Amazing American Mail
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There were no further developments until last Nov when my eldest son Kevin phoned me to about a programme on our TV channel called Nationwide.It was to commemorate Armistice day on 11/11/1918 about Irish men who had fought in the various wars.there was a segment on Major Ron Howco, who was in the American forces and is now resident in Ireland,he has begun to recover and repatriate with honour the remains of Irish men who fought under the American flag. I emailed Ron with the few details we had and he put me in touch with Mr Pat Gorman in the US who does genealogy research.
We exchanged emails and Pat came up trumps in a short space of time.While records had been destroyed anyone who has died in military service in the US has also some files in the national Archives and Pat sourced and forwarded copies of these to me. They are not comprehensive but relate to contact with his Mother after his death and a short file with his physical details eg height etc!Pat also sent me a large coloured photo of the American cemetery in France and with a close up photo of Michael's name inscribed on the wall.
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The last days of the war were chaotic and we have 3 different dates for his death, his Mother thought he died the day before Armistice day but looking back that was probably how long it took for news to travel back to Ireland. The story was told that he was driving an officer and they were both standing beside the vehicle when a bomb killed them.Michael served with 165th Infantry 42 nd division,Company K. They were known as the rainbow division.
Pat Gorman does a fantastic work, it is not a job but a lifetimes work,he will present all of his files on tracing missing military members to the WW1 museum in Kansas city, a coincidence came to light during our online contact, Pat's own family originally came fromGlenmore in Co Kilkenny and his son attended university here in Cork as an exchange student!
I have not met Ron Howco as yet but another coincidence occurred today. I went to Kinsale for a short trip and saw a Pop up Militiary museum!We checked it out and spoke to James Sikora who was curator.I told him some of our story and he told me Ron Howco had been in Kinsale at the museum on sat! The Irish Veterans is being set up to honour people who have served in any army all over the world.We have had the unbelievable and disgraceful official stance here until quite recently that Irish men who served overseas particularly in the British army were more or less ignored and forgotten
The Irish vets are in the process of setting up a permanent museum in Kinsale to cover all of the armed conflicts that the Irish were involved in,and need funds etc so I joined up for a years membership for e25.
Another coincidence.... my son Kevin who started the ball rolling with the TV programme is currently serving with the UN, he wants to attend the ceremony. Kevin will have leave for a couple of weeks in Oct/Nov and at the request of Ron Howco it has to be held on a Sat to allow the members of the American Legion to travel and the only day that ticks all of the boxes? Sat 27th Oct , the exact anniversary of Michael's death according to official records!
I get the feeling Michael is making sure he is coming home at last.
Comments
I tried finding doing our genealogy, but I just got lost. Lucky for us Our Daughter did not. She found so many and she is still working on it when she can. I knew we had Irish on My Grandfathers side, but it is my Grandmother on My Mothers side that has so many.
It has always meant a lot to Mom and me that we made the connection with you here online. Your past visits to the U.S. and your wonderful posts on your gardening have helped us get to know you. We are proud of our Irish connections...my Dad's Mom being an O'Rear (probably O'Riar or O'Riardon in Ireland) and my hubby's family being Carmean's...harder to trace but I do know of a Carmean road in Ireland. :-) I also want to mention that my sister married a Murray whose family is from Ireland, also, and his name is Kevin. Interesting coincidence! :-) I just wish you and your family all the wonderful blessings life has to bestow.
Marie