes

                                                          "Brothers-in-law"

Robert Wayne Harvey was born 29 June 1923 at Greyrocks, Platte County, Wyoming to Robert Earl Harvey and Hilda Marie Larson. At age 20 he enlisted in the army at Fort Francis E. Warren in Cheyenne, Wyoming as a private. He worked up through the ranks to become a Staff Sergeant in the Quartermaster Corps and part of his time of service during WWII was spent stationed on Okinawa.

Robert passed away in Kirkland, Yavapai County, Arizona on Jan 7, 1987. His memorial is located near other family members in the Pine Bluffs, Wyoming cemetery.

Robert Wayne Harvey -- Army, WWII

                       __________________________________________________________

Gene L. Casey Jones was born 15 October 1925 in Wheatland, Platte County, Wyoming to Lester Leroy Jones and Esther Vosberg Watson.  In 1943 at the age of 18, Casey enlisted in the army at Fort Francis E. Warren in Cheyenne, Wyoming as a private and worked his way up to the rank of Sergeant. He was stationed in Austria during the latter part of the war.

Gene "Casey" Jones died while living at Yuma, Yuma County, Arizona on 27 November 1988 and is buried in the Wheatland Cemetery, Wheatland, Platte County, Wyoming.

Gene L. "Casey" Jones -- Army, WWII

Gone, but loved and not forgotten.

Charles Gray McComsey...Day3, A Week of Veteran Salutes

In honor of our third great Grandfather, Charles Gray McComsey, during this week leading up to Veterans Day 2011. If only we could go back in time...just to be able to see his face, give him a big hug and tell him how proud we are of his service to his country during the Civil War. Our honored Grandfather was a private in the Union army and served for three years of the war. A short but pertinent excerpt from the complete history of  the 112th Illinois Infantry at the Illinois State Department of Archives states that "The Regiment actively participated in all the campaigns in East Tennessee, in 1863, and, up to February 4, 1864, sharing in the glory of redeeming that truly loyal people, and in wresting what was regarded as the key to the rebellion from rebel rule. Being always at the front and often at great distance from the main body of the army, it was kept constantly on the alert, and compelled to perform the severest of duties and always on short rations."

In honor of our third great Grandfather...1838-1920

 He became a respected pioneer in western Nebraska after the war and made his home near and later moved to Gering, Nebraska. Several of his children and grandchildren are buried in the West Lawn Cemetery in that community along with Charles and his wife Mary.

Obituary of Charles McComsey

Family gravestone

  

Thank you for your service and the life and legacy that you passed to us all!

Millard R. Coleman...Day 2, A Week of Veteran Salutes

Millard and Helen Coleman- Alliance, Ne. about 1943

Millard Coleman was my uncle, my Dad's younger brother. Even though we lived far apart for all of my life, he was always an important part of our extended family. He and his family came to Nebraska to visit at least every other year and Mom and Dad and I would drive to Boise, Idaho to visit them on occasion. We always had great fun...Dad and Uncle Millard were very close and both were fun loving and always laughing about an old story or reminiscing about old times when they were growing up. That is what I remember most about Uncle Millard is his wonderful little laugh, I do not think I ever saw him without a smile on his face or heard anything but kind words from him. His kindness and thoughtfulness which stemmed from his love of the Lord were what really set him apart.

When I was a little girl and would stay over with my Grandma, one of the most fun activities was pulling down an old hat box from the top of her wardrobe and going through it's contents. It was a Navy hatbox that her son, Millard had sent her while he was in the Coast Guard. In that box were some of her lifelong treasures...her hanky collection! That collection was so special to go through as a little girl but the box is what has stayed in my memory all these years. What I would not give to have a photo of that box on top of that old wardrobe now. Grandma was so proud of her son for his service and she was a lifelong member of the Navy Mother's Club in his honor.

Millard Coleman was born on May 21, 1919 in Broken Bow, Nebraska to Opal Edith Gardner Coleman and Frederick M. Coleman. He grew up in Alliance, Nebraska where he graduated in 1936. He met his wife, Helen Lyon in Alliance and they were married in Salt Lake City in 1941. During WWII, Millard joined the Coast Guard and during the war he and Helen lived in various places during his service years and they eventually settled in Boise, Idaho where they spent the rest of their life working and raising two children. Millard Coleman passed away in 2008 and is buried in Boise, Idaho.

♥Remembering our uncle, Millard R. Coleman, with love and honor.

Millard Coleman with his Dad, F.M. Coleman, about 1943

Brig. General Maurice M. Beach...A Week of Veteran Salutes

With the approach of another veterans day, I will be posting some of our family service members to honor our loved ones.

I have written before about Maurice M. Beach and his exemplary career, that full biography article can be found here http://goo.gl/2dg8l

Maurice M. Beach...drawing made of him in England, 1945

 General Beach had an extraordinary military career during the active years of WWII and continued to serve as he commanded his troops and assisted in airlifting the wounded from Normandy.

During the years immediately following the war, there was a multinational occupation of post-World War II Germany. The Soviet Union blocked the Western Allie's railway and road access to the sectors of Berlin that were under Allied control. Their aim was to force the western powers to allow the Soviet zone to start supplying Berlin with food and fuel, thereby giving the Soviets control over the entire city. In response, the Western Allies organized the Berlin Airlift to carry supplies to the people in West Berlin. The United States Air Force and the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force were aided by several other allies and  flew over 200,000 flights in one year, providing up to 4700 tons of daily necessities such as fuel and food to the Berliners. Both General Beach and his wife were actively involved in the actions of the Berlin Airlift while he was stationed in Europe.

It is with great love that I honor uncle Maurice M. Beach. Our family misses you so much!