Among the many treasured possessions that I hold in trust for my family are my grandfather's WWI Honorable Discharge papers and his WWI Victory Medal:
My grandfather, Clarence Henry Corlew, enlisted in the U.S. Army on 27 May, 1918 at Greenwich, NY. He was 27 years of age and was missing the middle finger on his right hand from a childhood accident with firecrackers. Since he could still pull a trigger, this was not considered to be a problem.
He was a Private First Class with the 232nd M.P. Co. and was honorably discharged 11 Aug, 1919 at Camp Upton, NY.
This photo of Clarence is the earliest one that I can find. I believe that it was taken just before his marriage in 1927 in Oteen, North Carolina. He had been admitted to the U.S. Veterans' Hospital there for successful treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis.
His yellowed discharge papers are protected by a black leather-like case. I love to hold them and breathe in their fragrance of musty paper and ink. It reminds me of old books and libraries -how could I not love that!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Wordless Wednesday - Memere
Well, maybe just a few words. . . This casual snapshot is of my Memere Nellie in her kitchen in Hudson Falls, New York. I didn't get to see her very often as a child, but my memories of her always seem to center around this room. She was a practical, warm, loving woman, who often fed large gatherings of family and friends at her table.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)