5-31-2009 Week in Review

Really??  You're still reading my weekly reviews after over a year of this?  Honestly, you people are strange! :)  So, here ya go.

Monday - Memorial Day

I come from a long line of military service.  I have traced my family's military line back to the Civil War and expect that it goes all the way back to the Revolution.  One of my Grandfather's fought at Fort Fisher.  I have had a family member fighting in every major war.  I grew up an Army brat and was an Army wife for almost 8 years.  Yet, Memorial Day makes me think of only one man.  A man that sparked a family history journey for me that has yet to end and has had some miraculous moments.  This man is Clyde Edward *kins.  He is Dade & Corben's Great Grandfather and he died in Feb. 1951 during the Korean War.  (Doesn't Dade resemble him?!)  Eddie, as he was called, left behind a very young wife, an almost 2 year old son (the boy's Grandpa), and two small daughters from a previous marriage.  3 children who never knew anything about their father but that he'd spent most of their lives fighting overseas in the US Army.  They had a handful of pictures and little more.  I was able to get a picture of Eddie's tombstone that gave the unit he last fought with before he died.  I then went and began researching the unit and found message boards dedicated to veterans of the Korean War.  I posted a picture of Eddie and asked if anyone had known him or could help me find out more about him.  Veterans were eager to help.  One restored the old photo above and several took it along to reunions and shared it with friends.  After several weeks of no leads I received this miraculous email....

Christy:

I am answering, or at least attempting to answer your inquirey to Whitey R. as the result of finding his web site. Whitey is quite correct in suggesting that after about 52 years the memory of many of us old timers isn't quite as sharp as we would like. I appreciate Whitey forwarding your mail to me thinking I might be of help to you..

Yes I am pleased to say that I do remember your grandfather, 1st Lieutenant *kins, although I never got to know him very personally. We were together such a short time before he was wounded and evacuated. I had just become the commanding officer of Company G, 8th Cavalry Regiment on January 19th, 1951 and we were immediately moved to new positions and commited to an offensive (attack) action. Your grandfather was a senior Lt in the company, with duties as the Company Executive Officer and Weapons Platoon Leader. I remember him as a very serious, mature, and capable officer.

While I cannot now remember exact days and events during the offensive action I do remember that we were very successful. Sometime during that short period from Jan 19 to Feb 4 I only remember hearing that your grandfather had been seriously wounded and had been medically evacuated. However, a day or two before he was wounded we had briefly stopped to receive new orders before continuing to a new objective. It was at that time that we were studying the terrain over which we were to attack and your grandfather and I, standing on a high ground vantage point, were photographed by some military or civilian news photographer (which was something rarely done during the time I was in Korea). I don't remember how or when I came into possession of that photo, but I still have it, an old 5 X 7 black and white in fairly good condition. It is framed and hanging on the wall to my right -- as I write. I will have a copy of that photo made and send it to you by regular USPS mail. But, I will need your regular mailing address. I do not have a scanner or would e-mail it to you right now.

Thank you for your efforts to learn more about your grandfather, to gather invaluable family history and memories. I regret I can't give you more information, but you and his children should know that he was very highly thought of and died serving his country with distinction.

Sincerely,

John D. "Jack" B.

Lt Col, USA, Ret.

This is the photo I received a few weeks later in the mail.  The man in the center is the author of the email and the man standing to the right is the boy's Grandfather.  This was the last picture taken of him (only a day or two before his death).  It was a miraculous gift to me and I've been so happy to have been able to share it, along with the email, with his children.  I am so thankful for men like these who risked and gave all to fight for freedom.  I pray I never take it for granted.

---

Okay, back to the Schnegel-kins.....

Monday was a day of FUN!!  I asked Corben what he wanted to do and he said bowling and swimming.  So, off we headed to the bowling alley!!

Ryan's

Awesome

Strike!!

 

 

After bowling we headed to my BIL's for pizza and swimming.  The darkening skies almost thwarted our trip but with no thunder and lightening around we headed to the pool and swam in the rain.  The girls had a blast and it was well worth the trip.

Wednesday - Dade and I woke up before dawn and headed out to go GEOCACHING!!  We drove out to Zebulon and began our search of the area for hidden treasure.  By 7am we had found two and headed off to take Dade to school.  I headed home excited yet exhausted!!  What a fun way to start the day with my son!

I FINALLY caught a blurry hummingbird at our feeder.  They always fly off before I can snap a pic!

Wednesday afternoon I headed BACK to Zebulon and met with the Young Women of the Zebulon Ward (the girl's youth group for our church in that area) to teach them about Geocaching.  I had gone out in the morning to verify that we could find at least one and that the equipment I'd borrowed really worked!  Sure enough, GPS's in hand, we headed out and found the first cache.  The girls were excited and decided they wanted to find a BIG cache so we headed to a local park to find one I'd never found.  It was quite the adventure.  6 girls in flip-flops (I for-warned them) fumbling through the brush (and the poison ivy) to find a large box hidden in a rotten tree stump.  It was full of trinkets and toys so we traded our treasure and headed out, happy and content!  It was a ton of fun, thanks girls!

Saturday - After chores were done I gathered the children and we went to the Farmer's Market!! YEAH!  No pics because Ryan grabbed the camera for another kitchen project....  Anyway, we spent the afternoon filling Ella and the boys up on samples from the venders.  There were tomatoes, cucumbers, peaches, blueberries, strawberries, salsas, cheese dips, juices, slushies, cakes, pies, sausages, and pastries....who needs lunch??  We left with some fresh fruit, pastries, and lots of candy.  It was a really fun afternoon.

Sunday - Corben spent the night with my mom and came home Sunday, after church, with yummy goodness to share!  He'd taken along the blueberries he bought at the Farmer's Market and mom showed him how to make his own pies!!  He was so excited to share them with everyone.  Great job, Corben!!

He used the rest of his berries to make Blueberry Banana Smoothies for his sisters.

The girls will love him forever!!

Me, too!!