FAMILY HISTORY
Fate Is the Reason I’m Here Today
I’m blessed because my grandfather came home from the First World War
More than 100 years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary, which led to the onset of World War I, America and numerous other countries continue to honor the men and women who served during the “war to end all wars.”
World War I claimed the lives of some 16 million soldiers and civilians. Another 21 million were wounded. The United States, which entered the war in1917, buried more than 116,000 service members.
Since 1919, when President Woodrow Wilson announced Nov. 11 would be known as Armistice Day, Americans have paused to honor the memories of veterans, past and present. Today, we know it as Veterans Day.
So why should we remember World War I a century later? Because it’s America’s story. More accurately, it’s the story of many families, including mine.
My family’s service to the country in uniform goes beyond World War I, but I’ve only found one photo of my grandfather on my dad’s side, looking spiffy in uniform as an Army doughboy.
Those who trace their family heritage know it’s a mistake to ignore the smallest clues, lest you lose the trail. Alternatively…
