family history
Aug. 22nd, 2003 10:53 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
holliMy grandfather's in the hospital right now, and because of that my parents are talking about family-history-type stuff I usually don't hear. And as it turns out, my family? Not nearly as boring as it looks.
Like my Great-Uncle Sam, an electrician and engineer who ran all the lighting and sound systems for the USO during WWII. He traveled all over the country, and one time he was at the White House setting things up for a speech President Roosevelt was giving. When the President came into the Oval office, he tripped over a wire, and Uncle Sam *freaked*. Apologized like mad, but Roosevelt didn't mind-- asked Uncle Sam's name ("P-p-private Sam Mintzer, sir!") and did his speech.
A year later, Uncle Sam was back in Washington again, at the White House. Roosevelt came in, kept an eye out for the wires, spotted Uncle Sam and said, "Sam, this time I'm not going to trip!"
It's a great story, but according to my dad it's a million times better with Uncle Sam telling it himself.
My Great-Uncle Morty-- and I never knew this-- also served in WWII; he saw combat and has a ton of medals and commendations. Among other things, he stormed a machine-gun nest singlehandedly. But he refuses to talk about anything having to do with the war to this day.
My great-grandmother eloped, and had a secret marriage to my great-grandfather for a while before she broke the news to her father. My grandfather served in WWII-- but he never left Georgia.
Nobody tells these stories under normal circumstances. I don't understand it; if things like that happened to me I'd never shut up about it.
Like my Great-Uncle Sam, an electrician and engineer who ran all the lighting and sound systems for the USO during WWII. He traveled all over the country, and one time he was at the White House setting things up for a speech President Roosevelt was giving. When the President came into the Oval office, he tripped over a wire, and Uncle Sam *freaked*. Apologized like mad, but Roosevelt didn't mind-- asked Uncle Sam's name ("P-p-private Sam Mintzer, sir!") and did his speech.
A year later, Uncle Sam was back in Washington again, at the White House. Roosevelt came in, kept an eye out for the wires, spotted Uncle Sam and said, "Sam, this time I'm not going to trip!"
It's a great story, but according to my dad it's a million times better with Uncle Sam telling it himself.
My Great-Uncle Morty-- and I never knew this-- also served in WWII; he saw combat and has a ton of medals and commendations. Among other things, he stormed a machine-gun nest singlehandedly. But he refuses to talk about anything having to do with the war to this day.
My great-grandmother eloped, and had a secret marriage to my great-grandfather for a while before she broke the news to her father. My grandfather served in WWII-- but he never left Georgia.
Nobody tells these stories under normal circumstances. I don't understand it; if things like that happened to me I'd never shut up about it.
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Date: 2003-08-22 08:12 pm (UTC)I love the secret elopement story, too.
And BTW? I hope your grandfather comes out and lives another 50 years at least.