remember on memorial day

i just wanted to share some memories of some of the soldiers from my childhood. first is my pop pop. (my moms dad) i could go on for 47 posts about how much i love and miss him. everyone knew 'pat' (his real names was pasquale) and if he didnt know you, he would become your friend just by being in line at the acme to buy milk. this photo, which im sure i have posted so many times before on differnt posts on my family blog, is from ww2. on the back he wrote, 'johnny, pat and ted with a jap gun'. i can see how 20 year old boys would find this to be the best thing ever! my pop never talked about the war, at least not to me, but i do know he was in the army. he had a scar that went across his one shoulder, and i always heard the story to be that in the war he had gotten hurt and since he was the medic, he had sew himself back up. what a brave man! i have no idea where that story came from because the REAL story was that he injured himself playing football as a teenager and the scar was from when the doctors took care of it.

i like the war story better.

then there was my great uncle earl. he lived down the street from nana and pop pop with my great aunt mary (my nanas sister). these 4 did tons together-vacations, eating, parties, a beach house in jersey, eating...the important stuff! this photo is of him and my nana eating dinner at my great grandmas home. from the tablecloth and cards, i will assume christmas eve dinner. (that is a big food day for italians!) now uncle earl also went to war, but i have no idea which branch he served in, but he brought back a real scar...he had no bellybutton! yup-whatever happened to his stomach while away left him bellybutton-less! it was good times with the kids to see uncle earls belly! we were so easily amused!

there are just 2 of the many men in my family who served and procted our country! (im not counting my little brother aaron who is in the reserves while going to school. he doesnt have a uniform and has no idea how to even do a push up or shoot a gun. but he gets a pay check from uncle sam every 2 weeks! now you know why i dont count him!)