We Remember...

Justin and I watched a Remembrance Day Commemoration on television today and were really touched at all of the sacrifice that these men and women made for all of us. Really, because of them, we live how we do today and I know they don't get enough credit or thanks. During the program there was music, wreaths placed, poppies worn, and the poem "Flander's Fields" recited. There were several shots of wise wrinkled experienced faces, and young determined ones. That is when it hit me. It really was real. Leaving families. Living, and dying, abroad. A chapter in so many soldiers' lives; for many of them, the last chapter. To all of you, then and now, THANK YOU.

My dad sent out an email with the war heroes of our family and I just wanted to put it up to honor them.

William Crippen - This is my paternal Grandpa (Poppy is what we called him). He was a mortician! He went to the island of Saipan (where my brother in law Harvey's from!) at the end of the war and help recover some of our soldiers who died in the terrible fighting there. My dad still has his Army boots!


Robert Crippen - This is my Uncle, my dad's brother. Nanny dressed Uncle Bob in this uniform during WWII.It was very common to dress your kids in uniforms to honor their dads.

Robert Norris with his mom and dad, Gordon and Maude - This is my grandma's brother. This picture is before he left for Italy. He saw some difficult fighting, and we have letters he sent from Italy. (Nanny also lost a cousin at Salerno in Italy)

Robert Norris again. Isn't he HANDSOME! Love a man in a uniform! :) I remember seeing this picture or another picture and being amazed at his blue eyes!

Donald Sampson - This is my mom's Dad. I never met him. He served in France at the time of D-Day, and was a mechanic who kept the vehicles and boats going. He received the American Theatre Service medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Service Medal, and Good Conduct Medal.

Marian Sampson - My mom's Aunt. Aunt Sam served in the Women Marines during WW2 for 2 years and 2 months. She was a radio operator and would translate the Morse code as it would come in. She still knows it today! She served in New York City; Cherry Point, North Carolina; Madison, Wisconsin; Omaha, Nebraska; San Francisco and San Diego. She is an incredible lady. Makes DELICIOUS fudge, knows all about the stars, and can still do headstand. LOVE her spunk.

Here she is with Zachary last year when we saw her at the airport on our way home from Florida. Beautiful!

(This is Zach at the girls age now. WEIRD!)

Bill Sampson and Aunt Sam - Uncle Bill is my mom's uncle, Marian Sampson's brother. He was a gunner at the tail end of the ship. He suffered a war injury when they were attacked between Italy and Africa on what they thought was a 'dry run' and had a metal plate in his head the rest of his life.