Family Veterans

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At my request for our kid’s school veteran’s day project, I asked my mother, Jennifer, to root out some family veteran’s photos.

This set is the oldest vet in the family (on the Flesher side, at least): Henry Flesher. Fought in the Revolutionary War. Obviously, this isn’t a “photo” since they weren’t invented then, but he founded the city of Weston, VA so he got “lithographed” at some point.

Henry Flesher, Revolutionary war

Henry Flesher, Revolutionary war

Henry Flesher sign revolutionary war sign

Henry Flesher revolutionary war sign.

Here’s Chang in uniform (Navy) in 1943, first week in November (Grampa Bob was 3 weeks old).

Here’s Chang in uniform (Navy) in 1943, first week in November (Grampa Bob was 3 weeks old).

Dad, Mary, and Chang in his Navy uniform, 1943.

Dad, Mary, and Chang in his Navy uniform, 1943.

Mary, Bob, and Chang, 1944, summer or tropical Navy uniform.

Mary, Bob, and Chang, 1944, summer or tropical Navy uniform.

Here’s Grampa Bim, probably just after he enlisted in 1942. Marine uniform.

Here’s Grampa Bim, probably just after he enlisted in 1942. Marine uniform.

This is my uncle Jack Aden Williamson (Margaret’s brother) – your great-uncle and Liam and Jesse’s great-great. Likely at the very end of WWII, probably in the Philippines.

This is my uncle Jack Aden Williamson (Margaret’s brother) – your great-uncle and Liam and Jesse’s great-great. Likely at the very end of WWII, probably in the Philippines.

This is Bim’s sister Lois, a WAVE (Navy) in 1944. My aunt, so your great-aunt, and the kids’ great-great. Here’s a bit of history about the WAVEs: http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/prs-tpic/females/wave-ww2.htm

This is Bim’s sister Lois, a WAVE (Navy) in 1944. My aunt, so your great-aunt, and the kids’ great-great.
Here’s a bit of history about the WAVEs: http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/prs-tpic/females/wave-ww2.htm

Lieutenant Harold W. Flesher at his wedding to Margaret Williamson Flesher, January 1, 1946. Dad’s in his marine uniform.

Lieutenant Harold W. Flesher at his wedding to Margaret Williamson Flesher, January 1, 1946. Dad’s in his marine uniform.

And so Jennifer concludes:

I know we had relatives on the Williamson/Parker/Inman/Cake side (Margaret and Gramma Gladys) that fought in the Civil War. Being as everybody was from Tennessee back then, some were on the Union side and some were Confederates. I don’t know if I can come up with photos (or even names) without some serious digging and asking my various Williamson cousins. I know this side of the family also had members who fought in the Revolutionary War; Gramma Gladys was invited to join the Daughters of the American Revolution, in fact (she didn’t). Gramma’s husband Jack was in WWI (Army, I think) but I don’t have a photo at hand.

All said ancestors on both sides are either turning in or applauding from their graves to have ended up with such a bunch of peacenik descendants!

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One thought on “Family Veterans”

  1. Love this post…great history! Had forgotten Bim had a sister named Lois. Such an obscure name now but so historically imbedded on both sides. (Grandma Mary’s sister was also in the WAVES.)

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