In Memorium

Memorial Day was initially celebrated to commemorate the Union soldiers that had served and died in the American Civil War. Originally called Decoration Day, Memorial Day eventually became a time to honor those who served in the U.S. military.

My Dad died five years ago (2004) this coming July 4th. He served in the US Navy. He was a seaman at 18 years of age. He saw action in the Pacific campaign including the Battle of Leyte. His service campaign citation lists five major engagements in the Pacific. His life was forever altered. Almost 60 years after his service, he was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. He died in a Veterans' Hospital. I miss him a lot.

A couple of days ago, my daughter mentioned her grandfather should be remembered on Memorial Day. Certainly, I agree. As I thought about it, I thought that it would be great to make a list of my ancestors and living relatives that have served in the U. S. military. The danger, of course, is that I will leave someone out. Be that as it may, I list below my ancestors known to have served in the U. S. or Confederate States military units organized by conflict (in-so-far as I know).

I am open to information on other family members that should be added to this list. I have noted each person listed relationship to me and a few notes on each person if appropriate. I did not include any of the ancestors for my wife. Unfortunately, I do not have as good of records for her family.

A big thank you to all of them.

American Revolutionary War (1776-1783)

• John Petty (4th Great Grandfather). Petty served in North Carolina in Battles of Cane Creek and Lindley's Mill in 1781. He applied for a pension for his service in 1832. He lived out his life in Chatham County, NC. His granddaughter married James William Wade, my 2nd grandfather, in Tennessee.

Texas Revolution (1836)

• Joseph White, Fought at the Battle of San Jacinto, 2nd great grandfather

American Civil War (1861-1865)

• James William Wade (CSA) 44th Tennessee Infantry. 2nd Great Grandfather, service unconfirmed, applied for a Texas Confederate Pension in 1913 (denied). Likely served at the Battle of Shiloh in a Tennessee Volunteer united that become the 44th Tennessee Infantry.
• His brothers who also served. All are 2nd Great Grand Uncles.
  
  Hampton Wade (CSA) 44th Tennessee Infantry, Died during the Siege of Petersburg/Richmond, VA, 1865 (likely buried in a mass grave in Petersburg, VA)
  
  Elias Wade, (CSA), 28th Tennessee Infantry, Died in Kentucky at Battle of Mill Springs, 1862 (burial site unknown)
  
  Josiah Wade (CSA), 44th Tennessee Infantry.
  
  Eli Riley Wade (CSA), 44th Tennessee Infantry.
  
  William C. Wade (CSA), 44th Tennessee Infantry.

• Benjamin Franklin White (CSA), 10th Texas Infantry. His daughter married the son of James William Wade, Elias Hampton Wade (my great grandfather). Son of Joseph White listed above. B. F. White is one of my 2nd great grandfathers. He receive a pension for his service.
  
• Ford Butler, (CSA), 7th Mississippi Battalion Infantry, 2nd great grandfather. Captured at Vicksburg and paroled. Captured again in Marietta, GA, during the Atlanta Campaign. He died in 1864 while a prisoner in a Union Prison in Rock Island, IL.
• Henry Harrison Venson, (CSA), 45th Alabama Infantry. He was in the same prison as Ford Butler. After the war he married Butler's widow. He is my step 2nd great grandfather.
  

World War I (1914-1918)

• Ike Doby (Great uncle - my grandmother Wade's brother). Further information is needed.
  

World War II (1941-1945)

• James Benjamin Wade, Jr, US Navy - my father
• Airgtee Wade, US Army - my father's brother, my uncle (said to have been at Battle of Iwo Jima). Wounded, spent many years in a Veteran's Hospital, where he died in 1999.)
  
• Louis Butler, US Army Air Corps - my mother's brother
• Carl A Butler, US Army Air Corps - my mother's brother. He went missing in South Pacific in 1944 when his plane did not return from a mission. The plane and personnel were never found. He was a radio operator on a B-24 Liberator flying out of New Guinea. I was named after him.
  
• Jesse C Nix, US Army - my mother's brother in law, my uncle (died in Philippines in 1942, said to have been a part of the Bataan Death March)
• Alvis Vancil, US Army Air Corps, my mother's brother-in-law, my uncle (retired US Air Force)
  
• Ross Bobbitt, US Army, my first cousin's 2nd husband
  

Korean Conflict (1950-1953)

• Velpo Blankenship - First cousin's husband

Viet Nam War (1959-1975)

• Dan Vancil, US Air Force - First Cousin
• Leroy Shaffer, US Army - Second Cousin
  

First Gulf War (1990-1991)

• Russell Klepper, US Navy, my brother-in-law (retire US Navy)
  

Non-conflict Specific

• Dick Vancil, US Air Force, my cousin (retire US Air Force)
  
• Brenda Wade, US Army, my sister
• Brandon Wade, US Air Force, my uncle
• Ronald L. Wade, US Army National Guard, my brother
  

Chive Flower

Chive Flower
Originally uploaded by jcwadeaz

Spring garden is underway. One of the nice things is that I have a small set of chives that always over winters and, of course, flowers early. I did a little Photoshop work on this closeup view. I thought the photo turned out well.

I planted the little garden last Saturday, May 9, and it mostly looks good. Unfortunately, one of the tomato plants looks like it was almost immediately "cut" by some kind of insect and will not likely survive. I will have to get another one. Got to remember to get some basil, parsley and cilantro to add to the garden. I just forgot to get the herbs when I went to the nursery last Saturday.

Looks like rain tomorrow, but maybe I will have a bit of time between showers to go to the nursery and to plant the new items.

Farm Boy at Heart

This little piece of ground is what serves as a vegetable garden for me. It is small, about 7'x15'. I can't do much with it. I guess that is good, since I don't have much time to spend with a garden. I usually plant a few tomatoes and peppers. I always have a tomatillo plant or two. Not much work in keeping these going. I don't use much fertilizer and no pesticides unless there is a major problem.

Last Sunday (March 22), I cleaned and dug the little garden. I need to add some soil amendment - compost this year before I plant. I probably will not actually plant before May 10 as I wait for the soil temperature to rise a bit. The soil is not very good, since I started with the fill clay around the house and have added soil amendments to create a more acceptable soil.

I keep this location and small plot for several reasons: it is located on the south side of our house and get very good sunlight. It warms up quickly. Probably more important is that it is a bit protected from the deer that roam our neighborhood. They occasionally find the garden and do some damage, but I am amazed that they do not eat more of the plants.

We have a much larger yard with some very nice plants including about 50 azaelias. I'll add some photo as they come into bloom. I would put in a much larger vegetable garden, but the deer would take most of the produce and it would be a lot of work to upgrade the soil.

Next week we will begin to get the spring flowering trees including the cherry trees.

The little vegetable plot fills this the farm boy's spring urges.

Wind Energy in Texas

T. Boone Pickens has a plan. West Texas is a big player in wind energy.


In Roscoe, Texas, wind has become a big deal. This article is about Cliff Etheredge. Cliff and I went to high school together in Roscoe.

A Life in a Box

A box was delivered to me when I visited with my family in Texas. A simple cardboard box, overflowing with dingy paper and old photographs, some yearbooks and postcards and a faded silk scarf. It is a bit difficult to think that the contents of the box was the summation of a life, all there really was to show. The box contained the worldly positions of my uncle Carl.

Carl was one of those men that went to war in 1943 and never returned. The box was what he left with is mother and dad when he left for the South Pacific or perhaps some of the items were sent to them by others after he left. At any rate the box was mostly unopened for the past 65 years. It fell upon me to determine what to do with these small remaining items of his life.

Carl was the oldest of 2 sons and 6 daughters. He was the one who went to college in the midst of the Depression. He worked his way through. The first member of his family to graduate. He became a teacher and later worked to the Texas Highway Patrol, but in far West Texas. Then came the time to serve. He was going to be drafted or maybe he was. At any rate, he became a radio operator on an Army Air Corps plane that did not return from a mission out of New Guinea over the Sea of Bismarck. The plane never returned and was never found.

His box remained with his parents until their death and was passed to his only brother who also served in the Army Air Corps in New Guinea. When is brother died the box made it to his sister, my mother, and then to me.

Why me? I was born a few months after Carl went missing in the South Pacific. My mother gave me the middle name of Carl. So, Carl lives on beyond the box.