Veteran's Day

We pause to salute and honor our Veterans - past and present - for their sacrifices over the approximate 235 years of our country's history.  May we all reflect on our blessings of living in this country - with the good and the not so good that we hear criticized - thankful to all who have served in any capacity to keep us safe.

My family has been honored to have had several members who have served in the armed forces over the years...let's see if I can recall at least those in the immediate first line family...

My Dad tried to enlist, but he was color blind and could not serve [he was a member of the Alabama Highway Patrol for several years, so thank you for that service, Daddy!]

Dad's brother, Howard (Mutt) Baker was in the Navy in WWII.
Dad's niece Jan Davis Cole, served stateside as an RN in the Air Force during the Viet Nam era.
There may be more on the Baker side, but as Dad was the baby of five and had nephews/nieces older than he was, I just don't know others... :)

On Mom's side, we had my uncle John Dee Pinkerton in the Army (WWII, I believe).
Mom's brother, Curtis B. (Bud) Pinkerton, was a career Air Force pilot in WWII, Korea, & Viet Nam, and was a retired Colonel at his death.

My brother, Philip Baker, served in the Army National Guard in Alabama.

My sister's husband, Carl Edward Kirkley (Ed), US Air Force career.  They had the honor and pleasure of serving in Italy, Germany, and several bases across the U.S.  Thank you, Eddie!

Carl's Mom had a younger brother, Barney Stroud, who served in the Army during WWII in Italy.

Carl's dad, Cecil E. Vinson, was in the Navy and was a Chief Machinist Mate on the USS Downs in Pearl Harbour.  We are grateful he did survive the attack and made it home to later become Carl's father!  Here's a couple of pictures...

Carl's mom was an RN and worked as a nurse

in the various cities where they were stationed.

So, you see, we have been blessed with a number of honorable service men and women in our family.  Here's the newest generation...Lance Corporal William Theodore Baldwin (Theo), 22...a US Marine, currently stationed at Camp Pendleton, California.  He has recently returned from a tour in the Far East and is scheduled to deploy again in February.  God bless you with safe travel, nephew!  (He is actuall a great nephew, the son of my niece, Renee' and her husband, David, from Lake Blackshear in Cobb, GA).

Here's a couple of my favorites for closing out this posting today...God bless America!

"An American Soldier"

"God Bless the USA"