Military Monday – World War II German Communities
Written by Lorel Kapke, Sort Your Story Founder
My father was interested in the arts and was heading in the direction of becoming a commercial artist when World War II broke out. He insisted on joining the service as he felt it was “his duty.” However, choosing what area of the military to join was a bit difficult. (Ray was always considered a “gentleman” and not a “fighter” yet he enjoyed sports as he played basketball in high school -at 5’10″- he was quick on his feet !
The military questioned his intent and asked him if he wanted to kill the enemy. Ray felt no animosity towards “any group of people” and he did believe it was his duty to serve (with full knowledge of the political climate at that time.) Ray was placed him in the Navy as a gunner on the USS Davison and Minesweeper.
Historically, where Ray Kapke lived in Wisconsin, it was a tight German community. At that time in Wisconsin the impact both World War I and World War II had on this German community” was experienced by our German ancestors. I understand many, many cultures dealt with similar stories. I feel sharing these stories may be beneficial to understand “discrimination” was felt by “many, many groups of people in this country from early 1500′s and so on!
So our question to you today: Did your ethnic group suffer any discrimination during World War I or II in your community? How did that shape your family’s history? How are you preserving YOUR family’s war stories?
© 2013 Sort Your Story, Sonoma, California
Follow Friday – May 10, 2013
This Friday in honor of this month having both V-E Day and Memorial Day, we will focus on military ancestors. Here are some websites, articles, and blog posts we encourage you to read. If you have a story to tell about one of your military ancestors, please write and share it with your family and consider having it published in a genealogical society’s newsletter, blog, magazine, or quarterly journal. Talk to area museums and historical societies about donating written copies of your work for their archives. Through your stories, their lives will be remembered and honored.
Pritzker Military Library article in the Chicago Tribune
StoryCorps This organization helps everyone tell their stories, but if you are a veteran or know of a story, please have it preserved.
National Archives and Records Administration Veterans’ Service Records and Research section
What are some other military websites you find useful? Please share with us in the comments.
© 2013 Sort Your Story, Sonoma, California
Military Monday – Save your Stories
Mom, dad, uncle Ralph, Grandpa Joe, cousin Phil, aunt Marie – what are your military stories?
Most everyone has a military member or two or more in their families. Have you stopped to ask them about their stories? Have you stopped to investigate the stories of those who died in service? If not, now’s the time to start saving those stories.
Lorel Kapke, the founder of Sort Your Story has done just that. She created two videos about her father’s World War II service. You can view them here: Video 1 and Video 2.
How wonderful that she has been able to capture the stories and photos of her father before they are lost.
Can I do that? you may ask? YES! Most computers, cell phones, IPads, and other devices have the ability to record video and audio. So take these devices with you when you visit family this holiday season. Record those stories while you have opportunity. Add those videos and audio files to Sort Your Story and share them with family members so everyone can enjoy the history.
Happy Holidays!
© 2012 Lorel Kapke, 19201 Sonoma Hwy. #341, Sonoma, CA 95476-5413
Motivation Monday – Remember Your Veterans on Memorial Day
Today is a day to remember and honor our veterans. Did you know Memorial Day began three years after the Civil War? You can read more about that on About.com’s Memorial Day – Origins and History.
Sort Your Story can help you remember and honor your veterans. Simply create a profile for a veteran in your family, or open one already created. Add a military folder if one has not been added. Drag and drop military records and photos and record the notes and sources attached to each.
Still have records to locate? Add another military folder and make some notes about the records you want to find. Create a research plan. Then when you locate the records and add them to the original military folder, you can delete that note from your research plan.
What stories do you know about your military ancestors? How are you honoring them today? Please share with us in the comments.
© 2012 Lorel Kapke, 19201 Sonoma Hwy. #341, Sonoma, CA 95476-5413
