Pearl Harbor - December 7th 1941

 Eighty years ago the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor bringing the United States into WWII. Those young men of the time became known as "The Greatest Generation". Among them were our fathers, uncles and cousins who without question served our country in various branches of the military.

U.S. World War II Draft Registration

Bill opted for the Navy

William Herbert Liljegren

b. January 2, 1923 Rock Island, Illinois, USA

d. August 27, 2016 Turlock, Stanislaus, California, USA

 

I am forever grateful to 

"The Greatest Generation",

75 years ago, August 15, 1945, WWII ended

May 8, 1945 the Allies celebrated Victory in Europe but the war raged on in the Pacific. August 15, 1945 Emperor Hirohito declared unconditional surrender of Japan. After 60 Million deaths worldwide, WWII was finally over.

It was over and my uncle, Arnold Sevald, serving in the US Navy on the ship "Tinsman" would be coming home safely. August 15, 1945, he was 19 years old.

Thank you!
Uncle Arnold Sevald,
Father Melvin Kallman,
Uncle Howard Johnson,
Cousins....
Richard Peterson,
Hugo Milton Alvine,
Evald Artur Kallman,
Harry Soderstrom,
William H. Liljegren
Gustave Arthur Jacobson,
Robert Harry Jacobson,
William Olson,
Robert Lee Johnson

and all the young men of "The Greatest Generation" for their sacrifice and service.

Today, November 11th, is Veteran's Day

Originally called Armistice Day this day of remembrance was started exactly 100 years ago.
Commemorating the end of World War I on the 11th month, 11th day and 11th hour. It was a particularly brutal war and was dubbed "The War to End all Wars". I guess we were naive enough to believe that was possible back then?

Here is a photo of my grand uncle, shared with me by his youngest daughter. Andrew Olaf  Soderstrom had first served in the Swedish military before coming to the U.S.. He fought in World War I with the U.S. Cavalry. A handsome young dude wasn't he?

my grand uncle

Andrew Olof Soderstrom

b. 13 Sept 1888 in Helgum, Västernorrland, Sweden

d. 8 Oct 1960 in Moline, Rock Island, Illinois,  USA

To all those who have served and those who are now serving our country

THANK YOU !

Swedish Military Conscription

Between 1901 and 2010 Sweden had mandatory military service for all young men.
My great uncle Seth Abrahamson (1892-1964), the younger brother of my grandmother Lydia, was conscripted to serve in the Swedish military.

My great Uncle Anders (Andrew) Olof Söderstrom (1888-1960), the husband of my great aunt Ruth, also served in the Swedish military before his emigration to the United States in 1910.

@1907 Anders Olof Söderstrom in uniform

A sad commentary on the unrest in the world at this time:

 Mainly because of the escalating unrest in the Baltic, at the beginning of this year (January 1 2018) Sweden reintroduced mandatory military conscription. 4000 young people born in 1999 were picked from a pool of about 13,000 men and women. The Swedish Armed forces is reportedly planning for 4,000 troops called this year and 4,000 called next year for basic training. This is about 4% of those born in 1999 (eligible for the 2018 draft) and 4% of those born in 2000 (eligible for the draft in 2019). 

And yes, this time both men and women will be called to serve equally.

A very interesting, informative piece about military fears in Sweden today can be found in the Atlantic article "Why Sweden Brought Back the Draft" click → HERE

Matthew 24:6 (King James Version)

"And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled:

for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet."

Honor our Veterans

In a few days is Veteran's Day. We honor those men and women who answered the call of defending our country. My father Melvin, was a veteran. A World War II veteran and he never talked about it.

As a child I saw this picture of him in uniform, displayed proudly in my grandmother's home. I asked him if he had been in the war and he replied only that yes, he had been in World War II and he had been in the Army. Other than that, he never talked about it.

I know that he received Christmas cards and periodically long letters from men he had served with and even visited Army buddies on occasion. However he always went alone, never taking my mom or we kids with him. He never talked about it.

AP photo, now owned and a copy may be purchased from www.realwarphotos.com

In the late 80's I came across this AP photo in the National Enquirer. It was titled"Ghosts haunt Omaha Beach" with some typical bogus National Enquirer story of people seeing ghosts of the soldiers that died on D-Day invading Europe. The photo however distinctly showed my father in the foreground! I took the paper to him and his response was "hummm, looks like me, we came off a landing craft like that into the water, I had a helmet with a cross on it like that and carried the exact same supplies." The photo prompted him to also identify other men by name. He explained that he did indeed land on Omaha Beach but not on D-Day. He was part of the reinforcements. I questioned him more. It seems that he was more than willing to defend his country but didn't know if he could ever morally find it in himself to shoot someone for any reason. His helmet with the cross indicated that they made him a medic.  "You didn't believe you could shoot an enemy?" I asked him incredulously. "How long did that last?" He thought for awhile and with a small sad smile said, "Halfway up the beach". I remember questioning him further about the war, just general questions, and he rebuffed me with "you don't need to know about those sort of things." He never talked about it again.

After his death I found in his dresser quite a bit of WWII memorabilia. Photos of him and other soldiers in boot camp and somewhere in Europe, his discharge papers, draft notice and other memorabilia. Those photos were never displayed or in an album and that was the first time I had ever seen them.

He had never talked about it.

After the death of my grandmother I became interested in my family history. The movie "Saving Private Ryan" was out and I wondered again what part my Dad had in the war. I pulled out Dad's discharge papers and did some internet sleuthing. He was in the 3rd Armored division, Spearhead unit that along with others fought their way from the beaches of France, cold, hungry and often with inadequate supplies, all the way to Berlin. His particular unit, the anti-tank company, 423rd infantry, had high casualties. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge where 19,000 American boys died in that battle alone. His unit had liberated a concentration camp. He never talked about it.

from the pamphlet (passed by censor for mailing home)
Spearheading with the 3rd Armored Division, in the Bulge, Duren-Cologne, The Ruhr Pocket, East to the Elbe

Dad was part of what we now call the "Greatest Generation:" Those men and women, out of duty and love of country went when called during WWII. They saw lots and did what they had to do. They saw no need to glory in it.  Although what they experienced, saw and did must have haunted them, they did what they had to do, for their country, for their family, for their children.  They bore the burden of those memories to protect us. "Those are things you don't need to know about." 

He never talked about it.

Thank you Dad,

November 11 and every day

Remember all of those men and women who served. 

They did what they had to do

...for our country...for our families...for our children.

HONOR OUR VETERANS

***click on above photos to enlarge for easier viewing***

Anniversary of the United States Air Force - Harry R. Soderstrom

This week is the 70th anniversary of the United States Air Force. The United States Air Force became a separate military service on 18 September 1947. Before that, it was part of the Army, known as the United States Army Air Corp and during WWII as the United States Army Air Force. In honor of that anniversary, I am proud to bring you the WWII story of one of our own family members. 

Harry R. Soderstrom, my father's cousin.

Harry was born in 1922 and graduated from Moline High School just as the world was entering WWII. If you read the article below you will see he was "cited by his squadron commander for meritorious achievement in accomplishing with distinction numerous operation missions over enemy occupied Europe." He was the pilot of a B-24 Liberator heavy bomber, one of ten crew members and mind you he was only 22 years old at the time! I've done a little reading on the Consolidated B-24 Liberator, you may also be interested and can find that information HERE. "The coolness, courage, and skill displayed by First Lieutenant Soderstrom upon these occasions reflects great credit upon himself and the Armed forces of the United States."

a member of "The Greatest Generation"

First Lieutenant 
Harry R. Soderstrom
born: October 15, 1922 Moline, Illinois
died: June 28, 2010 Columbus, Indiana

Enormous Thank You! to my second cousin, Sally Liljegren Thomas, who has kindly shared these photos and information about her uncle Harry with the family.

*click on photos to enlarge for easier viewing. 
If you wish to download a copy of individual photos in the collage,
 they may be found under the tab PHOTO GALLERY at the top of this blog.*

Dec 7 1941 Pearl Harbor

75 years ago today the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and the US entered World War II. Quite a few young men in our family, the sons of immigrants, found themselves called to defend our country. I believe that for our immigrant family the attack on Pearl Harbor may have been the truly defining moment. We were now, above all and forever after, Americans.Very few veterans of that war are still with us. The WWII veterans of our family are all gone.  In their honor tell their story to your children and grandchildren today.

Here is the story of my favorite uncle, my mother's brother Arnold Calvin Sevald. 

My Norwegian grandfather Paul Sevald stepped off the boat unto Ellis Island August 1, 1923. August 16, 1923, he filed his intent to become a United States citizen. When his son was born two years later he named him after the current president, the 30th, Calvin Coolidge. When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on Dec 7 1941, Arnold immediately joined the Navy. A parent had to sign for him. Knowing his father would not and his mother's English was poor he tricked her into signing. He had just turned 16 in September of that same year. He served as a radar detector on the U.S.S. Tinn. Most important to me.........he came home.

my maternal uncle

Arnold Calvin Sevald

b: 18 Sep 1925 Chicago, Illinois, USA

d: 26 Nov 1983 Dallas, Texas, USA

 

Breathes there the man, with soul so dead, who never to himself hath said, 

This is my own, my native land!  - Sir Walter Scott 1771-1832

History of Veterans Day | The History Channel

"On this Veterans Day, let us remember the service of our veterans, and let us renew our national promise to fulfill our sacred obligations to our veterans and their families who have sacrificed so much so that we can live free." – Dan Lipinski

To those who have honored and defended our country

through  their military service

THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU

World War I began on this day, July 28

On this day, July 28 in 1914 Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. This was the beginning of WWI. The U.S. had hoped to remain neutral but that was not to be and in April of  1917 we entered the war. My grandfather, my great uncles and their contemporaries were required to register for the draft in 1917. My great uncle Andrew Soderstrom and my great uncle Richard Peterson were called to serve. The rest were luckily not called but World War I draft enlistment records still exist that tell us a bit about our ancestors and who they were, what they were doing and what their family situation was at the time.

my great uncle Hugo Henry Alvine was born in 1875. In 1917 he was married to my great aunt Sarona Kallman and they had 2 boys. He was already 41 so not likely to be drafted. I learned from this registration that he was medium height and build with blue eyes and light hair. He lived in Chicago, Illinois and worked for Marshall Field as a clerk.

My great uncle Richard Reinhold Peterson was born in 1892. 1917 found him unmarried and only 25, primo for drafting. Uncle Richard served in France and before discharge was given his citizenship. Richard was a Chicago chauffeur of medium height and build, with blue eyes and light hair. He had the good sense to marry great aunt Tekla Kallman before he went in to the Army.

My great uncle Uno Markus Palm was born in 1883. At 34 and married to my great aunt Olga Kallman, he wasn't chosen to serve. He was a tall, medium built man with blue eyes and light hair. He filed first in California and registered in Alaska where he said he was a miner. His wife was in Washington state. I don't know much about this fellow. Seems he was a bit shifty. Aunt Olga had the good sense to leave him or the good luck that he left her, I don't know which. She said he was "a ladies man" and in true Swedish style that's all she would say about that!

My great uncle Andrew Olaf Soderstrom was just the man our country was looking for. He was born in 1888 and unmarried, plus he had military experience back in Sweden.   He was a machinist for the Deere company in Moline, Illinois. He served in the cavalry but before he left he married great aunt Ruth Abrahamson. Tall with a medium build, blue eyes, light hair and that square jaw, he made quite a good looking soldier didn't he?

My great uncle John Emil Jacobson was born in 1878. A farmer from Illinois, he was recorded as medium height and build and you guessed it....blue eyes and light hair. Pushing 40, married to great aunt Anna Abrahamson, with 4 kids and one on the way, he also was not a good candidate to draft. 

And of course my grandfather Richard Severin Kallman. Born in 1887 he was the right age but he was already married to my grandmother Lydia Abrahamson. They had 3 children whom he supported as a chauffeur in Chicago. He was of medium height and medium build with light hair and light blue eyes. Interesting to note that his right index finger was 'crippled". The family joke was he was rejected because that was his trigger finger. Most likely that was a beginning sign of the terrible rheumatoid arthritis he would later suffer from.

These documents give us a little glimpse of who the ancestors were at the onset of World War I. I really like seeing their personal signatures also. The "WAR TO END ALL WARS" is what they called World War I. Boy, how I wish that had been the truth.

 **click on documents and photos to enlarge for easier viewing**

Veteran's Day

from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs...

"World War I - known as "The Great War" - officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919 in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of 'the war to end all wars'."*

President Woodrow Wilson in 1919 proclaimed November 11, "Armistice Day". Followed by World War II, an even more destructive and world encompassing war, and the Korean war, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, with the approval of Congress changed "Armistice Day" to "Veterans Day".

I admit being a little jealous of some of my friends whose genealogies I have done. How cool to be able to join the Daughters of the American Revolution because your family had a part in the founding of our country? I always tell people that I am not a member of the DAR but am pretty proud to be a member of the Daughters of Ellis Island!

World War I "the Great War To End All Wars"marks the first conflict/war our immigrant family was called upon to prove their loyalty to their new home, and we did, proudly.

my granduncle: Andrew Olof Soderstrom

U.S. Cavalry

The following members of my family also proudly served when they were called.

my uncle: Howard W. Johnson

U.S. Army

my father: Melvin C. Kallman

U.S. Army

my father's cousin: Harry R. Soderstrom

U.S. Air Force

my father's cousin's husband: William H. Liljegren - U.S. Navy

(no photo)

my uncle: Arnold C. Sevald
U.S. Navy

my father's cousin: Gustave Arthur Jacobson - U.S. Army

(no photo)

my second cousin: Paul Emil Jacobson Jr.

U.S. Marines

my cousin's son: Carl Bogar Jr. 

U.S. Marines

my nephew: Timothy A. Twardowski

U.S. Marines

 A day begun to honor those who had served in "The war to end all wars". A much more simple and optimistic time wasn't it?  The world is still and maybe will always be a pretty dangerous place and as the saying goes, "freedom isn't free". We honor today all those men and women who protect our freedoms. We need to speak up and let them know their service was necessary and truly appreciated. Our American family and all Americans on this Veteran's Day and every day owe them a great big

THANK YOU 

(clicking on photos will enlarge them for easier viewing. Right click on photo to save to your computer)

* US Department of Veterans Affairs → THE HISTORY OF VETERANS DAY