Armistice Centennial

US_Flag_Backlit

Exactly one hundred years ago today, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, an armistice was signed with Germany to cease fighting the Great War. One year later, on November 11, 1919, President Woodrow Wilson declared that the day would be called Armistice Day, to honor those who fought in World War I. More than three decades later—after the “war to end war” gave way to World War II and then the Korean War—the holiday was renamed Veterans Day, and was intended as a day to honor all veterans of the U.S. armed forces.

In today’s post I’d like to honor all of my family members who served in defense of our country.

This is a revised version of a post I did five years ago. Since then, some family members have died, and I’ve discovered twenty-seven additional family members who served our country. Note that I have included only relatives who served the United States or the colonies that would eventually become the United States.

Family members have served both in times of peace and in times of war. The wars in which family members have been involved include:

In the list that follows, “••” indicates that the person is a direct ancestor, and “†” indicates that the person died while serving their country (including those who died as a result of injury or disease inflicted during their service.

Please let me know if you know of any family members that I’ve left off of this list.

 Ackley, Nicholas (1708–1763)French and Indian War
 Adams, Deacon John (1691–1761)Colonial Militia (MA)
 Almquist, Clarence William “Swede” (1922–1989)World War II
 Almquist, Steven (1950–)Vietnam War
 Armstrong, Charles “Chuck” Thomas (1927–1984)World War II
 Askew, Jack Grover (1923–2011)World War II
 Askew, John Gordon ”Gordy” (1921–2017)World War II
 Askew, Robert Gordon ”Bob” (1926–2003)World War II
 Askew, Russell Wilfred (1914–1990)World War II
 Askew, Stephen John “Steve” (1944–)Vietnam War
 Bailey, Clarence Humphrey (1895–1982)World War I
 Bailey, Isaiah Loomis I (1823–1899)Civil War
 Bailey, General Jacob (1726–1816)Revolutionary War
 Bailey, Lt. Joshua (1712–1786)Revolutionary War
 Bailey, William Alonzo (1893–1970)World War I
 Billings, Jacob (1732–?)Revolutionary War
 Billingsley, Henry Mitchell (1837–1918)Civil War
 Black, George Cornelius (1927–)World War II
••Black, Keith Vernon (1942–2016)Peacetime service
 Black, Lewis J (1839–1901)Civil War
••Black, Vernon Curtis (1916–1993)World War II
 Bogart, Humphrey DeForest (1899–1957)World War I
 Burton, Elphenus Americus (1848–1926)Civil War
••Cadwell, Abraham (1717–1762)French and Indian War
 Cheney, Caleb (1738–1800)Revolutionary War
••Cheney, Ebenezer (1742–1828)Revolutionary War
••Chilson, David Wolcott (1821–1902)Civil War
 Christianson, Ray (1920–1980)World War II
 Claunch, Pvt. Richmond C (1839–1862)Civil War
••Coddington, Benjamin (1680–1753)Colonial Militia (NJ) ?
 Coddington, Benjamin (ca. 1759–ca. 1801)Post-Revolutionary War
••Coddington, Daniel Schram (1811–1886)Civil War
 Coddington, David Humphreys (1839–1912)Civil War
••Coddington, George Harrison (1842–1919)Civil War
 Coddington, Isaac (1793–1846)War of 1812
••Coddington, John B (1654–1738)King Philip’s War
 Coddington, Joseph (ca. 1730–>1783)Revolutionary War
 Coddington, Lewis C (1846–1930)Civil War
 Coddington, Robert Sr. (1760–1833)Revolutionary War
 Coddington, Thomas Kendall (1896–1955)World War II
 Coddington, William Albert (1843–1922)Civil War
 Cole, Andrew J. (1965–)Peacetime service
••Comstock, Lemuel (1782–1856)War of 1812
••Conant, John (1652–1724)King Philip’s War
••Conant, Lot (1624–1674)King Philip’s War
 Denison, Maj. Gen. Daniel (ca. 1612–1682)Colonial Militia (MA)
••Denison, Capt. George (1620–1694)King Philip’s War
 Dewey, Abner (1726–1777)French and Indian War
Revolutionary War
 Dewey, Bohan (1755–<1791)Revolutionary War
 Dewey, Jared David (1759–1850)War of 1812
 Doran, Patrick (1738–1788)Revolutionary War
Dow, Gideon (1710–1756)Colonial Militia (NH)
 Dunham, Stanley Armour (1918–1992)World War II
 Eddy, Carl Everett (1921–1970)World War II
 Eliason, Maj. Douglas (1957–)Peacetime service
 Fanson, Vernon Monteith “Vern” (1897–1980)World War I
 Field, Arne Erickson (1842–1914)Civil War
 Grabill, CMSgt. Thomas Edward (1930–1971)Vietnam War
 Gritz, Stanley Wayne (1935–1962)Korean War
 Grosvenor, Wallace Paine (1900–1974)World War I
Harmon, Loren Winfield “Win” (1883–1917)World War I
••Hatfield, Joseph (1740–1832)Revolutionary War
 Heinz, Emerson C. “Harry” (1912–1977)World War II
 Hicks, Jason (1968–)Gulf War
 Hogan, Eli Elias (1883–1962)World War II
 Hunt, Lt. Simeon (1713–1793)French and Indian War
 Jellison, Winfred Halga “Helga” (1896–1992)World War I
 Johnson, Albert Wagoner II (1928–2017)Peacetime service
••Johnson, Captain John (1600–1659)Colonial Militia (MA)
 Jordan, James Russell Jr. (1887–1948)World War I
 Judd, Clifford Leroy (1914–1979)World War II
 Karpen, John Paul Jr. (1922–1998)World War II
 Karpen, John Peter Sr. (1899–1978)World War I
World War II
Keally, Edward Lawrence Jr. (1925-1951)Korean War
••Kinne, Cyrus (1746–1808)Revolutionary War
 Kohler, George Edward (1916–2002)World War II
 Kuiper, Lt. Col. Cornelius Edward (1947–)Vietnam War ?
 Leatherbury, Lt. John (ca. 1744–1785)Colonial Militia ?
 Lennon, Robert Joseph (1924–1988)World War II
 Little, Col. Moses Jr. (1724–1798)Revolutionary War
 Loomis, Israel (1715–1801)Revolutionary War
 Loso, Lloyd Joseph (1899–1974)World War I
Lytle, Lewis (1836–1864)Civil War
 Martes, Philip Peter “Phil” (1917–1967)World War II
••McClure, Judge David (1726–1796)Revolutionary War
 McClure, Col. Thomas Ross (1809–1886)Civil War
 McMurry, James (ca. 1758–1832)Revolutionary War
 McMurry, John (1752–1832)Revolutionary War
••McMurry, Thomas (1760–1829)Revolutionary War
McMurry, Thomas Hisner (1831–1863)Civil War
••McMurry, William Jr. (ca. 1725–1798)Aided Revolutionary War
 McMurry, William (1795–1852)War of 1812
 Millard, Orrison Hill (1826–1904)Civil War
Miller, Isaac (1778–1813)War of 1812
Moore, Lt. Clarence Jerome “Red” (1921–1944)World War II
••Morris, Calvin Levi (1803–1875)Civil War
Morris, James Matthew (1823–1862)Civil War
••Noble, Ens. Matthew (1698–1771)Colonial Militia (MA) ?
 Ogden, David Sr. (1764–1840)Revolutionary War
••Paine, Stephen Jr. (1629–1677)Colonial Militia (MA) ?
 Peck, Ira (1824–1883)Civil War
 Peck, Nathaniel A (1841–1910)Civil War
 Pepper, Eli (1770–1856)War of 1812
••Pepper, Jacob (1661–1739)Dummer’s War
 Pepper, John Quincy (1826–1913)Civil War
••Pepper, Joshua (1721–1808)Revolutionary War
 Pepper, Minos (1791–1860)War of 1812
 Prettyman, Donald Irvin “Don” (1930–)World War II
 Prettyman, George Irvin “G.I.” (1887–1977)World War II
Prettyman, George W. (1847–1865)Civil War
 Prettyman, James Clarence “Jim” (1918–1990)World War II
 Prettyman, Jerome Patrick “Jerry” (1925–1965)World War II
 Prettyman, Jesse Willard (1922–1995)World War II
Prettyman, John G “Jack” (ca. 1923–1944)World War II
 Prettyman, Richard Francis “Frank” “Arch” (1921–1989)World War II
 Prettyman, Robert Austin “Bob” (1916–1989)World War II
 Prettyman, Warren Walter (1922–1986)World War II
••Prettyman, William Eugene (1919–1998)World War II
••Price, Richard (1757–1834)Revolutionary War
 Priest, Joseph (1641–1697)King Philip’s War
 Proszek, Stanislaus “Stanley” (1919–2003)World War II
 Putnam, Lt. Thomas (ca. 1614–1686)Colonial Militia (MA) ?
 Putnam, Sgt. Thomas (1652–1699)Colonial Militia (MA) ?
 Ranum, Arne Nelson (1845–1898)Civil War
Rice, Charles Delos (1830–1862)Civil War
 Rider, Daniel III (1735–1787)Revolutionary War
Robson, Donald George (1929–1952)Korean War
 Rush, Alexander W. (1831–1864)Civil War
 Schuler, James John (1949–2003)Vietnam War
••†Scott, Hiram (ca. 1815–1865)Civil War
••Scott, Horace L. (ca. 1842–1870)Civil War
 Scott, James H. (1847–1916)Civil War
 Severn, Clifford Leroy (1896–1982)World War I
••†Severson, Sever (1828–1864)Civil War
 Shearer, William Christian Jr. (1759–1830)Revolutionary War
 Smith, Lt. Col. William Stephens (1755–1816)Revolutionary War
••Snider, John Sr. (1743–1830)Revolutionary War
 Spencer, Fredrick “Fred” (1897–1918)World War I
••Stebbins, Lt. Thomas (1620–1683)Colonial Militia (MA) ?
 Stewart, Abraham Williamson (1828–1910)Puget Sound War
 Stewart, William McCallen (1794–1885)War of 1812
 Stokes, Milton Burton “Bert” (1879–1971)World War I
 Stokes, Nathan (1818–1901)Civil War
 Stone, Archibald (1735–1811)Revolutionary War
Stover, Elisha B. (ca. 1818–1863)Civil War
 Switzer, James Morris (1910–1984)World War II
 Thayer, Capt. Ebenezer (1692–1777)Revolutionary War
 Thayer, Peter Sr. (1737–1805)Revolutionary War
 Thayer, Peter Jr. (1755–1820)Revolutionary War
 Thayer, Shadrach (1759–1829)Revolutionary War
 Thayer, Col. Sylvanus (1785–1872)War of 1812
 Thompson, Knudt Tostensen (1832–1910)Civil War
 Tracy, Lt. Hezekiah (1736–1817)Revolutionary War
 Treat, Gov. Robert (1622–1710)King Philip’s War
 Turner, Col. Seth (1727–1806)Revolutionary War
 VanWinkle, Cyrus (1805–1879)Civil War
 Vinton, Charles Albert (1832–1904)Civil War
••Vinton, Lt. David (1726–1791)Revolutionary War
••Vinton, Seth Sr. (1756–1848)Revolutionary War
 Wadsworth, Brig. Gen. Peleg (1748–1829)Revolutionary War
 Warren, Jacob (1983–)Iraq War
 Watson, Elbert Joseph “Al” (1927–2007)Peacetime service ?
 Whitmore/Wetmore, Jabez Jr. (1766–1843)Revolutionary War
 Whitney, William Canty (“Doc”) (1896–1970)World War I
 Wichers, Jean Harrold (”Harold Gene”) (1923–2011)World War II
 Wichers, Reanon Cornelius (1919–2007)World War II
••Wise, Thomas (1726–1800)Revolutionary War
••Wolcott, Justus (1735–1831)Revolutionary War
••Woodruff, Benjamin Sr. (1744–1837)Revolutionary War
 Yapp, James L (1920–2009)World War II
 Yapp, Ray Rush (1923–1993)World War II

Thank you for your service, your sacrifices, and for the roles you played in forming, developing, and protecting our country.

Without your collective efforts, our country would not have endured nor even existed.

5 thoughts on “Armistice Centennial

  1. What an impressive list. Makes me feel very proud of what our family done is service of our nation.

    I appreciate the work you have done on this, thanks….

    • Hi Dana,

      Sorry about that—of course he was. I’ve just added him to the roll. Chalk that up to user error with my master database. Thanks for the catch!

      Michael

      P.s. On a related note, in some old notes I have from the late 1980s taken from an interview with Bill Prettyman, he mentions a Bob who went by the nickname of “Ace” who was killed in WWII (shot down on a bombing run, I believe). Bill got teary-eyed when he mentioned Ace, as Ace never came back from war, so I never pushed him too hard on exactly who Bob “Ace” was. He spoke of him like family, and in my early notes I thought he might have been married into the family, but I suppose he may also have been a close friend of Bill’s. Any idea who Bob “Ace” might have been?

Leave a Reply