Genealogical Gems

Last week I mentioned the Honor Roll at my church – the Holy Ghost Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Coatesville. Our Honor Roll plaque is in the back of the church and was originally created for those who served in World War II but has added the wars and our soldiers since then. Today, I’d like to introduce you to our World War II veterans. The three marked with an * are the three who were Killed In Action (KIA).  They are: Babel, Harry Bilinski, Michael Bodnar, Stephen Bodnar, Michael Bodnar, Paul Branson, Lewis Jr Buckle, Andrew * Buckle, John Buckle, Michael Daniels, George R Jr Donkewicz, George Donkewicz, John Euler, Frank Gbur, John Grycky, William A * Hachak, John Handoe, John Hanna, William H Hasiey, Joseph Hewczuk, Michael Hruszczak, Nicholas ß my Uncle Nick (Gigi’s brother) Hruszczak, Paul ß my Uncle Paul (Gigi’s brother) Jacoby, John Jacoby, Steve Jacoby, William Kasuba, B Myron Katherina, Michael Keshuta,...

President Johnson ordered troops to Vietnam to protect US airbases. It was On This Day in 1965, that the first Hawk air defense missile battalion was deployed to Da Nang . This was the first physical showing of American combat troops in South Vietnam . Our military involvement sparked considerable reaction around the world, as well as demonstrations here at home.   On This Day is a prompt I started this month to further explore historical events.                  © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

  New Holland (Lancaster County, PA) has several flags honoring those who have served. A particular one honors Leroy Snader who served in the US Army during the Vietnam War Era.   Note: There was a photo originally with this post but at some time it became unavailable.

I first read of Cpl Kenneth Wayne Eckman on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial while simply researching Eckmans in general. He was with D CO, 5TH BN, 7TH Calvary, 1ST Cav Div, USARV. He was, at just 19 years of age, KIA. He enlisted in the Army on 3 May 1967. He was stationed in Germany when he volunteered to go to Vietnam. His tour of Vietnam began on 29 March 1968 and ended in Thua Thien Province on 10 July 1968 after being mortally wounded in battle. He died of a grenade explosion. He is honored on the wall on Panel W52, Line 12. Born 6 February 1949, he is originally from Philadelphia, PA. There he was born at the Women's Homeopathic Hospital, the son of Joseph P and Mary Jane Steed Eckman. He grew up in Layton, Utah, having graduated from David HS. Eckman, who died young at age 19, was never married. He attended a Baptist Church. He was interred at the Memorial Gardens of the Wasatch in South Ogden, Utah. According to his obituary, he was sur...

 At just 20 years of age 18 December 18 December on  18 December May has been designated by Congress as National Military Appreciation Month. As such, Genealogical Gems is featuring a veteran or current member of the military each day. Yesterday, I first heard of William "Billy" Raymond Prom when I received an email from the PA General Assembly concerning HB 349. HB349 designates the bridge located over Washington's Landing and the Allegheny River, commonly known as the 31st Street Bridge, in Pittsburgh,  as the William Raymond Prom Memorial Bridge. Prom enlisted in the US Marine Corps reserve on 8 December 1967. He received his basic training at Parris Island in South Carolina and his combat training at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina before being sent. to Vietnam in June 1968. While in Vietnam, he served as an ammunition man, assistant gunner, machine gun team leader and a machine gun squad leader. On 1 September 1969, he was promoted ...

The month of May has been designated by Congress as National Military Appreciation Month. As such, Genealogical Gems will feature a veteran or current member of the military each day. Today, we begin with Daddy - Joseph Ruczhak, Jr. Daddy fought in Vietnam and like many Vietnam veterans, he did not have the most positive experience, to put it nicely. I however am very proud of my father. This is him at left. It's a picture from an old issue of Lukens Life, the company newsletter for Lukens Steel Mill in Coatesville. Daddy worked there, His father and his grandfather worked there as well. Many other family members did too as it was the largest business in the Coatesville area - still is although it has long been bought out by another company. At the time of this photo, Daddy was a Specialist Four in the Army First Infantry Division. While I do not have a date for the article and photo, it was late 1965 or early 1966. Daddy arrived over there in 1965, having been drafted. ...