Submitted by Bell, Mar 29, 2007 07:44

Let me preface this story by noting there are large gaps in our family tree. For example, my father almost got into World War I and my grandfather fought in the Civil War. Transmitted family history is fragmented at best.

My own military adventure began when I joined the Naval Reserve before the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. During a brief leave during a full summer of boot camp at Great Lakes before my senior year of high school, I looked up a half-aunt living in Chicago. Born in the 19th century, she was an older half-sister of my father.

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