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I started this piece earlier this week on Election Day. It seemed appropriate to post it on Veterans Day. This is the flag that my dad received for his dad's service to our country. My dad passed it down to my son. I have painted and posted it before.
While today, Saturday, isn't Veterans Day, today is the big Veterans Day Parade in downtown Colorado Springs. We have a lot of Vets here as the military is a strong presence in the town with Fort Carson, NORAD, Peterson Field, Schriever Air Force Base, and the Air Force Academy. Many Vets stay and make Colorado Springs their home and many Vets return to live here when they retire. Sunday is the actual Veteran's Day but it is observed on Monday with closures in all of the government buildings as well as our local schools.
While today, Saturday, isn't Veterans Day, today is the big Veterans Day Parade in downtown Colorado Springs. We have a lot of Vets here as the military is a strong presence in the town with Fort Carson, NORAD, Peterson Field, Schriever Air Force Base, and the Air Force Academy. Many Vets stay and make Colorado Springs their home and many Vets return to live here when they retire. Sunday is the actual Veteran's Day but it is observed on Monday with closures in all of the government buildings as well as our local schools.
I come from a family of Veterans. I'll introduce you to some of them:
This is my mom, Rosalie Phillips Johnson (1921-1971). She became a pilot after college. She served in WWII as a WASP, Women's Air Force Service Pilot. The WASPs flew new planes from factories to embarcation air fields where they were either flown or shipped overseas.
My dad, Oliver Sidney Johnson (1920-2004), is on the far left in the back row. He served in WWII as a radio operator and machine gunner on B-24s and B-17s in the 490th Bomb Group flying out of England.
My grandfather, Charles Thomas Johnson, (1890-1964) is the one circled. He served in WWI and also was a Colonel in WWII. This is General Patton's staff (you may recognize him in the front row.) I can't imagine how it must have been for my grandma to have her husband and only child both in Europe during the war. She also served our country as an ambulance driver taking soldiers from Midway airport to the hospital.
My husband Peter's parents were also Veterans. They both served in the Navy. This is their engagement photo. My father-in-law, Peter Carl Holnback, was a fighter pilot in the Pacific. My mother-in-law, Olive Hird Holnback, was a WAVE: Women Accepted for Voluntary
Emergency Service.
17 comments:
You've painted this flag beautifully, Pam. I do recall seeing you paint it before too. I really enjoyed seeing your parents, grandparents and your husband's parents. Definitely a patriotic family you have. My husband was in the Army, I was in the Air Force, my dad was in the Army. Fortunately, my dad was in between Korea and Vietnam, though the later was in its earliest stages when he got out.
Love your flag painting! My son is a USAFA grad, career AF. My Dad was US Army Air Corps in the Pacific in WWII. My husband was Army in Korea. Great to see those pics of your family...!!
Thank you Sherry and Cheryl. It does seem like there are many of us who do love America. Hopefully we can all come together in this time of a divided nation.
I enjoyed this post, and learned so much information about our family that I didn't know! I shared this information with my brother Shawn. After seeing this picture of my Grandmother, I think I now know where I get my nose from. Thank you so much for sharing!
Wow! Gorgeous painting. Bold and delicate at the same time. LOVE the photos and stories of your family and Peters. I can see a resemblance of you to your mom and Peter to his dad. How cool to have such inspirational role models. Think I'll forward this post to friends as my Veterans day remembrance. Both my grandfathers were in WWII. My paternal grandfather fought and survived the Battle of the Bulge. Thanks for reminding us of our own courageous family stories!!
Beautiful and moving painting Pam. It touches me when I see a well painted American flag.
I love this blog post. So many of our family members were and are willing to fight for our country ... they deserve our recognition.
Love this post, Pam. Fabulous to see those precious pictures. Thanks so much for sharing them and the info too. Long may she wave!
Amy, thank you for visiting. Usually I just see you on FB. I've got tons of written family history from Grandpa. I'll make sure that you get a copy.
Thank you Debbi. Hopefully we all have stories from the past. Seems like so much gets forgotten.
Nancy, Thank you. I agree. Our Vets do deserve recognition!
Thank you Karen. You paint incredible flags! Seemed like the right time for family sharing.
This flag is really really lovely. Love the composition and the colors are wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing your family with us. Loved seeing all the pictures. I am so impressed your Mom was a pilot, that is so cool. You look a lot like her.
This was a heartwarming post. I loved every bit of it. I love America and have been troubled to see the division. This makes me feel good again.
Gorgeous painting of the flag..I love everything about it. Congratulations on having such a great lineage to be so proud of! We all owe them a debt!!
Your family's service to our country is something to be truly proud of, Pam.
I love your painting of old glory.
God bless the USA!
Pam, what a great post, beautiful work, and an interesting story! Loved it all!
Thank you Amy. It's fun to share a bit more than just painting.
Julie, so glad that this helped you out! We all need a boost. Thank you!
Thanks so much Celeste. Many of us come from great lineage. We as a country just need to remember it!
Dean, thank you and God bless you!
Thanks so much Nancy!
Wow, Pam, you have such an interesting family! So cool that your mom was a pilot! Your painting of the flag is really beautiful, too!
I saw this flag before on your blog..and I loved it then and love it now!! How proud you must be of your mom, dad and the rest of your family who served.. and thank you for sharing this with us.
Teresa, thank you. It mean a lot.
Thank you Hilda. I think that we all paint many things over and over. But, this is a personal "over and over".
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