The Book of Me, Written By You - Prompt: 11: Military

Did you join the Military?    No
   Were you encouraged or discouraged?

Did a family member? Yes, but not regular it was for a particular incident.
    Regular or for a particular incident.

Did you or your family serve overseas in the line of Service either during a war or a posting?
Yes, my grandfather was in France in World War I and my father was in Korea.

Any thoughts, photographs, memories relevant. Below I will share starting with the American Revolution.

My DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) Patriot is Jonas Eyler, who was born 27 November 1754, in Bedford county, Pennsylvania. He enlisted in Bedford, Pennsylvania, and served as a private in Captain Rice's Company and Colonels Procter's and Morgan's Regiments. he was in the battles of Quebec, Trenton, Germantown, at he taking of Burgoyne and in several engagements with the Indians, length of service, about three years.  

Here is the Muster roll of Capt. Nehemiah Stokely's company, in the Eight Pennsylvania regiment of foot, in the service of the United States of America, commanded by Col. Daniel Brodhead, taken for the months of October, November, and December, 1778, and January, 1779. Listed under Privates, Jonas Eyler was on command at Fort Laurens in Ohio.

He married Anna Regina Harbaugh 24 April 1781 at the Moravian Church in Graceham, Frederick, Maryland. He died 19 April 1825.







I have two great great grandfathers who served in the Civil War. 

 Henry H. Payton, my paternal great great grandfather, was born October 1841 in Fremont, Sandusky, Ohio. As a resident of Middleport, Iroquois, Illinois he enrolled as a private on the 24th day of July 1862 in the Company "A" of the 76th Regiment of Illinois Infantry Volunteers commanded by A. Andrew and was honorably discharged at Chicago on the 4th day of August 1865. 

I don't have any pictures of him, but he was described as being 5 feet f 1/2 inches, complexion light, hair light, with blue eyes.

While a member of the organization aforesaid, in the service and line of duty at Moscow in the State of Texas, on or about 11th day of January, 1863 he contracted deafness by taking a severe cold which settled in this head, and could not talk on account of said cold until May 1863, causing such deafness of right ear and which had proved worse so that at the present time is almost totally deaf in said ear and partially deaf in left ear.

Here is a link to the history of The 76th Illinois Regiment.

http://www.illinoiscivilwar.org/cw76-hist.html

Henry Koch, my maternal great great grandfather, was born 6 March 1837 in Korhansen,Hesse-Kassel (Prussia) Germany. 
As a resident of Ohio, he enlisted as a Private on 4 August 1862 at the age of 25 in Company K 57th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was mustered out on 3 June 1865 in Washington, D.C..

Henry Koch was 5 feet 3 inches with blue eyes and sandy hair.

My grandfather, Francis "Frank" Percival Smith was born 17 December 1897 in Dekalb, Illinois. He enlisted 7 April, 1917 and entered service 9 April 1917. He was placed in the infantry and assigned to "H" 2nd Washington 161 regiment 41 division.
On 14 December 1917 left for England aboard the President Lincoln arrived in France 31 December 1917. He participated in the Marne offensive, second battle of Marne, St Michel offensive and Meuse Argonne. He was honorably discharged 12 June 1919.

My dad, Don Francis Smith, born 29 December 1929 in Spokane, Wasington. Entered into the US Army 5 April 1951 as a Private First Class. He was with the 526th Engineer Panel Bridge Company during the Korean War. 
He was honorably discharged 25 March 1953. 

Armed Forces Liberty pass

US Government Operators Permit