"The Book of Me, Written by You" - Iconic and Famous Figures Dinner

This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations.

This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations. - See more at: http://joannfitz.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/the-book-of-me-written-by-you-topic-1.html#sthash.2TuO2bVu.dpuf

This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations. - See more at: http://joannfitz.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/the-book-of-me-written-by-you-topic-1.html#sthash.2TuO2bVu.dpuf

The prompt for the week is:    

  Iconic and Famous Figures Dinner

The Brief: 

If you had to hold a dinner party and could invite a maximum of 12 special people who would you invite?
You can NOT include family in this – the special people could be famous or historical people.
What meals would you serve and why.
Perhaps include the recipe or a photo if you decided to actually cook the items!
Please look at the video for this week as it explains about week 14 too!

The video is http://youtu.be/P8hzm6vq5Tg

Check back next week for the continuation of "The Book of me, Written by You" series.    - See more at: http://joannfitz.blogspot.com.au/#sthash.LXywwwLd.dpuf

I have to admit, I've been putting both prompts for dinner's off. The next one, on who would I have to dinner with family and friends (alive and dead), took me awhile to come around to, and I do have some thoughts on that one. However, this one? I don't have a clue what to do about it.

At first I thought, maybe people who influenced me? Nope, I have to say only family and friends (and in some cases people who were NOT friends or family) have done that. Then I thought about people important to where I grew up (New York USA) and where I now live (Australia).  Yes, there are some influential people in either country, but honestly, it doesn't really interest me.

Then I started to think - what else can I do for the prompt? I thought if I could have a few sit downs with Famous & Iconic people who made decisions that affected others it might be interesting. So here are a few people I'd sit down with (along with a interpreter!) and the reasons why I chose them.

Bolesław II The Generous

Bolesław II the Generous - When I first read about Bolesław's father, I thought that he was great because as a Duke of Poland, he reunited and gave people what they deserved - if you worked for it, you were rewarded. Upon reading more into the history, I found Bolesław. He was given a stable country people liked him and thought of him as a capable ruler. He gave the country many
monasteries and churches. Further, he also was one of the first to produce their own coinage or currency and this helped bring in money into the royals pockets. Because of this the economic and cultural development of the country flourished and was able to become sustainable in its own right. However, when he declared himself King of Poland, this upset many people. Remember Bolesław's father stayed a Duke of Poland because he knew once he declared himself a King, it would result in uprisings. Bolesław didn't seem to care and declared himself a King and the Polish nobles and others revolted and ended up having the King overthrown (to say the least).

I would loved to have a talk with him about why he decided to make himself a King, didn't he know why his father never took up being a King? Once the unrest started going towards revolt, what motivated him to keep going while the people were getting more upset, why didn't he listen? If he could have changed things, what he would have changed in how he did things. Would he have given up the Kingship and go back to a Duke or would he have stayed?

Josef Pilsudski - I have mixed feelings about this person. He was Poland chief of state in 1918, but wanted reestablishment of Poland’s independence which had been lost. He became leader of the Polish Socialist Party (PPS) and traveled to gain

Josef Pilsudski looking over the Polish Army

some assistance with gaining back independence. Once revolutionary movement began, he returned to Russian Poland (as Russia had a majority of the land that was Poland when it was split up into 3 partitions) to help with the movement. He was highly instrumental in putting together a Polish Army. In 1916, they declared Poland an independent country which the other countries did not like and they set out to attack these armies. He refused to comply with the other countries to stand down and they arrested him in 1917. In 1918, West Germany collapsed and Pilsudski returned to Warsaw and became a hero and head and chief of Poland's Army. 

I loved that he was a fighter and came from basically nothing. I can understand him wanting his country free again instead of split into 3 other countries. I'd love to ask him if it was worth all the fighting? Or would he have waited until the Polish Army was more set up and functional before setting out and declaring Poland an independent country. Would he have changed anything? Would there have been any kind of self defense taught? I would have talked about what the men that served in the Army would haven like and what the conditions were. This is due to a Great Uncle of mine serving in the Polish Army.

Princess Diana - Everyone knows Princess Diana's story or about it. Her struggles and only wanting to do right for her family, children, and anyone she could help. She started off as a shy teacher and became quite good at public speaking. 

I loved that she had the courage to meet any challenges that were thrown at her. She did what was right and her way no matter what anyone else thought once she had enough of "doing the right thing" as she was probably instructed to do. I would love to sit down with her and chat about how she found the courage to do what was right and her way faced with the pressures she would have gotten from the crown. How she could pick herself back up once she was down and pressed on. What tips should would give all of us for doing the same? 

Danny Thomas  - Most people know that he was an comedian and actor. I was fortunate enough to actually talk to Danny Thomas when he was alive. Growing up, I did many charity things for babies and children. Many of these charity bike rides, walks and runs were for St. Judes. I was about 7 or 8 when I first got into doing these things. I just knew I was helping sick kids have a chance at getting better. Then I stopped for awhile doing this due to spending time with family. Anyhow, when my
sister, Theresa, decided to do something for charity, I suggested St. Judes as I had done things before with them. I told her to write to the company and ask them for support in advertising materials (bags, t-shirts were big things back in the 1980's). She did write to them and in return, Danny called her. I picked up the phone and passed it along to her. To say the phone call didn't go well is an understatement - in polite terms she told him that she didn't think it was him and hung up. I asked what was going on and she told me that someone pranked her and said it was Danny Thomas. I told it was probably him as he runs that charity. She didn't know this and when the phone rang again, she was very sorry over and over again to him.  We did ended up getting the advertising materials and using them and donating the money to the hospital. 

I would love to ask Danny if he ever would change what he did? I know he said that he would always open a shrine to St Jude Thaddeus, the patron saint of hopeless causes.I know of this saint and is one of the ones I look up to as well. What other saints does he look up to? Why did he choose St. Jude Thaddeus to pray to that one night? What else does he wish he could have done? What tips would he give?

Patrick Swayze - Again most people would know that he was a singer, dancer and actor. He had made some mistakes and admitted to it and got help over the years. However, he was always faithful to his mother and wife from what I understand. When the chips were down, he backed out of the spotlight and kept what was most precious close - his family. When most people would have either given up or died from horrible pancreatic cancer, he stayed and fought like no tomorrow. However, it wasn't to be and he was taken from us. 


I would love to sit there and talk to him about how he was able to back away from the spotlight. Also, ask and compare notes on how he and his wife, Lisa, were able to keep their marriage alive and survive not having children which is much like us. I think it would be interesting to compare notes and see what we did the same and what we did differently. 

Besides, he was always a good looking man - who wouldn't want to sit and look at him all night? 

The Dinner

Pierogi

After sitting and talking to each person, I'd bring them together in the dining room and would serve a mixture of foods. This is due to the different influences. It would be like a Thanksgiving but would be more traditionally Polish. Some things would include: flatbread, forest berries, nuts and wild cabbage, beets, turnip, carrots, peas and cauliflower. Pickled cucumber or Pickles, oranges, lemons, olives, figs, tomatoes,  pierogi, kielbasa, stuffed cabbage (Gołąbki) & peppers, steak (Karkówka) and chicken (Kurczak pieczony po wiejsku).  For drinks: Vodka, milk, buttermilk and various herb infusions, tea, and coffee.

Faworki (we also call them Bow Ties in our family)

honey,

Desert would be more of chocolate, Pączki and Bow Ties (or Faworki). 

Discussion 

This would include why we help who we help or fight for.  What gives or gave us the strength to be as strong as we were/are. I would ask about religion as before I wrote this, I didn't know everyone (except for 1) had some kind of tie to the Roman Catholic Church. Some were the rulers or fighters, and others celebrated a Roman Catholic Saint. There's only one, Patrick, which I could find no connection to any church, which is interesting. 

I would love to find out why each of us considers family or important and our love of them. Did they help with their strength when they needed it? How did they influence the decisions they made? 

I think it would be a very interesting dinner and discussion overall.  

Check back for the continuation of "The Book of me, Written by You" series.    

Check back next week for the continuation of "The Book of me, Written by You" series.    - See more at: http://joannfitz.blogspot.com.au/#sthash.2yfPO9gS.dpuf

Check back next week for the continuation of "The Book of me, Written by You" series.    - See more at: http://joannfitz.blogspot.com.au/#sthash.LXywwwLd.dpuf

The video is http://youtu.be/P8hzm6vq5Tg

The video is http://youtu.be/P8hzm6vq5T

The video is http://youtu.be/P8hzm6vq5Tg

The Book of Me, Written by You - on Snow

This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations.

This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations. - See more at: http://joannfitz.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/the-book-of-me-written-by-you-topic-1.html#sthash.2TuO2bVu.dpuf

This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations. - See more at: http://joannfitz.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/the-book-of-me-written-by-you-topic-1.html#sthash.2TuO2bVu.dpuf

The prompt for the week is:    

Snow

The Brief:

Do you live in area where you routinely have snow?
How old were you when you first saw snow?
Do you remember it?
Did you make snowmen?
Throw Snowballs?
Sledge Rides ?
What is the image that first came to mind when you read snow?
What does snow feel like, smell like ?
How do you see snow ?

The video is on YouTube. 

I have covered this topic a bit when I posted in this series about My Favorite Season. I do love snow and winter which is a bit strange for most people. I love or used to love going for walks when its snowing out and everything is covered in it. Its very quiet and you can hear the crunching of it under your feet. Around the holidays, like Christmas, when you go for a walk, you walk by houses that have taken the time to decorate with lights and with the falling snow its so pretty. Then add to almost no traffic and the quiet its quite magical. As I used to walk around in the snow, while hearing the crunch of it under my feet and looking at all of the lights, from time to time you could see into people's homes at the joy, happiness and love that shines through from the families that you see. That being said, as much as the views that you can see, it can bring out - especially if you walk by yourself - is the feeling of being quite alone and loneliness of not having what you are seeing. Depending on what your view is, it can bring about of both happiness and loneliness at the same time. 

Growing up

I grew up in upstate New York (around Walden, Maybrook, and Newburgh areas) and I had snow from the time I was born onwards until I moved from NY in 1997. When I was growing up, we

One of my last winter's in NY before moving to Australia

would get slammed with major snow storms from November until sometimes April. I don't think there was one child that when they looked out the window in the mornings, and didn't wish for snow because if there was snow, you would turn the radio on to see if you had either a delay or a free day off from school. The radio stations would announce if there was a snow delay (of 1 or 2 hours) or if school was cancelled for the day. 

I remember those days when it was delayed, but snowing to the point where you were frozen and couldn't see, we lived on the outside of town and would walk from there into the school - on a good day it could taken you 30 minutes and during snowing and iciness it could take you over an hour. 

Visiting the US during winter

My husband in front of both Falls in 2010 when its snowing

I remember snow very well. It was almost 4 years ago when I wanted my husband to experience true snow for the first time and we planned our trip over there in January/February. The only time we really got snow was when we went to Niagara Falls and there was a tiny bit when we landed in Fort Worth Dallas airport which ended up being cancelled because of the snow (it was less than 6 inches but it was like 3 feet to them because they just don't have the stuff very often). We ended up spending the night sleeping in the airport. 

Canadian side of the Falls when it was snowing  in 2010.

 

We really didn't get much snow, but it got really cold for my husband. He did some driving and that was an experience he will never forget. He did go outside with my nieces and their children to play but there wasn't enough of it to really play in. 

 

 

Did I ever go sleigh riding? Throwing snowballs? Make Snowmen? 

The hill where we used to go (along with many others) when I was young

My mother didn't have a lot of money but what we did get was one sleigh a year if we were lucky. If not then I sat down on well compacted ground that people had already used and went down the hill in my jeans and jacket with gloves and hat. With ice, I would use my sneakers on ice to ice skate. It was cheap, free and fun. 

The pond and where the house is now used to be where we would sleigh ride in 1980s.

Growing up, I spent this time with my nieces and we would go sleigh riding and making snowmen together. These pictures (above) are both places we used to visit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Driving and Snow

My mother digging out the car in 2003

I grew up around snow and this includes driving in the stuff. I hated digging out the car, waiting while the car was warming up, and then if someone wasn't good at driving in it (or its one of the first snowfalls of the year) then you had to always watch out for other people. Its always the other people you had to watch out for because once you got on snow or ice and started to slip, you were just a passenger and couldn't control the car at all. That's a downside as well. Add that to what you had to walk around in (slush) when the snow started to melt and its a pain in the butt. However, for the beauty and magical feel of it, I still consider it well worth the trouble.

Memories of Snow

I remember one Christmas, my mother, her boyfriend, myself, my brother and sister in law went over to my father's for our presents. We all went in one car, to save everyone gas. Anyhow, we ended up leaving early, after we got tired waiting for my father, and the roads were getting bad with snow and ice. On our way home, we slowed down because we saw a snow plow that was at an intersection in front of us at the stop sign. We stopped about a car length behind it. Anyhow, as we were waiting for the snow plow to move, the driver put it in reverse and before we knew what was happening, they backed up right into our car. My mother's boyfriend and my brother got out and ran up to the driver yelling at him. The one thing that rang, and still rings, in my ears is that my sister in law was pregnant and my brother was very worried about her even though she was sitting in the backseat with us and at the other end of the car from where the plow hit. This is now we found out my sister in law was pregnant. Thankfully, the pregnancy went full term and my nephew Charles Jr was born. It was a bad and good memory wrapped up in one. 

Even today, if we were over in the US and it was snowing, I would take the time out to go for a walk and just walk around seeing the snow. It certainly is a magical time of the year.

Australia and Snow

Christmas Day 2006's hail storm

As of 1997, I don't really get to see snow any longer. Well, if we wanted to "go visit it" where they make it up on the higher elevations then we could do that, but its too much work for not enough of an award. We do get hail from time to time and my husband runs around excited at that. In a way, its very funny to watch him go nuts over some hail, but if it makes him happy then go for it. However, sometimes I still have problems dealing with not being able to do many of the things I've discussed here - driving, snowballs, sleigh riding, etc - because overall I do LOVE the snow. I'm seriously thinking about asking Santa to bring a snow making machine, so I can still have a white Christmas... I wonder if it would work...?

Check back next week for the continuation of "The Book of me, Written by You" series.   

  

The book of me, Written by You - Message in a Bottle

This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations.

This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations. - See more at: http://joannfitz.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/the-book-of-me-written-by-you-topic-1.html#sthash.2TuO2bVu.dpuf

This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations. - See more at: http://joannfitz.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/the-book-of-me-written-by-you-topic-1.html#sthash.2TuO2bVu.dpuf

The prompt for the week is:    

Message in a Bottle

The Brief: • If you were to physically write or virtually write a message to place into a bottle what would you write?
• Do you live by the sea and are able to potentially throw into the Ocean? Or perhaps a river
• Do you feel strongly that you would not "litter" in this way - in which case you may complete the task virtually
• What would you like to happen with the message?
○ Do you hope it is picked up somewhere, miles from home?
○ Are you going to create a secret email account in case it is picked up and someone
• Or would you like to write an anonymous note to someone that you know
• Or write a message to deceased loved one?



This will be a very quick prompt for me - I wouldn't do this and have never done it. Even with the major water current that goes around the Earth, which controls weather, I don't think anything unless its huge would go very far in the water. 


That being said, you could try to send a post online using Social Media through one of the types. This has been done for years now and it does work. Would I do it? Not really - I think people have better use of their time. Also, there's too much of this type of for one word - crap - that happens out there, and there doesn't need to be more of it out there.



Check back next week for the continuation of "The Book of me, Written by You" series.   

"The Book of Me, Written by You" - On the day I was born

This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations.

This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations. - See more at: http://joannfitz.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/the-book-of-me-written-by-you-topic-1.html#sthash.2TuO2bVu.dpuf

This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations. - See more at: http://joannfitz.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/the-book-of-me-written-by-you-topic-1.html#sthash.2TuO2bVu.dpuf

The prompt for the week is:    

The day I was born

The Brief: 

• What happened
•  Historical
• Films
• Music
• Books
• Television
• Or use any other historical (well known or otherwise) event

The video is on YouTube

The topic was the year I was born, but I decided to do the day I was born just to be a bit more specific.

I had previously looked this up when I was at college, but that was over 20 years ago (ouch was it that long?) and I barely remember what I found to be honest. However, upon looking up the newspaper for the day I was born, I found the major thing I found when I was at college was actually the year prior to the day I was born. Oops - talk about a mistake...

Anyhow, some of the events & facts on the day I was born was:

Weather & Pollution:

Politics:

• On this day a federal grand jury indicted the five Watergate burglars, along with E. Howard Hunt and G. Gordon Liddy 

• On this day, White House staff attorney John Dean (on right)  met with President Nixon for the first time. In the meeting, which lasted from 5:27 to 6:17, and discussed the covering up of the White House role in the Watergate break-in. Dean would testify about his memory of the discussion at the Watergate hearings on June 25, 1973, unaware that Oval Office conversations were all recorded at Nixon's request. Nixon, Chief of Staff H.R. Haldeman, and Dean, discussed plans to take revenge on the President's enemies. "They are asking for it and they are going to get it," commented Nixon, adding "We haven't used the Bureau and we haven't used the Justice Department, but things are going to change now. They're going to get it right."

• South Vietnam's army regained control of the city of Quang Tri, more than three months after the provincial capital had been captured by North Vietnamese forces.

• IRA gunmen attack army post in Belfast.

Other Birth & Death:

• Born: 
• Jimmy Carr, British comedian, in Hounslow
• Jessie Alexander, Actress, Any Given Sunday
• Rosey, Soundtrack, Bridget Jones's Diary
• Kit Chan Actress, Eating Air
• Jennifer Lewicki Art Department, Inception
• Angelika Kallio Actress, The Concierge
• Died: 
• Geoffrey Fisher, Archbishop of Canterbury (b. 1887)
•  Ulvi Cemal Erkin, composer, dies at 66
• Alfred Blalock,1899-1964,Doctor, Surgeon 
• Carole Robertson 1949-1963 
• Brett Somers,1924-2007, Television Actress, Television Personality
• Ottis Toole,1947-1996,Serial Killer
• Robert Penn Warren,1905-1989, Civil Rights Activist, Literary Critic, Poet
• Thomas Wolf, 1900-1938, Author, Playwright

Music:

• According to Beatles Bible: The follow-up to John Lennon's critically acclaimed Imagine was released in the United Kingdom on this day. Some Time In New York City was a departure for the former Beatle. It was a collaboration with Yoko Ono and US band Elephant's Memory, and contained some of his most political songs. It was a critical and commercial failure, and featured two discs containing 10 studio songs and six live performances. 

Warning: Click on to begin music. I found this is very hard to listen to - so be aware!

Space:

• NASA Administrator James C. Fletcher  released a report on Apollo 15, addressing the essential facts developed through investigation to date concerning postal covers, the Fallen Astronaut sculpture, and unauthorized timepieces.This article goes on to describe a new instruction which revises the policy and procedures on articles that can and cannot be carried on manned flight missions. 

TV Shows: 

Although this newspaper clip doesn't show The Price is Right, but as you can see this video was made in the same year and has been put on YouTube as the day of my birth. 

Air flight:

• According to an online article, an SAS domestic flight from Gothenburg to Stockholm was hijacked and flown to Malm-Bulltofta Airport. 

Earth Events:

Another article shows a magnitude 4.5 earthquake shakes Northern Illinois.

In Drive Ins & Movie Theaters:

• Conquest of the Planet of the Apes
• Dirty Harry Note: This was actually made in 1971 and not the year I was born but it was being shown
• The Undefeated Note: This was actually made in 1969 and not the year I was born but it was being shown

Horoscope:

I wonder what I was busy doing? *grin*

Check back next week for the continuation of "The Book of me, Written by You" series.   

"The Book of Me, Written by You" - Family who served in the Military & their family

This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations.

This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations. - See more at: http://joannfitz.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/the-book-of-me-written-by-you-topic-1.html#sthash.2TuO2bVu.dpuf

This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations. - See more at: http://joannfitz.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/the-book-of-me-written-by-you-topic-1.html#sthash.2TuO2bVu.dpuf

The prompt for the week is:    

Military

The Brief: 

•          Did you join the military?

•          Were you encouraged or discouraged?

•          Did a family member?

•          Regular or for a particular incident

•          Did you or your family serve overseas in the line of Service either during a war or a posting

•          Any thoughts, photographs, memories relevant

The video is http://youtu.be/P8hzm6vq5Tg

This is an interesting topic for me. As everyone stops to say thank you for those who have served, I always ask - how many times in a year do we do this? If you look at each time its about at least 4 times in a year, depending on where you live, that we say thank you to the people who served in the Military. We have Remembrance or Veterans Day (Nov 11), Memorial Day (May), and ANZAC Day (April 25). I do know that some of these are US and some are UK/Australian, but I wonder if anyone stopped to think about each of these days. Then you have the days that are not holidays but there was something, within the military, which happened such as D Day (June 6). 

I'm not saying these should not be here, but I'm just bringing up just how many days we do look back at those who have served. 

My Family
I have some family that have served in the military, so this will be lengthy! The common theme seems to be either in the Army, Air Force or the Navy as far as I know. I'm still researching, but I do know the people below have served or, in one case, I have found documentation they served but have not proven the documentation as yet. 

Great Grandfather (Father's side)

Adam Wojtkowski

Late 1800's/Early 1900's

Russian? Army

This is still the documentation who I still have to prove. I found, when I was doing my research on him, that he could have served in what was then Russian territory (this is now part of Poland). I believe that if he DID serve, it was part of a conscription or draft as this was common I found out. The armies, if they needed more soldiers, went to the nearest church and went through the church records to find men or boys able to serve. Then they asked around the small villages and upon finding the person told them they were now part of the army. If the paperwork is correct, then he was part of the Russian Army. This I believe could be truthful as I know when he migrated to the US, he cursed Russians all the rest of his days. 

Great Grand Uncle (Father's side)

(First Name Unknown) Wojtkowski

Late 1800's/Early 1900's

Polish Army 

I know that Adam and his brother, which I don't know his first name, were very close. In a picture my father saw, they looked like twins because their looks were so close to each other. In fact this brother was 2 years younger than Adam. However, I do know by talking to my father, that this unknown Great Grand Uncle died in his 20's due to being part of the Polish Resistance or Polish Army and fought against the Russians. 

1st cousin 1x removed (Mother's side)

James (or Jimmy) Sherman 

Early 1940's

US Air Force

Jimmy I grew up knowing about due to my mother being very close to her cousin. He always came to visit her and always asked after her in letters. He signed up for the Army because with the attacks of the Germans, his mother was afraid. He figured to protect his mother and others (like my mother), he would sign up to make the world a safer place. He was a gunner in the Air Force. 

The last time my mother saw him, he was due to leave in a few hours to get back to the base before they left on his mission. My mother was able to stay up later than normal, so she could see him. He handed her his wings, he gave her a kiss on the cheek and left. Within a few months, his plane went down and no one ever heard from him again. About the time he went down, my mother said she dreamed of him saying that he was fine and to take care of his wings.

The wings Jimmy gave to my mother, Jo Ann

This is what started my family history search. I wanted, for my mother's sake, to find out what happened to him and why they went down. I was able to find the group he was with and the details of what happened. 
 

The official report which listed James as MIA.

I was able to find was the Air Force had "The James J. Sherman Papers" located in Florida. These are a collection of works either my Jimmy or his mother, Florance. After Florance died, someone gave her books away to a bookstore. The bookstore found the information and turned it into the Air Force which set up these papers. The sad part about it, is after contacting them, they will not release a copy to myself. If I want to see the collection, I will have to make an appointment and go to Florida to view the items in person. This is very disturbing to me, as I know if my mother knew about the items, she would have claimed them. At this present time, we are not able to travel to the US, so it will have to be something to be looked into at a later date.

Grand Uncle(Father's Side)

Stanley F Wojkowski

1940's

US Army

I only know from the US City Directories, but he was in the US Army. I do know growing up my grandmother told me he did some drinking but gambled heavily. I do know he made it home after the war physically, but the later part of his life was not what I would call a good one. 

Grandfather (Father's side)

Matthew Schmitz

1940's

US Army

In the last year or so I found, by talking to my father, that my grandfather did serve in the US Army Medical Corps. It was only a few years, but it must have taken its toll on him. I do know that he was an alcoholic and this could have been due to his service. Later in his life, I'm told he had diabetes (from drinking), which put him in the hospital at Castle Point, NY and he died there due to complications of diabetes. 

Father

Matthew G Schmitz

1950's-Early 1970's

US Navy

My father went into the Navy almost right out of High School. By that time, he either was dating or had married my mother. He was stationed all around the US, and my mother went along with him living in military housing and went wherever the Navy sent my father. Eventually he made it into the submarines.

Finally after having 4 children, my mother wanted a home near where they grew up. They moved and I believe lived at Stewart Air Force Base in the military housing there for awhile and then bought their home with the help from my father's mother.

I do know when I was born, he was off shore on the sub and was called into the deck. This is where he learned that I was born by a cable that was sent by the doctor at West Point. 

I was born here because it was the closest military hospital to Newburgh, NY

By the time I was 3 1/2, he had retired from the Navy, but was working in a job he got afterwards. However, he never truly left the Navy - he just went about serving them in other ways. He went to the VFW and joined. 

Over the years, he's went to the commander and into the regional and state commander of the VFW and other organizations which all deal with Subs and the Navy. He has also received many awards and was inducted into the Holland Club.  

His Certificate for the Holland Club

Receiving the Certificate for the Holland Club

In 2013 at the Memorial Day Ceremony

 As he's getting older, he's slowing down and not doing as much in his clubs and organizations, but he is still active. Further, he goes to many of the decommissioning of the subs as well.

Nephew

Charles A Schmitz Jr

2004-2010

US Navy

My nephew went into the Navy. I'm not sure if it was his grandfather's influence, but I know from talking to him, he needed to do this in order for the GI bill to help with his college costs. He went directly from high school into the Navy. 

He made it from normal Navy into what they call a Fireman. I do know he was on a vessel called the USS Anzio for part of his time serving. 

As he's only been out a few years, he's in the process of getting his education he wanted. 

Nephew

Thomas James III

2000's-Present?

US Army

I do know he's been into the Army now for a few years. I heard this back around 2010 or before. As my sister, his mother, started to interfere in my life, I stopped speaking to her, and as he took right after her at that point, I stopped visiting. Within a year they moved from NY to the Carolina's and I never heard from them again at all. Every now and then my brother might bring up what the whole side of the family is doing, but its not often. 

From Facebook, I know that he's still in the Army. 

Military Families
I do know that you cannot mention people who served in any part of the armed forces without saying something about their families. It takes rare people to sign up and even rarer people to actually hold things together here at home while they are off serving. 

Its a very hard life for the families, as I know being within one. I can hear my brother and sisters saying that I wouldn't know because our father was here most of my life (remember he retired when I was very young). However, I was part of a half way club - I was a US Navy brat, but my father never moved around. My mother, even after my parents divorced, continued to move every 2-4 years. Besides, I remember rarely seeing my father growing up (for various of reasons), so it was like he was away on a sub, so to me it didn't matter. 

Throughout my life, I hated the thought of the services. Even after my father stopped "serving" he was still well within the ranks of doing things for the Navy. To the point, where all he would do is talk about only that subject. If I wanted to know what were the goings on in the latest stuff for the Navy, then I would just have to go over to my father's. In a way, its like I didn't have a father or a daddy - I had a person who served with the Navy. I know its hurtful for some, but the Navy has not been good for our family in that way. Most of us curse it because we feel it robbed us of a father and daddy even when he was here with us, he wasn't. 

Do I believe every solder, no matter what branch of the service he's in, is like this? No. I think its like anything - you have a person who loves something to the extreme - but it becomes an obsession. Then you have others where its just a job, they go and do their job and come home. Once they are home, they don't talk about it or if they do talk its in general terms, but they pay attention to who they are talking to and have conversations other than what they are serving. Unfortunately, my father was the extreme type of person.

Anyhow, next time you give thanks to the people serving, just give a thought to those who are supporting that serving - the families - and give just a little bit of thanks to them as well. 

Proud?
All this being said, do we still love them and proud? Of course! If we didn't, then we wouldn't expend all of the energy it takes to give them a stable home life where they don't have to worry about what's happening back home while they are away. 

I know every year we get up early in the morning and go into the city for the ANZAC day service here in Melbourne. That's when I take the time to think about each person who serves and ask myself - Why did they go in? Did they get what they wanted from it? Do they ever regret it?  - and somehow, overall, I don't think they regret it at all. After all they are fighting for us to be free.