Wednesday, June 13, 2012
LeRoy Petersen - US Navy, 1952-55
(Picture coming soon) Leroy is my Mom's cousin. We keep finding more of our family who have served our country - keep the history coming!
LeRoy served aboard the USS Vermilion (KA 107) towards the end of Korea. I know he worked in the Boiler Room and I believe Fresh Water Filtration. we'll fill in more details when I speak to him at the family reunion this month!
Mark Peterson - US Navy 1981-1987
(This stern-looking fellow is Mark, the son of my Mom's cousin. He's much friendlier in person now!)
I served from 1981-87 with the 25th Reserve Battalion with the Navy SeaBees. Fortunately or unfortunately I never left the lower 48. Spent most of my time doing rehab projects in local cities wherever they sent me or specified training. Communications, rifle and weapons training. I definitely got to play with some cool stuff.
I am currently serving as a Liaison Officer with the Naval Academy. In this capacity, I help potential students with meeting the requirements for acceptance. Obviously not all get accepted. Up to 20,000 candidates apply and only about 1800 get accepted. And then you are aware of the Alumni Vet's program I have going at my school.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Memorial Day 2012 - In honor of my Uncle Harry Swendsen
As an annual tribute, I am publishing this page again to the memory of the following members of our families who are no longer with us, but did not hesitate to serve when their countries needed them. As we lost the last member of my family who served in world War II, the list grows again.
My wife's Great-great-great-great grandfather:
Woody Jones - Served with Andrew Jackson in Louisiana, War of 1812 †
Her Great-great-great-great Uncle
Wiley Jones - Served with Andrew Jackson in Louisiana, War of 1812 †
My wife's great-great grandfathers:
Samuel Runnels - 39th Mississippi Infantry, Battle of Vicksburg †
Robert J. Jones - 4th Mississippi Cavalry †
My Great-Grandfather:
Christen Godskesen – Royal Danish Army, Second Schleswig War of 1864 †
My wife's grandfather:
Alonzo Runnels - US Army, WWI †
My Grandfather:
Christian Martinus Swendsen – Royal Danish Army †
My Great-Uncle:
Oluf Swendsen – Royal Danish Army †
My Uncles:
Paul Swendsen - US Army forward artillery spotter - Europe, WWII †
Carl Swendsen - US Army, WWII †
Roy Swendsen - US Army Air Corp, South Pacific, WWII †
Henry Godskesen - US Army Engineering Corp, WWII †
My Father-In-Law:
Charlie Runnels - US Navy, Korea †
My cousin:
Harlan Roy Swendsen - US Navy, Vietnam †
My Brother-in-law:
Carlos Hernandez - US Army Huey Helicopter Crewman, Vietnam †
My cousin:
Joe Swendsen - Minnesota Air National Guard, Diego Garcia Airlift Command †
My Uncle:
Harry Clifford Swendsen - US Army Medic, Europe, WWII †
For all you did for us....we remember
My wife's Great-great-great-great grandfather:
Woody Jones - Served with Andrew Jackson in Louisiana, War of 1812 †
Her Great-great-great-great Uncle
Wiley Jones - Served with Andrew Jackson in Louisiana, War of 1812 †
My wife's great-great grandfathers:
Samuel Runnels - 39th Mississippi Infantry, Battle of Vicksburg †
Robert J. Jones - 4th Mississippi Cavalry †
My Great-Grandfather:
Christen Godskesen – Royal Danish Army, Second Schleswig War of 1864 †
My wife's grandfather:
Alonzo Runnels - US Army, WWI †
My Grandfather:
Christian Martinus Swendsen – Royal Danish Army †
My Great-Uncle:
Oluf Swendsen – Royal Danish Army †
My Uncles:
Paul Swendsen - US Army forward artillery spotter - Europe, WWII †
Carl Swendsen - US Army, WWII †
Roy Swendsen - US Army Air Corp, South Pacific, WWII †
Henry Godskesen - US Army Engineering Corp, WWII †
My Father-In-Law:
Charlie Runnels - US Navy, Korea †
My cousin:
Harlan Roy Swendsen - US Navy, Vietnam †
My Brother-in-law:
Carlos Hernandez - US Army Huey Helicopter Crewman, Vietnam †
My cousin:
Joe Swendsen - Minnesota Air National Guard, Diego Garcia Airlift Command †
My Uncle:
Harry Clifford Swendsen - US Army Medic, Europe, WWII †
For all you did for us....we remember
Thursday, February 23, 2012
My Uncle Harry - April 19, 1922 - February 23, 2012
My Uncle Harry passed away this morning, just two months short of his 90th birthday. My Aunt Ellen was at his side, as she had been for their 68 years together.
Harry Clifford Swendsen
Private First Class
Company A, 8th Medical Battalion, 8th Infantry Division
Enlisted: October 5, 1942.
My uncle Harry was a combat medic in WW II. He was an ambulance driver. He landed at Normandy, was in the Battle of the Bulge, liberated a concentration camp and went all the way through France, Belgium and into Germany until the war ended.
I had a chance in 2007 to talk with him about his experiences during the war, and he had amazing stories to tell. Just amazing stuff. Once crawled out of a foxhole to find his ambulance full of holes from an artillery barrage, but it still ran so he drove it anyway.
He heard General George Patton give that speech to his troops, and said it was exactly like in the movie.
Woke up one time to find wounded German soldiers in the back of his ambulance...the Germans would leave their wounded with the American medics because they knew they'd be cared for.
In a town in Belgium, a German fighter dove down almost to street level to strafe his unit. Harry was plastered up against a wall, and as the plane passed, he and the pilot made eye contact for a split second.
At one point, he told me about driving his ambulance with one hand while holding a bandage on the chest of a wounded soldier with his other. He said it was hard driving in the dark with one hand over a muddy road while trying to get to the aid station as fast as possible. He said the soldier didn't survive the trip, and I asked him how that felt to him. He just gave his gentle smile and said "I feel OK, because I did my best for him".
At our last family reunion in 2009, I told him about what I was doing to help support our medics and wounded overseas. He put his hand on my shoulder, looked me in the eye and said "I'm proud of you". Nothing ever meant more to me than that.
Here's to you, Uncle Harry.
-Rog
Harry Clifford Swendsen
Private First Class
Company A, 8th Medical Battalion, 8th Infantry Division
Enlisted: October 5, 1942.
My uncle Harry was a combat medic in WW II. He was an ambulance driver. He landed at Normandy, was in the Battle of the Bulge, liberated a concentration camp and went all the way through France, Belgium and into Germany until the war ended.
I had a chance in 2007 to talk with him about his experiences during the war, and he had amazing stories to tell. Just amazing stuff. Once crawled out of a foxhole to find his ambulance full of holes from an artillery barrage, but it still ran so he drove it anyway.
He heard General George Patton give that speech to his troops, and said it was exactly like in the movie.
Woke up one time to find wounded German soldiers in the back of his ambulance...the Germans would leave their wounded with the American medics because they knew they'd be cared for.
In a town in Belgium, a German fighter dove down almost to street level to strafe his unit. Harry was plastered up against a wall, and as the plane passed, he and the pilot made eye contact for a split second.
At one point, he told me about driving his ambulance with one hand while holding a bandage on the chest of a wounded soldier with his other. He said it was hard driving in the dark with one hand over a muddy road while trying to get to the aid station as fast as possible. He said the soldier didn't survive the trip, and I asked him how that felt to him. He just gave his gentle smile and said "I feel OK, because I did my best for him".
At our last family reunion in 2009, I told him about what I was doing to help support our medics and wounded overseas. He put his hand on my shoulder, looked me in the eye and said "I'm proud of you". Nothing ever meant more to me than that.
Here's to you, Uncle Harry.
-Rog
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Memorial Day 2011 we remember our cousin, Joe Paul Swendsen.
We mourn his death and celebrate his life.
Joe had a strong belief in both family and country. He chose to honor his grandfathers who had served before him by volunteering to serve in the Air National Guard. As part of his duty, he took time out from college to go on a special assignment to Diego Garcia, supplying necessities to the troops in Afghanistan. It was hot and humid in the middle of the Indian Ocean, and Joe hated the spiders, but he befriended the geckos in the shower. That was Joe.
He later continued his tradition of service to our country as an Air Traffic Controller. He graduated from the University of Alaska Anchorage with a degree in Air Traffic Control and started that career in Rockford, IL. He earned a transfer to the Minneapolis airport in October of 2010 and that is where he was currently working. He was really happy with his career and talked about it a lot. His co-workers there are surprised and saddened by his death.
Joe, you will be missed.
- Rog
Memorial Day 2011
As an annual tribute, I am publishing this page again to the memory of the following members of our families who are no longer with us, but did not hesitate to serve when their countries needed them. Sadly, the list keeps growing.
My wife's Great-great-great-great grandfather:
Woody Jones - Served with Andrew Jackson in Louisiana, War of 1812 †
Her Great-great-great-great Uncle
Wiley Jones - Served with Andrew Jackson in Louisiana, War of 1812 †
My wife's great-great grandfathers:
Samuel Runnels - 39th Mississippi Infantry, Battle of Vicksburg †
Robert J. Jones - 4th Mississippi Cavalry †
My Great-Grandfather:
Christen Godskesen – Royal Danish Army, Second Schleswig War of 1864 †
My wife's grandfather:
Alonzo Runnels - US Army, WWI †
My Grandfather:
Christian Martinus Swendsen – Royal Danish Army †
My Great-Uncle:
Oluf Swendsen – Royal Danish Army †
My Uncles:
Paul Swendsen - US Army forward artillery spotter - Europe, WWII †
Carl Swendsen - US Army, WWII †
Roy Swendsen - US Army Air Corp, South Pacific, WWII †
Henry Godskesen - US Army Engineering Corp, WWII †
My Father-In-Law:
Charlie Runnels - US Navy, Korea †
My cousin:
Harlan Roy Swendsen - US Navy, Vietnam †
My Brother-in-law:
Carlos Hernandez - US Army Huey Helicopter Crewman, Vietnam †
My cousin:
Joe Swendsen - Minnesota Air National Guard, Diego Garcia Airlift Command †
For all you did for us....we remember
My wife's Great-great-great-great grandfather:
Woody Jones - Served with Andrew Jackson in Louisiana, War of 1812 †
Her Great-great-great-great Uncle
Wiley Jones - Served with Andrew Jackson in Louisiana, War of 1812 †
My wife's great-great grandfathers:
Samuel Runnels - 39th Mississippi Infantry, Battle of Vicksburg †
Robert J. Jones - 4th Mississippi Cavalry †
My Great-Grandfather:
Christen Godskesen – Royal Danish Army, Second Schleswig War of 1864 †
My wife's grandfather:
Alonzo Runnels - US Army, WWI †
My Grandfather:
Christian Martinus Swendsen – Royal Danish Army †
My Great-Uncle:
Oluf Swendsen – Royal Danish Army †
My Uncles:
Paul Swendsen - US Army forward artillery spotter - Europe, WWII †
Carl Swendsen - US Army, WWII †
Roy Swendsen - US Army Air Corp, South Pacific, WWII †
Henry Godskesen - US Army Engineering Corp, WWII †
My Father-In-Law:
Charlie Runnels - US Navy, Korea †
My cousin:
Harlan Roy Swendsen - US Navy, Vietnam †
My Brother-in-law:
Carlos Hernandez - US Army Huey Helicopter Crewman, Vietnam †
My cousin:
Joe Swendsen - Minnesota Air National Guard, Diego Garcia Airlift Command †
For all you did for us....we remember
Christen Godskesen, Second Schleswig War of 1864
My Great-great Grandfather Christen Godskesen, B 1837 - D 1906.
Christen served in the Royal Danish Army during the War with Germany in 1864. At the time, he was 26 years old, and Denmark had compulsory military service for all men.
The war began on 1 February 1864, when Prussian forces crossed the border into Schleswig.Denmark fought Prussia and Austria.
Reasons for the war were the ethnic controversy in Schleswig and the co-existence of conflicting political systems within the Danish unitary state.
The war ended on 30 October 1864, when the Treaty of Vienna caused Denmark's cession of the Duchies of Schleswig, Holstein, and Saxe-Lauenburg to Prussia and Austria.
Returning home after the War, Christen must have decided to get on with his life, and married Karen Jensdatter in December of that year.
I have the medal he received for his service in the War, which is one of my most prized possessions.
-Rog
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